Anybody who has been serious about sticking to a sensible exercise and diet plan to lose weight knows that you can't pick the areas where the weight is lost. One general rule that people often hear is "The first place to get fat is the last place to lose it." In other words, if somebody starts gaining fat around the midsection before doing so in other parts of the body, that abdominal fat will be the last place where fat is lost. This can be very frustrating for anybody trying to make positive lifestyle changes in terms of diet and exercise.

This uneven weight loss can be particularly frustrating for women looking to not just tone their thighs or tighten up their abdomen, but to actually reduce the size of their breasts. It is not unusual for those women who either cannot or will not undergo a breast reduction cosmetic procedure to ask Dr. Paul Pin if they can achieve smaller breasts solely through diet and exercise. The truth is that losing breast size is possible, given that the vast majority of the breasts consist of fat. However, as with fat loss on the rest of the body, it is a gradual, overall process.

Diet to Help Lose Breast Size

The best diet to help reduce breast size is one that actually reduces overall body fat. This means a diet high in fruits, vegetables, and protein (fish and chicken are best). Carbohydrates should be minimized as much as possible, along with fried, fatty, or processed food. Although most fatty foods should not be consumed, nuts can provide a healthy source of fat. Nuts should be consumed raw, without any salt or sugar coating.

Exercises to Help Reduce Breast Size

Most aerobic or cardio exercise, such as running or bicycling, will reduce overall body fat. Plan on anywhere from 40 to 60 minutes per day of cardio exercise for the best results. Dr. Pin cautions that women with large breasts should find a sports bra that will adequately support the breasts to avoid any pain or soreness due to strenuous exercise.

In addition, there are specific exercises that can be done to tone and tighten the pectoral (chest) muscles, which will in turn better support the breasts, giving them a younger, fuller appearance. The best of these pectoral toning exercises is the bench press, in which a weighted barbell is raised and lowered above the body, while lying back on a flat bench. Dumbbell flies are another good exercise to be done lying back on a flat bench. The dumbbells are raised toward each other from a T position.

As a general rule, Dr. Pin recommends that any woman seeking a breast reduction procedure be committed to a healthy lifestyle with plenty of exercise and a diet designed to help reduce overall body fat. Women who do so will generally be more pleased with their results, which will also last longer than if they do not lead a healthy lifestyle.