nipples (a man thing)

Hey guys, Ive had a problem with my nipples for a few years and was wondering if anyone could shed some light on it. Basically since about the age of 7 I was a chubby boy and now in the last year or so i shot up in height (im 17 now) and although i dont look fat anymore, Im still a bit thick round the middle, particularly on the chest and stomach. Anywho my nipples have been strange since i can remember really, they just completely stick out like a big mound when normal, and the middle bit seems to not exist. When my nipples are erect they look fine and the middle bit is present, but otherwise they just look strange! Does anyone know why this is? My mum says i never used to have it when i was younger and i had a hormone imbalance test which was all clear when i was 14/15. Is it to do with the "bitch tits" phenomenon and is there anything I can do about it?

Also on another note, Ive begun my effort to tone myself up as im sick of being unhappy and doing nothing about it, and have been going to the gym and swimming for a couple of weeks. Im aiming to keep it 3 times a week. I was wondering tho what guidelines people could give me for how long i should exercise (i currently do about 1hr 15 in the gym and half hour in the pool straight after) and how often per week i should go as iv heard if u go too much you don't have time for the muscles to grow. How long do you reckon it should take me to notice difference in myself as well (i appreciate that everyone is different and im not looking for a quick fix but just a rough guidline)

Right apologies for the length, thanks for reading and any feedback would be greatly appreciated.