Big Boobs or Banish the Belly?

Q: “I’ve recently gained about five pounds, all of which seems to have landed in my gut and my boobs. How can I lose the weight in my gut without losing my boobs?!”

A: (Carrie) Ha! Welcome to womanhood! This seems to be one of those age-old conundrums that many women struggle with, myself included. Pretty much the only way to keep your “girls” as is, is to visit the plastic surgeon, then lose the weight. Just remember…strengthening your pecs (chest muscles) will not give you bigger boobs, and doing sit-ups will not burn fat around your middle. Breast tissue is made up of fat and glands, not muscle. However, you can give the girls a little lift by strengthening the chest muscles, especially the upper pecs (trust me on this one…I’ve got like five years total of breastfeeding on my ladies…they should be hanging to my knees…). As for burning that fat off, your body will decide what goes, usually according to a “last hired, first fired” sort of arrangement. So if these five pounds mostly went to your gut and bust, that’s where you’re likely to lose them first. Cardio and strength training (and of course, making healthy food choices) will help you lose the fat, but keep and build sexy muscle. After all, a strong, confident body and attitude are sexier than a voluptuous bust size alone. Right, Ryan?

A: (Ryan) The first question that comes to mind is, what’s more important, bountiful breasts or a barely-there belly? Unfortunately, as Carrie says, it may not be possible to have both. A lot of where your body stores fat has to do with genetics which is why some top-heavy women can get away with having a teeny tummy. But there are ways to get that instant lift and tuck without restrictive diets, hardcore workouts or surgical enhancements. The simplest method for keeping the ladies perky while shrinking the belly is to improve your posture. First, exercises that strengthen and tighten mid- to upper-back muscles—such as pulling movements like rows--will help pull the shoulders back and down. This will cause your chest to rise a bit, giving the impression of bigger breasts. When it comes to that spillage around the middle, a simple technique called pelvic tucking can give the impression of a tighter tummy. Simply draw in, or “brace” the abdominal wall while gently squeezing the butt muscles and watch your belly shrink. Beyond that, take Carrie’s advice for lasting improvements.