Will Lifting Weights Reduce Breast Size?
image credit: flickr
Many women will not lift weights because of the myths that surround the topic. You know the most common one: “Lifting weights will make me look like a man” which couldn’t be further from the truth. Another common one is that lifting weights will reduce breast size. Let’s take a look at why this is a myth:
Breasts are made up of mainly fatty tissue
This means that building muscle isn’t going to cause your breasts to decrease in size. When you lose fat, you lose fat all over your body, not just in one area. Therefore, if any breast reduction occurs from weight loss, it will lead to the true size of your breasts being at your healthy weight.
Fat doesn’t turn into muscle and vice-versa
Many people believe that muscle and fat are the same thing. It is a common myth that not working out causes your muscles to turn into fat and building muscle is turning fat into muscle. They are two separate types of tissues in the body. Therefore, lifting weights is not going to turn fatty breast tissue into muscle.
What causes decreased breast size then?
A decrease in body fat is what causes a reduced breast size. If your body fat is extremely low then more than likely your breast size will decrease. Unless you are a serious competitive bodybuilder, your body fat shouldn’t drop extremely low.
Women should not be turned off from lifting weights. If your goal is to lose weight, then lifting weights can be a huge help towards reaching that goal.
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Comments
In high school, one of my friends gave me a cap-sleeved tee shirt that had a very small title in between the best area: (front)
Now, I’m busting out of size 16 because of a long history of overeating.
I’m working to make 2008 the beginning of my trip back to moderation.
thanks for the encouragement.
Great post - I’m a woman and I love weight training.
I lost 25 lbs in 3 months last year (checkout my blog to find out how) and since I’ve ready for and been back on the weights, an additional 8lbs - and my physique has shrunk into a tight little fit body!
The one thing I’d like to know is that when I had fat, my boobs were plump (of course) but now that I’ve lost all this weight, they look like they belong on grannies’ chest.
Anyone got any NATURAL tips in how to, ummm, fix this?
Women can increase muscle size in modest amounts by strength training - enough to make bras fit differently. I had a 72 year old client report that her bra had become tight fitting. She was pleased
Thanks for this. I am a woman and I am a huge fan of weight lifting. I’ve been overweight and the first thing that went when I started lifting weights were my boobs. BUT, as you point out, it was due strictly to fat loss and not the weight lifting. I suppose it depends on how technical you want to get as to whether or not it’s really a myth.
Weight lifting leads to fat loss.
Fat loss can lead to decrease in breast size.
It *could* be considered a truth, but not in the way that it is always presented.
An advantage to weight lifting and breast issues is that the pec muscles become finely developed and, to me, makes the breast seem much more appealing. It totally eliminates the need of a wonder bra, which girls with limited boobage like me can appreciate.