According to research by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the number of women who underwent upper arm lifts to remove excess sagging and fat pockets increased by almost 5,000 percent between 2000 and 2016. Arm fat, or body fat that happens to be around your arms, is a concern for some women in the United States, as evidenced by the upward trend in procedure requests. But what exactly is arm fat, why do women pursue the procedure the most, and how do you lose arm fat?
According to Shana Maleeff, M.A., R.D., “Men tend to have less body fat overall because they generally have more lean body mass.” Men tend to store fat in their stomachs, while women frequently do so in a variety of locations, including on their arms. Genetic makeup and disposition determine how much fat you have and where you store it.
More women may experience arm fat because fat deposits also have a significant hormonal component. According to Caroline Grainger, an ISSA certified personal trainer at FitnessTrainer Online Personal Trainers, “Your biological sexual characteristics will have a lot to do with where your body stores its fat, and the arms are one area where fat is more common in women than in men.”
Building muscle can also be a more time-consuming process for women because they typically have lower testosterone levels than men do. According to Megan Johnson McCullough, Ed.D, a certified fitness trainer, “Couple this with stress, poor diet, lack of sleep, weight fluctuations due to pregnancies and/or menopause, and genetics—these things are a recipe for fat to make a home in the arms.”
What is the time frame for losing arm fat?
First, our bodies require fat as an essential nutrient. Every cell in your body contains some of it, and it’s crucial for maintaining a healthy metabolism, controlling body temperature, and shielding your organs from harm, according to Grainger. Maleeff continues, having too little body fat may also be unhealthy because having enough keeps the body warm, protects vital organs, and supports heart health and cholesterol levels.
Finding the ideal balance between your diet and caloric needs will help you maintain a healthy weight, which can improve your body’s performance and shield you from a number of diseases. The amount and type of exercise you do, your commitment to a healthy lifestyle change, your genetics, and how much weight you lose will all affect how long it takes to lose excess fat.
According to McCullough, “the typical person can lose fat in 4 to 6 weeks after following a specific training and diet regimen.” “More calories expended during this period than consumed will produce results.”
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What is the best way to reduce arm fat, then?
According to several experts, a comprehensive weight loss plan that includes resistance training, a balanced diet, and healthy lifestyle choices is the best way to reduce arm fat. Maleeff asserts that “the body will choose where it stores fat and loses weight.” “Those elements are beyond our control.” Additionally, there is no diet or exercise that will burn fat from one area more than another. You can, however, adopt a healthier lifestyle to reduce overall body fat and boost muscle mass.
Healthy weight loss, according to Maleeff, occurs at a rate of between 0.5 and 2 pounds per week and is distributed evenly throughout the body. According to Grainger, if your objective is to get rid of arm fat, you should target your overall body weight and fat percentage.
There are a few ways to tone your arms and lose weight even if you dislike working out.
1. Start eating fewer calories.
You must eat and drink less than you burn in order to lose weight. Your body needs energy to function at rest (resting energy expenditure), digest and metabolize food (thermic effect of food), and support movement throughout the day. Your body will be in a calorie deficit if you give it fewer calories than it requires to maintain these three functions, which could lead to weight loss. To find out exactly how many calories you should be taking in and burning each day, consult your doctor or R.D.N.
2. Reduce intake of refined sugars
Despite the deliciousness of sugary drinks and cookies, a diet high in refined sugar can cause long-term blood sugar elevation and insulin resistance, which are linked to weight gain and excess body fat.
The metabolism can be boosted for arm fat loss by avoiding high-fat foods, processed foods, refined sugars, and excessive intake of carbs deficient in nutrients, according to McCullough. Instead, include whole grains, lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables in your daily menu. Aim for a 40 percent carbohydrate, 30 percent protein, and 30 percent fat ratio on your plate as a general guideline, continues Maleeff.
3. Eat plenty of fibre
More fibre in your diet can help you feel fuller for longer and eat fewer snacks throughout the day. According to Maleeff, fibrous foods can help you lose weight because they help stabilize your blood sugar levels and slow digestion. You should think about including whole grains, broccoli, beans, berries, avocados, apples, and other foods that are high in fibre in your daily diet. (Plus, they taste great!)
Also Read ABout What Is the Galveston Diet?
4. Attempt weightlifting
Ramona Braganza, a well-known fitness trainer, advises that the best way to reduce arm fat is to replace it with muscle tissue. Gaining muscle will improve the body’s ability to control fat storage because fat provides the energy that powers muscle tissue even when the body is at rest.
Braganza advises strength training to gain muscle and lose arm fat. Although using your own body weight to exercise has advantages as well, she claims that lifting heavier weights is usually necessary to build muscle because the muscle fibres need to be torn and repaired in order to grow.
You should concentrate on strengthening the biceps, triceps, and deltoid (shoulder) muscles in the arms. The arm muscles can be toned by performing pushups, pullups, chest presses, bicep curls, triceps extensions, and lateral raises.
5. Include some cardio
Exercise that involves the heart is another method for weight loss. The best options include taking long walks, running, biking, swimming, and rowing. Although every person’s daily calorie expenditure is different, according to Daniel Saltos, certified personal trainer and owner of Train with Danny, walking can burn up to 500 calories in an hour and running can burn the same number of calories in roughly half the time.
Other ways to increase your daily step count include parking further away from the grocery store, standing while you work, and using the stairs rather than the elevator. This will significantly impact how many calories you burn, he claims.
6. Consume more water
According to Maleeff, one of the most important aspects of weight loss that is frequently overlooked is hydration. Dehydration can cause your metabolism to slow down, she says. When we confuse being hungry with the need for water, drinking enough water can help control cravings and keep our metabolisms running smoothly.
According to Braganza, even a 3 percent dehydration level can cause havoc on our body’s delicate systems that are attempting to function as optimally as possible, such as those that control our metabolism and digestion. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommend that, on average, men and women each consume about 3.7 litres of fluid per day. And water need not be the only component. You should include fluid-rich, whole foods and beverages in your diet. To improve your hydration, try a motivational water bottle!
7. Improve your sleep.
Even sleeping more hours each night can aid in weight loss. Insufficient sleep causes a cortisol spike, which tells your body to store energy rather than expend it, according to Braganza. Lack of sleep can also lower the volume of fat burned at night.
According to a study that was published in BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine, people who sleep less than 7 hours a night have a higher risk of becoming obese (the study also looked at BMI, a problematic health measure, but found a significant hormonal link to weight loss). Lack of sleep increased levels of ghrelin, a hormone produced by the gut that stimulates the hunger response, salt retention, and inflammatory markers while lowering levels of leptin, a hormone that suppresses hunger, and insulin sensitivity.
Lack of sleep can also make people crave more. Maleeff claims that when we lack sleep, we often crave foods that are higher in salt and sugar and tend to make unhealthy food decisions.
The conclusion
Overall, maintaining a sufficient level of exercise, eating a balanced diet, and leading a healthy lifestyle are the keys to weight loss in any form. It’s common to have fatty arms. Consult a healthcare professional about the right routine that works if you want to learn more about weight loss.