Can Exercise Really Reduce Breast Size? Find Out Here.

Grappling with the heavy weight of your large breasts? 

Wondering how to reduce breast size with exercise?

Not to worry!

We’re here to talk about how exercise can affect your breast size and a few of the top exercises to reduce breast size.

Breast Anatomy

An adult woman's breasts are tear-shaped, milk-producing glandular structures.

Resting on the pectoralis major (chest) muscle, the breasts contain NO muscle and are supported and attached to the front of the chest wall on both sides of the sternum by ligaments.

The breast primarily consists of glandular, adipose (fat), and connective tissue as well as lobes, lobules, ducts, lymph nodes, blood vessels, and ligaments.

The size of your breasts is directly related to the amount of fatty tissue present in them (which in most women is higher than the amount of glandular tissue). As women age and move towards menopause, the percentage of breast fat increases.

Factors affecting breast size

The size of your breasts is mainly determined by the following factors:

1. Genetics

Your genes are responsible for various factors such as your skin elasticity, and the amount of glandular tissue vs. fat tissue which in turn affect the size and shape of your breasts and even the strength of your Cooper’s ligaments that support your breasts.

2. Age

Sad, but true. The older you get, the saggier your breasts become thanks to the ligaments losing their strength.

3. Body Mass Index

Research shows that women with a higher BMI usually have larger breasts.

4. Hormonal fluctuations

During puberty, estrogen levels rise leading to an increase in breast size. Hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause can also affect breast size temporarily or permanently.

5. Breastfeeding

A 2018 study published in Scientific Reports suggests that the more children you have and the more you breastfeed, the larger your breasts.

Can Exercise Reduce Breast Size?

Yes, exercise can reduce breast size.

Although spot-reduction is not possible (be it your breast or any other part of the body), regular exercise along with a well-balanced diet is the best way to reduce your overall body weight.

Since cardiovascular and HIIT exercises can contribute to overall fat loss, this could also contribute to a loss of breast fat for some women. Aerobic exercises such as power walking, running, swimming, cycling, jump rope, etc. can rev up your metabolism, create a calorie deficit in the body, and aid in overall weight loss, thereby indirectly leading to a reduction in breast size.

Strength training is also an excellent form of exercise for breast size reduction. Specifically exercises that target the chest muscles (think push-ups, dumbbell flyes, etc.) are great for strengthening and toning your chest, thus giving you the appearance of a smaller bust.

But here’s the catch.

If you expect that exercise can magically take you from a cup size ‘D’ to a size ‘A’, you are going to be sorely disappointed. 

Since your genes, hormones, and other factors all determine your breast size, the extent to which exercise can affect breast size varies widely from one woman to another.

Exercises to reduce breast size

While there are no exercises that specifically target breast fat, the following exercises can indirectly help reduce breast size.

1. Push-ups

Push-ups are excellent for building and toning the chest muscles underneath your breasts.

2. Dumbbell side raises

Dumbbell side raises recruit your shoulder and upper back muscles that help improve your posture thus reducing the appearance of larger breasts.

3. Dumbbell chest presses

Dumbbell chest presses directly target your pectorals and can thus contribute to a reduction in breast size.

4. Leg raises

Leg raises are a great way to tone your abs and prevent breast sagging, thereby giving your busts a smaller appearance.

5. Cardio exercises

All forms of cardio including swimming, stair climbing, incline walking on a treadmill, etc. help in weight loss and can thus indirectly lead to a reduction in breast size.

6. Yoga

Yoga postures such as Surya Namaskars, Talasana, Chakrasana, Parvatasana, and Matsyasana are all amazing chest toning and breast-size-reducing exercises.

Can You Really Reduce Breast Size Naturally?

While many individuals suggest that natural remedies such as fenugreek, ginger, fish oil, flax seeds, egg whites, etc. help in breast size reduction, there is no concrete scientific evidence to back up these claims. 

However, there’s no harm in giving these remedies a shot after consultation with a medical expert.

Conclusion

It’s important to take things with a pinch of salt when trying out these breast reduction exercises. As mentioned before, exercise alone cannot work wonders and should be done in combination with a healthy diet to see any meaningful results.

If you have concerns about your breast size, we recommend consulting a healthcare professional who can offer expert advice based on your specific circumstances.