Forget Push-Ups! THIS Is How You Get Rid Of Arm Fat!

Reviewed by: Tim Pittorino, BHSC

Bingo wings, tuckshop arms, nana wobbles… whatever you want to call them, most women know the feeling of loose skin and body fat on their arms. And unlike body fat deposits elsewhere on the body, arm fat can be extra hard to shift. This is because the fat on the back of the arms is produced with the help of the natural female-dominant oestrogen hormone. So, it’s hard to lose because it directly influences your body, not just by the calories you’re consuming.

So, what can we do?

The hormones you produce are directly affected by your genes, gender and stress levels. So, to avoid arm fat off-the-bat, your best bet is to be a relaxed Kenyan man (no kidding). But, in the likelihood this doesn’t describe you, here are the best options, ordered by effectiveness.

Get lots of DEEP Sleep – This will help produce plenty of Growth Hormone (GH) which has a shrinking effect on all fat cells. Lots of deep restorative sleep will also help lower your cortisol levels (your body’s stress hormone). Every time you stress out, you’re essentially putting a handbrake on your fat-burning capacity. So, practice stress management and watch your fat cells shrink.
Start Circuit Training – While we produce most GH when we’re in deep sleep, you can also produce it through intense circuit training. This means lots of full-body exercises, lots of reps and not much rest in between. How do you know you’re doing it properly? You should be huffing, puffing and sweating!
Consume quality Red Meat and Vegetables – Consuming enough high-quality nutrients such as protein, magnesium, zinc and B-vitamins are the precursors for building your hormones, in particular your testosterone. Testosterone is key to the body’s weight loss ability and is why men find it easier to lose weight than females. Lean red meat coupled with a colourful variety of vegetables eaten regularly will provide these essential nutrients. This is the basis of our 12WBT nutrition plans.
Boost your Natural Testosterone – Males have far more testosterone than females, and this is the reason why some men can have huge bellies but very little arm fat. For women, adding weighted squats, deadlifts and other full-body lifts into your workout routine will help boost your natural testosterone levels. This will help improve your overall muscle development and increase your metabolism. Meaning you’ll burn more calories while you sleep!
Tricep Time – It’s likely that every other article on Google about ‘arm fat’ will tell you to workout your triceps. But, in reality, this has very little to do with getting rid of body fat from the area. Of course, strengthening the arms to develop more tone and muscle is always a good idea. But, if you really want to lose the wobbly bits, it’s important that you start from the top of this list and workout your triceps last.