How to Lose Arm Fat, Per Trainers

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons found that from 2000 to 2016, the number of women receiving upper arm lifts to reduce excess sagging and fat pockets increased nearly 5,000 percent.A rising trend in the number of surgery requests suggests that arm fat (or, body fat that happens to be around your arms) is a concern for some women in the U.S. — but what is it? realwhy women most pursue surgery, how to lose arm fat?

“In general, men have more lean body mass, so they tend to have less overall body fat,” said Shana Maleeff, a registered researcher at Massachusetts State. Fat is stored in the stomach, and women typically store fat in several places, including the arms.

Fat deposits also have a strong hormonal component, which is why more women are likely to develop arm fat. “Your biological sex says a lot about where your body stores fat, and arms are one of the areas where women are more likely to gain weight than men,” says Caroline Grainger, ISSA-certified personal trainer with FitnessTrainer Online Personal Trainers.

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Since women tend to have lower testosterone levels than men, building muscle can also be a more extensive process. “Add to that stress, poor diet, lack of sleep, weight fluctuations due to pregnancy and/or menopause, and genetics—these are the recipes for fat making its home in the arms,” ​​says Megan Johnson McCullough, Ed.D. ( Megan Johnson McCullough, Certified Fitness Instructor.

How long does it take to lose arm fat?

First of all, fat is an essential nutrient that our body needs. “Every cell in your body is made up of at least some part of it, and it's essential for things like healthy metabolism, temperature regulation and protecting your organs from damage,” Granger said. Plus, too little body fat can be a health concern, Maleeff adds, because enough body fat keeps the body warm, protects vital organs, and helps lower cholesterol levels and heart function.

Maintaining a healthy weight helps your body function better and protects you from various diseases, and you can do this by finding the right balance between your diet and your caloric needs. How long it takes to lose excess fat depends on persistence, efforts to make healthy lifestyle changes, genetics, weight loss, and the amount and type of exercise.

“The average person can lose fat in four to six weeks with a specific training and diet regimen,” says McCullough. “Exporting more calories than entering during this period will lead to results.”

So, what's the best way to lose arm fat?

Several experts agree that the best way to reduce arm fat is with a holistic weight loss strategy of a balanced diet, resistance training and healthy lifestyle choices. “The body chooses where to store fat and lose weight,” Malev said. “These factors are beyond our control.” Also no exercise or diet will burn fat from one area but not others。 However, you can make healthier lifestyle choices to lose body fat and increase muscle mass.

“Healthy weight loss is evenly distributed throughout the body and occurs at a rate of about half a pound to two pounds per week,” says Maleff. If your goal is to lose arm fat, you should aim for your overall body weight and fat percentage, adds Grainger.

Even if exercise isn't your thing, there are a few ways you can lose weight and tone your arms.

1. Try a low-calorie diet

To lose weight, you need to eat and drink less than you burn. The calories (or units of energy) you burn throughout the day are used to keep your body functioning at rest (resting energy expenditure), digest and metabolize food (the thermic effect of food), and to help you move (activity energy expenditure). If you supply your body with fewer calories than it needs to support these three functions, your body will be in a calorie deficit, which can lead to weight loss. Talk to your doctor or RDN to determine how many calories you should consume and burn each day.

2. Cut down on refined sugar

While sugary drinks and cookies are delicious, a diet high in refined sugar can lead to elevated blood sugar and persistent insulin resistance, which is linked to weight gain and excess body fat.

“Avoiding high-fat foods, processed foods, refined sugars, and excess intake of nutrient-poor carbohydrates can boost your metabolism and reduce arm fat,” says McCullough. Instead, incorporate lean protein, fruits and vegetables, and whole grains into your daily menu. “A good rule of thumb is to have your plate 40 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent protein and 30 percent fat,” adds Malev.

3. Add Fiber

Adding more fiber to your diet can help you feel fuller for longer, helping you to snack less often throughout the day. Fibrous foods can help with weight loss because they help slow digestion and help stabilize blood sugar, Maleeff says. Broccoli, beans, berries, avocados, apples, and whole grains are all high in fiber, so you should definitely consider adding them to your daily menu. (Plus, they're delicious!)

4. Try lifting weights

“The best way to lose arm fat is to replace it with muscle tissue,” says celebrity fitness trainer Ramona Braganza. Building muscle will allow the body to more effectively shed fat stores because the energy provided by fat fuels muscle tissue even when the body sleeps.

Braganza recommends strength training to lose arm fat and build muscle. “While bodyweight exercise is beneficial, I've found that it's less effective at building muscle tissue, and to build muscle, muscle fibers have to tear and repair, which often requires lifting heavier weights,” she says.

You'll work the muscles in your arms, including the biceps, triceps, and deltoid (shoulder) muscles. Push-ups, pull-ups, chest presses, bicep curls, triceps extensions, and lateral raises can all help work your arm muscles.

5. Squeeze in some cardio

Cardiovascular exercise is another way to lose weight. Long walks, runs, bike rides, swimming, and boating are all good options. While the amount of calories consumed by each person on any given day varies, Daniel SaltosCertified Personal Trainer and Founder train with dannySay walk Burn as many as 300 to 500 calories in an hour—and running can burn as many calories in about half the time.

You can also look for small opportunities throughout the day to take extra steps, like parking your car a little further away from the grocery store, standing while you work, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. “It's going to have a huge impact on how many calories you burn,” he says.

6. Drink plenty of water

Hydration is one of the most overlooked factors when it comes to weight loss, Maleeff says. “Dehydration slows down your metabolism,” she explains. “Drinking enough water is important to keep your metabolism efficient, and also helps control appetite when we mistake hunger for water.”

Even just 3 percent dehydration can wreak havoc on delicate systems that try to function at peak performance, such as regulating our metabolism and digestion, says Braganza. Generally speaking, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine The recommended intake for women is about 2.7 liters of fluid per day and for men about 3.7 liters per day. And it doesn't have to include just water. Complete, nutritious foods and beverages count towards your fluid intake. Try the Incentive Water Bottle for even better hydration!

7. Sleep better

Even getting more sleep can help with weight loss. “Too little sleep can trigger a cortisol surge, which signals your body to conserve energy instead of releasing it,” says Braganza. Lack of sleep can also reduce the amount of fat you burn at night.

One study published in BMJ Open Exercise and Exercise Medicine found that people who slept less than 7 hours per night had an increased chance of obesity (the study also looked at BMI, a questionable health indicator, but found hormones to be strongly linked to weight loss). Lack of sleep leads to higher levels of ghrelin (a gut hormone that triggers the hunger response), salt retention and markers of inflammation, as well as lower levels of leptin (a hormone that suppresses hunger) and insulin sensitivity.

Lack of sleep can also increase appetite. “When we're sleep deprived, we tend to make unhealthy food choices and crave foods that are high in salt and sugar,” Maleeff said.

the bottom line

Overall, any form of weight loss comes down to eating a balanced diet, getting enough exercise, and living a healthy lifestyle. Arm fat is normal. If you want to learn more about weight loss, consult a healthcare professional about the right routine for your body type, age, gender, lifestyle and goals.