TIPS TO GET RID OF FLABBY UPPER ARMS
Do you feel insecure about your arms when you wear sleeveless clothes? You’re not alone. A lot of women can relate to this. The Internet is filled with videos and information claiming to help you lose arm fat and tone your triceps. But are any of those claims true? You are about to find out. In today’s post, we’ll be talking about the possibility of reducing arm fat. And if yes, how do you do it? Are there any tips that would expedite your journey toward your goal? We’ll discuss all of these AND more. Read until the end!
CAN YOU LOSE ARM FAT?
The answer is both Yes and No. You need to lose fat overall to see a difference in your arms. While it is totally natural to want to get rid of flabby arms, unfortunately, you can spot reduce. This means reducing fat only from your arms is not possible. You need to encourage overall weight loss to see results in your arms. Also, remember that you need a certain amount of fat to be healthy. About 12% of your total weight should come from essential fat found in your heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, and other organs. Your body fat cushions your organs and insulates the body for temperature control. It is also a crucial way for your body to store energy and is needed for the production of hormones and reproductive functions. This means that instead of hating fat, you need to live a healthy and physically active lifestyle. As for your arms, focus on training and building your arm muscles. The muscle definition combined with fat loss will give you the firm look you desire. There are a few tips you can rely on for this. We’ll discuss them in our upcoming section. Meanwhile, always remember that everyone’s fitness journey is different. So, don’t be hard on yourself and continue working patiently. You’ll definitely see results sooner or later.
Tips to get shapely arms
Let’s first discuss some of the exercises that can help you build and strengthen your arm muscles.
#1 PUSH-UPS
Push-ups are one of the most basic forms of exercise. It has been around for a long time, simply because it works. When you do a push-up, you work a lot of muscles. The triceps of your arm, quads and lower back, pectorals, and abdominal muscles all strengthen. To do a push-up, start by lying face down on the floor. Your legs need to be together and should be propped up on your toes. Your palms should be face-down, as far apart as your shoulders. With the strength of only your arms, raise yourself up. Make sure your body remains straight from head to toe. Lower yourself slowly until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle. Push yourself back up again. Inhale and exhale alternately while you are doing so. Do a few repetitions of this. But it's important to start small and then keep increasing the number of repetitions as you get comfortable. Doing pushups regularly will increase the strength in your arms. You can try a few variations of push-ups once you get used to the workout, like doing one-handed push-ups, wide-grip push-ups, or using a medicine ball while doing push-ups.
#2 BENCH DIPS
Bench dips are great at helping you build your triceps as well as strengthen your shoulders and pectoral muscles. Despite the name, you don’t need any special equipment. All you need is a kitchen chair or even a step stool to do this exercise. To begin, sit on the edge of the chair or step. Extend your legs in such a way that your feet are planted firmly on the ground. Grip the chair’s edge with your hands, making sure the fingers are facing downward. Slowly move off the edge of the chair, but don’t move your legs. Then move your body towards the floor, but keep your back straight. Your arms should form a 90-degree angle. Straighten your arms again and go back to the original position. That would be one rep. Do this multiple times, but make sure you increase the number of reps gradually. If you want to increase the difficulty level, you can put your feet on another chair instead of the floor. But it would be better for it to be a step or an exercise bench, as they are more likely to be stable than a chair.
#3 BICEP CURLS
Bicep curls are the most basic weightlifting exercise. But they are very effective in getting rid of flabby upper arms. This exercise targets the muscles in your biceps and helps you flex your elbow easily. To do the bicep curls, you will need a pair of dumbbells. If you have never worked with dumbbells before, it's best to start with a five-pound set. But the more experienced ones can lift up to a 15-pound set of dumbbells. Take a dumbbell in each hand. You will need to stand straight for this exercise. Your feet should be only as wide apart as your hips. Start by keeping your arms at the side with the palms outward. Keeping the elbows at the hip bones, raise the dumbbells such that the forearms reach your chest. Slowly lower them back again. Keep doing multiple reps every day. Make sure that there is tension in the arms while you’re lifting and bringing the weights down. This is why you need to choose dumbbells that strain your muscles enough but are also easy to lift. If you workout in a gym, you are likely to come across arm curling machines. Use them instead of dumbbells to have the same impact on the bicep muscles.
#4 PULL-UPS
Pull-ups are perhaps not the easiest exercise to do. But they can do wonders for your arms and help target a range of muscles in your upper body. For a pull-up, you will need the help of an exercise bar. With the bar over your head, grab it with your palms outward. Your hands should be slightly wider than your shoulders. Your body will hang. Now pull yourself up towards the overhead bar. Do this until your chin is just above the bar. If possible, hold on to this position for a couple of seconds. Then bring yourself down. But make sure you don’t disengage your muscles completely. This means you should not let your arms be extended completely. Do this a few times. The first few days may be difficult and strenuous. But once you get into the groove, you will see the difference in the ease with which you pull yourself up and the change in your muscles.
#5 BENCH PRESS
A bench press is an exercise routine that mainly targets your chest and shoulders. They also help with your triceps, which can improve the appearance of flabby upper arms. To do this exercise, you will need a barbell and an exercise bench. You will need to first add weights to the barbell. Choose the right weight so that it is challenging enough but not too strenuous. If you are just starting out, the barbell itself is enough without the need to add extra weights. Let’s begin the exercise now. Lie down on the exercise bench. Your feet should be on the floor, and your shoulders should be in contact with the bench. The barbell should be on the bench rack. Grab the bench bar from above while lying on the exercise bench. Use an overhand grip with your hands as far apart as your shoulders. Keeping this distance helps strengthen your triceps. Bring your abdominal muscles into play and lift the barbell off the rack, but do it slowly. Place the barbell at the center of your chest and keep your arms extended. Next, bring the barbell slowly down to chest level. Your elbows must be on the side. Remember to inhale while doing this. You can then bring the barbell back to its original position by extending your arms. Exhale freely during this phase. Repeat this a few times to get the desired results. For those who are using weights with their barbell, it is important to have another person close by. This person, who is called a spotter, helps you get the barbell off the rack or put it back on. They will also keep an eye on you just to make sure you don’t drop the heavy weight on yourself.
#6 SHOULDER PRESS
The shoulder press is another exercise that helps tone your arms. Its primary goal is to strengthen your shoulders. But it impacts your biceps and triceps as well. You need dumbbells of an appropriate weight to do this exercise. You can either sit or stand for shoulder presses. Either way, your back needs to be straight while holding the dumbbells in each hand. Raise the dumbbells until they are at the same level as your shoulders. Your elbows would remain lower than your wrists. Make sure your palms are facing away from your body. Now straighten the arms further so that the dumbbells go above your head. Don’t lock your elbows. Try keeping your dumbbells in this position for a few seconds before bringing them back to the starting position. Do this multiple times to get the desired results. This exercise can be done with a barbell as well.
Just like exercise is important to tone your arms, you also need to eat right to get your body into weight-loss mode. Let’s discuss a few diet-related tips to expedite fat loss and build muscles.
1. LOAD UP ON FIBER
If you are looking to jumpstart weight loss and lose excess body fat, start eating more fiber-rich foods. You can also include fiber supplements like Metamucil or Phyllium husk in your diet. But why is fiber so important? It moves slowly through your digestive system, which keeps you full for longer. This is because of the increase in the amount of time it takes to empty your stomach.
Science supports this fact. A study conducted among women found fiber plays a positive role in promoting health. For every gram of dietary fiber eaten, there was 0.25% less body fat and 0.5 pounds less body weight over a period of 20 months. Another review found that increasing daily fiber intake by 14 grams for 4 months led to a 10% reduction in total calorie intake. This caused 4.2 pounds of weight loss. All of this without making any other changes. Amazing. Isn’t it? You can start making healthy changes in your diet by eating more fiber-rich foods like legumes, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Broccoli, overnight oats, apples, and berries are some options you can rely on to get your daily dose of dietary fiber.
2. YOU NEED PROTEIN
Are you eating enough protein every day? This nutrient is important for both weight loss and building muscles. Protein-rich foods are especially good for breakfast as they keep you full for longer, curb cravings, and keep your appetite under control. You will also feel energized all day. Experts have verified this through peer-reviewed studies. One of them found that eating a high-protein breakfast reduced hunger and increased fullness. It did this by decreasing levels of ghrelin, which is the hormone that stimulates hunger. When you do include protein in your diet, make sure it is of high quality. Research has shown that eating more good-quality protein at meals is associated with less belly fat. This means that a high-protein diet could expedite fat loss and help improve your body composition. So, what are some high-quality protein options you can try? You can start by eating lean meats, eggs, and seafood. Legumes, dairy products, and poultry are also good sources of protein. Don’t like eating meat? You can try plant-based sources of protein, like seitan, tofu, tempeh, lentils, and beans. Nutritional yeast, hemp seeds, and green peas also offer a generous amount of protein. Ancient grains like spelt and teff also provide protein, as much as 10–11 grams per cooked cup, which amounts to about 250 grams. Bread lovers can rejoice, as they don’t need to give up on bread altogether to get shapely arms. There are certain high-protein varieties you can eat to lose excess fat. Ezekiel bread made from organic, sprouted whole grains and legumes is one of them. You can bake this bread from millet, spelt, and barley. Soybeans aren't a bad option either. Just two slices of Ezekiel bread give you about 8 grams of protein, which is definitely healthier than most other varieties. Since this bread is made from sprouted whole grains and legumes, you get lots of other beneficial nutrients as well. Sprouted reduces antinutrients, which are compounds that interfere with your body’s ability to absorb certain vitamins and minerals.
3. STAY HYDRATED
Do you drink enough water throughout the day? It might seem like an exaggeration, but drinking plenty of water each day is very important to lose arm fat and shape them. Research suggests that staying hydrated temporarily increases metabolism. It can even increase metabolic rate by 30% for 30–40 minutes. But this doesn’t mean you should go for high-calorie drinks like soda and fruit juices. Sweetened beverages can quickly cause extra calories to add up. This may contribute to weight gain over time. If you’re bored of drinking plain water, you can infuse it with fruits and vegetables. Pineapple, lemon, and mint leaves are some of the options that lend water an interesting flavor and are fun to drink. You can also try cucumber-infused water.
4. CUT DOWN ON REFINED CARBS
If there’s one dietary change that can give mind-blowing results, it's cutting down on refined carbs. But what are they? You get refined carbs from foods that have undergone processing. This makes them high in calories and low in fiber. All this without offering several key vitamins and minerals. No wonder staying away from refined carbs is the first advice so many nutritionists offer when consulted. Some examples of refined carbs are white bread, pasta, breakfast cereals, and other processed foods. Instead, you can get healthy complex carbs by eating whole-grain foods like oats, sorghum, buckwheat, and quinoa. Enjoy them in moderation.
5. FOCUS ON PLANT-BASED FOODS
Is meat a significant portion of your diet? Are your meals centered mostly around beef, pork, or chicken? You might want to change that if you are trying to lose weight. We are not asking you to drop meat altogether from your diet. Instead, eat it in moderation and focus more on plant-based foods. One of the biggest reasons for this switch is that a diet full of fresh fruits, vegetables, and healthy whole grains is lower in calories and refined carbs. This ultimately helps you lose weight overall. Studies have confirmed that a vegetarian diet is better at helping burn fat. Research found that people who eat a vegetarian diet lose more weight than those who eat a normal diet. Another review showed that a plant-based diet is also more nutritionally adequate and better for your overall health. Not just this, but following a vegetarian diet means you’ll be eating more fruits and vegetables, which are high in fiber and antioxidants. You’ll be losing weight without having to risk getting malnourished. And better nutrition means a better mood and a healthier you!
6. DON'T NEGLECT CARDIO
Building muscles is important to get your arms in shape. For this, you need to start strength training and lifting weights. But this doesn’t mean you totally ignore cardio. You have to exercise hard enough to elevate your heart rate in order to torch calories. Various studies have shown that cardio is indeed an effective strategy for weight loss. It also increases lean body mass. Another study conducted on people who did 40 minutes of cardio three times per week along with a weight management program experienced a 9% decrease in body weight in just six months. Experts suggest you do at least twenty to forty minutes of cardio per day or keep a target of 150–300 minutes each week. If you don’t like the idea of going to a gym for your cardio session, you can indulge in activities like swimming, dancing, and rowing. Jumping rope, biking, and jogging are also remarkably good for you.
Still confused between cardio and strength training? Should you choose one of them or try both to lose weight? Maybe you’ll like to know more about foods that you must avoid if you’re trying to lose fat. Let’s keep the conversation going with a couple more weight loss-related posts. Shall we? Read: 15 Best Foods For Men That Burn Body Fat FAST! You can also try our post on 14 Foods That Keep You Full And Help You Lose Weight. Go ahead, click one. Or better yet, read both and learn more about weight loss and nutrition. Are you trying to lose arm fat? Let us know in the comments below!
The information I provided in this blog is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. You should never use content in my writing as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or another qualified clinician. Please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider if indicated for medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment. I am not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information in this blog. Thank you.