How To Lose Arm Fat: The Only Two Ways That REALLY Work

Wondering how to lose arm fat? We all have our “problem areas,” as they're often called. It might be your thighs or belly, but so often for women, it's the arms.

It's tempting to just wear long sleeves in an attempt to cover up the flab, but that is hardly a solution, especially when it's hot out.

In the back of our minds, it's clear that some sort of diet and exercise is needed.

But if you've already been dieting and exercising, this is all the more frustrating!

We'll show you how to lose arm fat through the only two ways that really work: overall fat loss and targeted exercises.

Learn the proper skull crusher form, one of the best arm exercises for women.

How To Lose Arm Fat With Overall Fat Loss

Wouldn't it be great if when we dieted, we could choose where the fat melted off from?

Since no fitness guru has ever figured that one out, we'll have to rely on the fat reduction method that actually works: overall fat loss.

Overall fat loss is the first step to losing arm fat.

Only once you've lost overall body fat will your arms begin to look more toned.

Less body fat = less arm fat!

There are so many diets out there that make losing fat seem like it's such a complicated ordeal.

But really, you just need to follow a few simple rules.

Reduce Your Caloric Intake

When you eat less, your body has fewer calories to store as fat.

Start by tracking how many calories you eat on a normal day.

Once you've tracked this for a week, try to eat 300 fewer calories every day.

Hydrate Yourself

Our bodies need water to survive.

When we're trying to lose fat, water helps our bodies eliminate fat more efficiently.

We should all be drinking about eight glasses of water per day.

Get Enough Sleep

People who sleep less tend to weigh more.

Lack of sleep can negatively affect our insulin, glucose levels, and hunger hormones.

Getting enough sleep (at least 7 hours) helps to curb cravings and improves your overall mood.

Try this simple technique to fall asleep and relax your mind before bed!

Ditch Refined Foods

Choose whole foods instead.

Whole foods beat out refined foods every day when it comes to nutrient density.

And when you eat more nutrient-dense foods, you're able to be full on less.

Increase Your Protein Intake

Protein is essential for your body to grow larger muscles.

If you need to, you can look to protein shakes to add the right amount to your diet.

There are many ways that you can guide your body to be healthier and to lose weight.

Many of these adjustments aren't diets at all — just lifestyle choices that will subtly but surely bring you closer to your goals.

How to Gain Arm Muscle: Specialized Exercise

The real question isn't “how to lose arm fat,” it's “how to gain arm muscle?”

While it's important to maintain an exercise routine that benefits your entire body, there are specific exercises that you can do that will target your arms specifically.

Strength training is the best way to increase your arm muscles and reduce your arm fat.

Best Exercises for Strong Arms

The following exercises all focus on the arm muscles but target the biceps along with the triceps.

In this list, you'll find exercises that can be done in and outside of the gym.

As you work up strength with all of these, remember that you should start with high repetition and low weights.

Bench Dips

• While turned away from a bench, hold onto its edge with your hands shoulder-width apart.
• Keep your legs extended straight in front of you, but allow yourself to bend at the torso.
• Push your hands down so that you move from straight to bent arms.

Tricep Kickbacks

• Hold a dumbbell in one hand with your palm turned into your body.
• While leaning forward, extend your arm out straight behind you.
• Then, bend your arm towards your shoulder.
• Repeat this action to target your tricep.

Overhead Extension

• Stand with your feet a shoulder's width apart.
• Hold two dumbbells in both of your hands with your palms turned towards each other.
• Raise your arms so that they're straight above your head.
• Then, lower the weights slowly to behind your head.
• Keep your elbows pointed straight back.
• Return your weights to straight above your head and repeat.

Barbell Curls

• Stand upright and hold a barbell in both hands, shoulder-width apart.
• While keeping your elbows close to your body, curl/lift the barbell up toward your shoulders.
• When the bar is shoulder level, return it to the starting position and repeat.

Dumbbell Curls

Similar to the barbell curl, but hold two dumbbells in each hand.

Cable Curls

• Stand upright with feet apart.
• Use a cable curl bar that is on a low pulley.
• Hold and raise the cable bar with both hands, palms facing the ceiling.
• Raise the cable bar so that the bar reaches shoulder level and your biceps contract.
• Return to starting position and repeat.

These exercises will work as hard as you do. Remember to stay dedicated if you truly want to see results.

Find out why strength training for women over 40 is important to combat muscle loss and promote longevity!

From Strong Arms to Strong Body

Toning your arms is just the starting point.

Here at the Fit Mother Project, we've created a community where women can connect about their fitness struggles and find common ground.

The Fit Mother Project is somewhere you can turn at any part of your fitness journey.

The trust, honesty, and positivity that our community provides can help propel you to the next level — wherever you're starting at.

The free Fit Mom Jumpstart is one of our most popular programs, designed to give you a free diet and exercise guide that you can do all on your own — no gym needed.

The Fit Mom Jumpstart can be the cornerstone of your fit-arms diet.

Designed to be the opposite of the yo-yo diets you're used to, it's all backed by science and designed for women like you.

We welcome you to join our sisterhood at the Fit Mother Project. We can promise support and inspiration at every step of your journey.

*Please know that weight loss results & health changes/improvements vary from individual to individual; you may not achieve similar results. Always consult with your doctor before making health decisions. This is not medical advice – simply very well-researched info on how to lose arm fat.