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How to lose weight and not lose your breasts: tips, diet and exercise
As a rule, women are aware that they have accumulated enough extra pounds. But they subconsciously delay losing weight, rightly worrying that this will make their neckline less seductive. Indeed, conquering weight tends to affect the size and appearance of the breasts. However, if you know a few tricks, the “Weight Loss” operation can be carried out with minimal losses on the “leading edge”.
Just as those who decide to lose weight need moral support, their breasts need help in the form of a healthy diet, targeted exercises, and, of course, the right underwear.
Why does the breast melt along with the weight? Three main factors
Body fat
It is generally accepted that it is fat that gives the breasts appetizing volumes, and by and large this is true, but not all.
Fat is an unremovable part of the anatomy of the female breast. “Fat” surrounds the main functional part of the breast, the mammary gland itself, serving as protection from injury and temperature changes, as well as a certain resource of nutrients in case a woman does not eat well, and she needs to bear and feed a child.
According to the general physique of a woman, it is impossible to draw conclusions about the amount of fat in her breast: there is also a “fat-free” bust in large ladies, and with a “thick layer of chocolate” – in thin ones. Breast size is also not an indicator of it, often a large breast makes an abundance of glandular tissue. The volume and thickness of the fatty layer of each particular female breast is a matter of genetics, not lifestyle or weight.
This means that those of us who are doomed by heredity to a large amount of adipose tissue in it, as well as women whose age is close to forty or have passed this mark, are more at risk of losing weight and losing breasts. In the years of menopause, a woman’s anatomy undergoes a number of changes and the glandular tissue gives way to adipose tissue in any case, even if initially there was almost no fat in the breast. Accordingly, noticeable weight loss after forty is almost guaranteed to turn the breast into “pancakes” – there will simply be nothing to fill it with.
Anatomical depiction of a woman’s breast, illustrating the concept of what is responsible for its shape and size: (1) fatty layer; (2) Cooper’s ligaments; (3) glandular tissue.
Cooper’s ligaments
Cooper’s ligaments are an imperceptible and even unknown to many, but extremely important organ. He is responsible for the shape and tone of the chest, as well as its ability to withstand the efforts of the hostess, aimed at combating excess weight. These are thin bands of connective tissue that penetrate the breast from the inside and are attached to the deep layers of the skin. It is because of the stretching of the Cooper’s ligaments that the chest sags in the process of losing weight or with age. Accordingly, if the bust is magnificent, then there is more load on the ligaments, and the deplorable result of their stretching is more obvious.
The ligaments are quite elastic, but easily deformed, and the most dangerous in this regard are running and cardio exercises, which make the chest bounce cheerfully. The main and saddest thing to know about Cooper’s ligaments is their inability to recover. Therefore, if you want to lose weight and not lose breast at the same time, it is worth grooming and nurturing Cooper’s ligaments from a young age, without neglecting high-quality supportive underwear, even if the breast looks much more seductive without it. And in the gym, a special bra, which gently but confidently fixes the bust, without leaving him freedom of movement, is the same obligatory item as stylish sneakers!
Condition of the skin and musclesThere are no muscles in the chest itself, but “from the inside” of the breast lies the pectoralis major muscle, to which the bust hemispheres are attached. Around it are several smaller, but extremely important parts of the musculature: the serratus anterior muscle under the chest on the ribs, the lateral part of the latissimus dorsi adjacent to it, the corax muscle and the biceps brachii, which support the chest from the armpit and forearm. All pectoral muscles are also known as pectoral muscles.
The information that a woman’s breasts can be enlarged with the help of strength exercises is a myth: if you are addicted to this kind of “correction”, you are more likely to get not a beautiful neckline at all, but a torso like that of Conan the Barbarian. However, the muscles surrounding the chest should not be completely turned on in any case – they play the role of a “natural bra” that provides support.
The condition of the skin also affects the appearance of the breasts. Therefore, a lack of physical activity (not only and not so much fitness as Pilates, yoga, stretching practice are important here), care errors, as well as a diet in which there is not enough protein, necessary for both the muscles and the epidermis, only worsen the situation and aggravate the suffering position of the chest in the process of losing weight.
How to keep your breasts while losing weight: you need a special diet!
Diet is the first and main measure that accompanies the realization of any intention to get rid of excess. But be prepared: just as there are no nutritional plans that allow you to “pointwise” affect a bulging belly or lose weight in your face, it is impossible to lose weight and keep your breasts by refusing to eat, or, conversely, eating special foods.
However, general rules do exist. The main one is to avoid all kinds of fast diets, including fasting days, both in a one-time and in a global perspective.
Any express weight loss has an extremely negative effect on the condition of the connective tissues, over and over again “loosening” their integrity. The result – even with a low weight, noticeable manifestations of cellulite, stretch marks, loss of breast shape.
Don’t cut your usual nutritional value drastically. Experts consider a diet based on foods on the glycemic index to be a “soft” way to put weight in order, without condemning oneself to hunger and dramatic changes in lifestyle and appearance. It honestly does not promise instant results, but it will provide you with everything you need, allowing you to maintain enough strength for sports and, most importantly, change the erroneous eating habits that led to excess weight, and weaken the cravings for sweets.
A proper diet that allows you to lose weight and preserve your breasts must necessarily contain protein (necessary for strengthening muscles and the production of collagen in the skin), healthy fats (taking care of the health of cell membranes and tissue elasticity) and sufficient water (important for lymphatic drainage and fresh skin) …
Lose weight and not lose breast – action plan
If the volume of your breasts is mainly due to adipose tissue, and not glandular, accept the fact that the changes cannot be avoided. As a last resort, do not lose weight.
The transition to a healthy diet for weight loss is accompanied by a set of exercises that take into account the “weak point” – the chest.
Do not overdo it on the treadmill and in activities involving jumping (including kickboxing), especially if nature has rewarded you with a voluminous “front”, and for warm-up, it is better to pay attention to stretching and dynamic yoga asanas – they will spare the gentle Cooper’s ligaments and improve the blood supply to the muscles, which means they will improve the elasticity of tissues. Climbing, training on an ellipse, a bicycle will also be good for you.
Try not to overuse face-down exercises (planks, push-ups), especially if you are richly gifted in terms of chest.
Pay sufficient, but not excessive attention to the pectoral muscles: their job is to provide the chest of a losing body with a sufficient supply of muscular strength. The trainer will help you choose an individual program and avoid mistakes in technique. If you intend to practice at home, pay attention to the set of chest exercises, which the Olympic champion Alexandra Patskevich prepared specially for the readers of Healthy Food Near Me.
When playing sports, be sure to wear a high-quality breast-fixing special bra, matched to the size (the chest should not be squeezed), and in “ordinary” life, do not skimp on underwear with good support.
Interview
Poll: How did your breasts react to losing weight?
I don’t know, because I don’t risk losing weight, I’m afraid of losing my bust.
I have lost weight, my breasts have decreased.
I lost weight, my chest has not changed.
Losing weight has benefited me everywhere, my breasts look even better!