What It Is, Causes, and How to Lose It

Written by Amber Felton

In this Article

• What Is Arm Fat?
• Arm Fat Causes
• Arm Fat Treatment
• Arm Fat Exercises 

Arm fat is a common and annoying problem for many people. Whether you’re fit and healthy, post-bariatric surgery, or in the process of losing weight, you may have noticed you’ve developed some flab in certain places. Most notably, your arms. 

Arm fat can make you feel self-conscious wearing sleeveless shirts or tanks. You may notice and feel insecure over something like extra skin under your arms that no one else may notice. Even covering it up with sleeves may not be a good solution for you.

So, how to get rid of arm fat? Luckily, there are options.

What is arm fat, exactly?

Arm fat is extra skin and fat located under your arms. However, it’s not black and white. “Fat” doesn’t describe just one type of fat. Rather, it describes two types — visceral fat and subcutaneous fat.  

Visceral fat is the fat stored behind your abdominal muscles which envelops your organs, offering protection. The right amount of visceral fat can be healthy, but having too much can be dangerous and lead to complications such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

Subcutaneous fat, on the other hand, is the fat found just beneath your skin, along with the epidermis and dermis layers. Subcutaneous fat sits in the deepest layer of your skin. It has several functions, including providing your muscles and bones with cushion to protect you from injuries, aiding your blood vessels and nerves from your skin to your muscles, and using connective tissue to attach your middle layer of skin to your muscles and bones. While having some subcutaneous fat is good for your health, having too much can cause health issues, including an increased risk for certain cancers, fatty liver disease, gallbladder disease, and more.

In any case, arm fat can be embarrassing, especially when you move your arms and you notice the jiggling skin that accompanies your movements. What’s worse is that even if you do everything right — eat right, exercise right, and reduce your consumption of junk food — your arm fat often stubbornly remains. 

But what causes arm fat, and how do you get rid of it?

Extra skin and fat in the arms can be caused by obesity, significant weight loss, or genetics. Individuals born female are at a greater risk of carrying excess weight in their arms. 

Hormonal imbalances and a stagnant lifestyle can also cause arm fat. Hormonal imbalances can lead to water retention, making your arms look inflated. Stagnation, or a lack of physical activity, can cause you to have extra weight in your arms as well as other areas. This is because you’re not getting enough physical activity to tone your muscles.

The good news is that there are plenty of arm fat treatment options to reduce or completely eliminate arm fat. 

Arm fat natural treatment options. Natural treatment options for arm fat include diet and exercise. Since arm fat is often associated with being overweight or losing a significant amount of weight, the first step is changing your eating habits and incorporating more exercise into your days. 

If you’ve lost weight and have arm flab as a result, then it’s important you maintain a consistent weight while doing exercises to help reduce your arm fat. On the other hand, if you’re overweight and in the process of losing the extra pounds, but are worried about having arm flab when you do, then you should consider incorporating muscle-toning exercises into your routine immediately to help tone your muscles and reduce flab as you lose weight. 

Lastly, you may want to fix your sleep schedule. When you get enough rest, you’ll feel more energized and motivated to work out, which can increase your chances of losing your extra weight. For the best results, it’s important to combine a decent sleep schedule with a well-balanced diet and a vigorous exercise routine. 

Arm fat surgical options. A common surgical option for eliminating arm fat is known as an arm lift procedure. During an arm lift, your doctor will remove any extra skin and fat below your arms. This helps reshape the contour of the arm. Your doctor will then drape your skin back over your arm, thus tightening your skin.

An arm lift surgery is performed under general anesthesia and can take up to three hours. You’ll be required to wear a compression garment to reduce swelling. Recovery time takes around four weeks, but you can resume light activity after a few days post-operation.

While arm lifts are usually the best procedure to undergo, some doctors may recommend both a liposuction and an arm lift. Some patients request liposuction to prevent the scarring that arm lifts leave behind. Unfortunately, liposuctions aren’t as effective and won’t be able to treat arm fat alone.

When it comes to arm fat exercises, there are several you can incorporate into your days to help you shed the extra weight in your arms. Two of the most popular choices are cardio workouts and strength training exercises. Some people favor interval training, too, which can speed up the process of losing arm fat. 

Popular excises to help with arm fat include aerobics or cardio, strength training, and flexibility or balance exercises. Doing some combination of all of these exercises helps keep workouts interesting and helps you avoid becoming bored or unmotivated.

How much exercise you should be doing will depend on you. However, it’s recommended that you aim for 2.5 hours of moderate activity per week, or 75 minutes of intense exercise per week. You don’t want to jump into a moderate or intense workout right away. Start slowly and ease yourself into it. 

You shouldn’t expect to see results right away. In fact, losing stubborn fat can take months of continuous effort. Your progress will depend on you. If you’re already at a healthy weight, it may take only a few weeks to notice results. However, those at a higher weight may not see results for a while. Patience is critical. Stick with your exercise routine — the results will be worth it.

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How To Get Rid Of Arm Fat

Do you choose your clothes based on how much of your arm shows? This post will tell you how to get rid of arm fat, and in the process, do a LOT of good for your body!

Do you have arms that make you feel self-conscious? 

First off, let me say that I don’t want you to ever feel ashamed of your body. I once did and I know how painful and destructive that can be. 

It leads to yo-yo dieting, negative thinking, anxiety, and sometimes even eating more. I talk a bit about loving your body and not counting calories in this video. I stress that eating healthy is way more important than trying to limit your food intake.

Eating in a healthy and mindful way is one of the steps to getting rid of arm fat. In this post, I’ll explain that a little more and also share other ways to feel and look stronger.

It’s completely doable and I tell you right now, you do not have to give up delicious meals and snacks. In fact, I encourage you to eat well and to eat the foods you enjoy (more on that below!). 

Read on and see what I mean!

What Causes Fat In Arms?

Arm fat is often a result of excess fat in the body. Chances are, your body has decided to store some excess fat under the skin – and it happens to be on your arms. It can also show up on your thighs and on the stomach and honestly, it’s just a natural occurrence when you gain weight.  

But if you want to change the way you look by getting rid of the fat stores in your body, keep reading and we’ll cover how to get rid of arm fat and much more.

How Long Does It Take To Lose Arm Fat?

If you follow a clean-eating diet, stay away from processed foods, and add exercise to your life, you can lose 1-2 pounds a week. Doing this will reduce the amount of fat on the arms. After a 4 week period, you will definitely notice results.

It’s important to point out that getting rid of arm fat is not a spot reduction process. There really is no such thing. Exercising and losing weight results in all-over body toning and muscle building – and isn’t that good news?

How Can I Tighten My Arm Fat?

Lifting weights or doing resistance exercises is a good way to tighten arm fat. But remember, this is an all-over body approach. We can’t target a certain part of the body with exercise – but to look at this in a positive light, exercise will tone your body all over by encouraging weight loss, muscle strengthening, and fat loss.

To back this up, a study on arm fat showed that specifically training one arm over the other showed an overall body fat loss but no more in the area specifically trained. 

Still, working to tighten your body will result in a healthier you. Exercising is good for the heart, lungs, and for your total well-being. 

Where Is The Hardest Place To Lose Fat?

Losing fat anywhere on the body takes work. I do think that losing belly fat is particularly challenging, especially if you have an issue with bloating. Feeling full and bloated only adds to the issue. I’ve written a post on how to lose belly bloat, so I suggest you take a look at that for 15 awesome tips to get you started.

Tips like staying away from processed foods – they’re full of trans fats  – and avoiding hidden sugars are tangible ways to lose belly fat. Eat tasty and healthy foods like avocado and broccoli instead!

Other places where fat can try to hang on are:

• Thighs
• Butt
• Lower back
• Love handles (lots of us have ‘em – let’s get rid of them along with arm fat!)

How To Get Rid Of Arm Fat

Let’s tackle the arm fat and get fit and fabulous in the meantime!

Tip #1: Aim For Gradual Weight Loss

Basically what I am saying here is to aim for a slow and steady improvement. Don’t try drastic weight loss diets because THEY DO NOT WORK! Sure, you’ll lose weight and you may even drop several pounds pretty quickly.

But the fact that these diets (eating bowls and bowls of cabbage soup or eating only eggs and not much else) may help you lose weight does not mean that it’s a sustainable weight loss. As soon as you revert to your regular eating habits, the weight will return.

Instead, try an eating regimen (or as I really like to call it, a lifestyle change) such as Intermittent Fasting or my 7-Day Meal Prep For Weight Loss. The great thing about the meal prep lifestyle is that meals are prepped for the entire week in just a few hours, leaving you with extra healthy options when hunger strikes. Gotta love that!

Intermittent Fasting is fantastic too. Once you find the eating window that suits your schedule, it’s easy to follow. Learn all about how to start Intermittent Fasting in this post!

Tip #2: Aim For Overall Weight Loss

These two go hand in hand. Gradual weight loss and overall weight loss. We’ve already said that you cannot target-lose weight. It’s an overall process (and gives overall benefits!).

Work on improving what you eat and how much you move. Try steps like counting your macros – I’ve explained it all here; it’s not difficult and I can even help you with that if you like.

To say it again, the fat seen on the body is extra calories stored as fat under the skin. We all need fat; it is important and healthy. But if you feel you have too much fat, you can create a calorie deficit by eating wisely (cutting out empty carbs) and adding more activity to your day. 

Tip #3: Increase Your Fiber Intake

If you’ve been following me for a while, you will know that I’m a big fan of fiber-filled meals. Fiber is great for you! How to get rid of arm fat by eating more fiber? 

Adding fiber to your diet means that you will be helping your digestive system work the way it should. Foods with fiber keep you feeling full longer and that helps you stay away from those processed snack foods! 

There have been studies on the fat-reducing effects of fiber. In fact, one study showed that increasing your fiber intake can result in weight loss even without doing anything else.

Of course, I want you to take a complete weight loss approach by exercising, drinking more water, and taking “me time” when needed because that’s important too.

Tip #4: Eat More Protein

Right alongside fiber is protein. Protein is a nutritional way to build muscle and keep your appetite for junk food at bay. What are some of the benefits of protein?

• Reduces cholesterol
• Enhances learning 
• Strengthens the bones

If you want to learn why women need more protein, read here.

Adding protein to your diet as a way to get rid of arm fat is easy. Add protein powder to smoothies and pancakes. Add protein powder and foods like plain Greek yogurt to shakes. 

Protein does a lot as far as benefitting weight loss. Protein even decreases levels of ghrelin, which is the hunger-stimulating hormone. Protein also helps your metabolism to keep burning calories after you’ve exercised.

Tip #5: Don’t Forget Carbs and Fat

Seriously, what you eat needs to be well-rounded. I’ve written posts on the importance of full-fat dairy and also on the best foods to lose fat and build muscle. The second post I am referring to gives a list of those foods and yes, the list includes carbs.

Carbs to eat to lose fat are things like quinoa and brown rice. Try my quinoa breakfast bowl for a satisfying meal that ticks all the boxes for nutrients and taste. Other muscle-building foods are salmon, nuts, and cottage cheese.

The 5 meals I eat every night for weight loss have a mix of these macros (protein, fat, and carbs).

It’s important to enjoy all types of foods and doing so will keep you satisfied and on track to getting rid of arm fat, all the while becoming healthier!

Tip #6: Kick Refined Carbs To The Curb

How to get rid of arm fat via diet? For more arm fat reduction, avoid refined carbs.

This means foods like:

• White bread (see healthy bread here)
• White pasta (try veggie noodles instead)
• Packaged cookies (paleo cookies are amazing)
• Store bought cereals (overnight oats are the best – full of protein and fiber)

Making foods fresh at home makes you feel so much better. No ultra-processed ingredients or things you cannot pronounce on the label. Looking for healthy dinners? I’ve got a list of 50 right here on the site!

Tip #7: Lift Weights Or Use Resistance Bands

Now that you’re eating lots of muscle-building protein, why not try using weights as a way to get rid of arm fat? It’s easy to set up a program at home (see how in this video!) that can give you the results you want.

My philosophy on exercise is that whatever you enjoy and can commit to is the exercise you should be doing. Whether it’s walking, running, swimming, or hiking with the kids, every step gets you closer to where you want to be. You’ll have more energy and can do more!

The icing on the cake will be if you can add some weights or a few minutes with a set of resistance bands into your day. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy and you don’t have to go to the gym if that’s not your thing.

Lift cans of soup in the kitchen for bicep curls as a way to tone your arms. Use resistance bands or light weights like I do in this video as an addition to the other tips. 

You can also do exercises that don’t require equipment. Try pushups and triceps dips (great for the abs and arms) and squats (build those thigh muscles) two to three times a week. Try to increase how many you do each time you do the exercises for even more benefit.

Tip #8: Add In Cardio

You don’t have to be a runner or a long-distance swimmer to add cardio to your day. Sure, you can lose weight without cardio, but it’s also beneficial to get in extra steps by parking farther from the store, taking the kids to soccer and walking laps around the field while you watch them play, and taking the dog on extra walks every day.

How many steps do you need to lose weight? I answer that in this post and also go into detail about the benefits to your heart and immune system. Don’t be afraid to start small and work your way up.

Every additional step you take puts you closer to getting rid of arm fat.

You’ll burn calories and bump up your heart rate. Climb stairs or go for a bike ride with the kids. Fun forms of cardio exercise that work your arms at the same time are tennis, swimming, and even boxing! 

Tip #9: Get Adequate Sleep

How to get rid of arm fat easily? Get the right amount of sleep! I explain all you need to know in this post called 10 Reasons Why You Need Better Sleep. It’s all about ways that sleep helps you and also how getting your zzz’s results in weight loss.

This weight loss will carry over to the overall body health we’ve been talking about. Studies show that sleep aids in weight loss. For example, losing sleep for even one night may result in an increase in ghrelin, the hunger hormone I was talking about.

Eating well and exercising both have effects on sleep quality. Hop on over to the sleep post to learn more.

Tip #10: Drink Water

We all know how good water is for us. Our bodies are mostly water after all, so it only makes sense that it would be essential to good health. Drinking water helps to maintain good skin and works as a lubricant and shock absorber. 

As for arm fat, drinking adequate water helps you feel full so you don’t snack when you don’t really need to. I’m all for healthy snacks full of protein, but it’s the extra nibbling and noshing because you haven’t fueled your body properly that you need to avoid. 

Water can even increase your metabolic rate, enabling you to turn food into the fuel I just mentioned. Just remember to stick to healthy forms of liquid-like benefit-filled green tea and infused water.

Stay away from soda – if you are a soda lover, try one of these 16 healthy alternatives!

Arm Fat Takeaway

If you’ve got saggy arms that you don’t like, take the tips I’ve given you and put them into action. They really are not difficult to implement and making these lifestyle changes will do so much more than reduce your arm woes.

I think that you’ll feel awesome after a few weeks of following these 10 tips. Not only will you start to slim down all over, but you’ll also have more energy and feel better in general!

This post contains affiliate links to products I use regularly and highly recommend.

why we get fat if we eat right

Our weight changes, and this is completely normal. We weigh differently even during the day, and fluctuations of a couple of kilograms during the month are not considered a pathology at all. But there are situations when the weight begins to grow rapidly, and you know for sure that diets are not to blame here, because you eat only the right and healthy food. What could be the reason?

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Weight gain is usually blamed on an unbalanced diet and lack of physical activity. Another “accusation” that people who have gained weight hear is that they are not putting in enough effort to lose weight. But often willpower and desire alone do not help: the weight continues to grow for unknown reasons.

Content of article

Do not self-medicate! In our articles, we collect the latest scientific data and the opinions of authoritative health experts. But remember: only a doctor can diagnose and prescribe treatment.

Let’s not argue – a sedentary lifestyle and an excess of calories can really cause a set of extra pounds. But there are other reasons why the weight can go up. For example, a certain phase of the menstrual cycle, an age-related slowdown in metabolism, eating too much salt, severe stress or lack of sleep. All this can lead to a sharp weight gain, which often upsets and spoils the mood.

Why do we get fat

But there are also medical reasons why the weight is creeping up: many do not even suspect that gaining kilograms may not be associated with nutrition, with some body problems that a doctor can help solve. We figure out why weight can increase dramatically, how to suspect this or that violation, what the consequences can be (except for extra pounds) if the cause is not found and measures are not taken in a timely manner.

7 medical reasons for weight gain

Medications

Certain medications can cause rapid weight gain. In the instructions for such drugs, weight gain is usually indicated as a side effect. This is mainly due to the fact that taking medication increases appetite – you want to eat more, so kilograms are added.

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These medicines include antidepressants, blood pressure medicines, diabetes medicines, and some antiepileptics.

Please note that you cannot simply take and stop taking such medicines. A consultation with a doctor is mandatory: it is possible that he will be able to adjust the dosage or prescribe another remedy that has a similar effect that will not make you fat.

Heart failure

If the heart becomes weaker than it should be, it cannot pump blood efficiently. The tissues are less supplied with oxygen, and in addition, severe edema may appear. They can be localized in almost any area: on the legs, on the arms, in the abdomen, and occasionally affect the face.

Have you noticed that your weight has suddenly increased by 2-3 kilograms for no apparent reason, you have no appetite, you feel dizzy, and it is impossible to sleep on your back or just lie down? These can be problems with the heart and blood vessels, including heart failure. Urgently see a doctor, it can be very serious!

Insomnia

People who suffer from insomnia often gain weight. This has been scientifically proven and is linked to the changes in circadian rhythms that occur when we don’t get enough sleep.

It turns out that people who have chronic sleep disorders eat more carbohydrates than those who sleep at least 8 hours. Thus, they make up for the lack of energy. Excess carbohydrates are deposited in the form of extra pounds.

Kidney problems

Another reason weight gain can be caused by kidney problems. If they do not function as they should, water ceases to be excreted from the body in sufficient quantities: instead, it lingers, edema forms, and weight grows.

You can suspect kidney problems by paying attention to other symptoms: infrequent urination, severe fatigue, muscle cramps, problems with appetite, difficulty concentrating and memory.

Hypothyroidism

The thyroid gland may produce less hormone than it needs. This condition is called hypothyroidism or hypothyroidism. Metabolism in this case slows down, and the weight grows rapidly. You can assume that there are problems with the thyroid gland if you pay attention to other symptoms: among them are constant fatigue, emotional instability, brittle nails and falling hair, dry skin.

Ovarian cancer

Cancer usually involves sudden weight loss, but this may not be the case with ovarian cancer. Often, the development of a tumor can provoke weight gain and severe bloating.

The doctor will definitely be able to make a diagnosis: pain in the lower abdomen, frequent urination, loss of appetite and rapid satiety should alert. Their occurrence is due to the fact that the tumor increases in size and presses on all organs inside.

Pregnancy

Do you think it’s hard not to notice pregnancy, because its signs are so obvious? The fact is that not all women have a classic pregnancy – for those who suffer from hormonal disorders, enter the menopause period or have problems with the cycle, everything may not happen at all as it is written in medical reference books.

Sometimes weight gain becomes one of the few reasons why you can guess about pregnancy. But women can also ignore it, as they completely exclude the very fact of its occurrence. The result – pregnancy turns out to be an accidental discovery at a respectable period, and extra pounds, as it turns out, are not at all superfluous, but very necessary.

All this once again shows that our body is capable of much, and changes can indicate a variety of problems. You need to be attentive to yourself in any situation, and if you suspect that the situation is getting out of control, do not self-medicate, but turn to specialists for examination and, if necessary, treatment.

Psychopharmacotherapy. Is weight gain inevitable?

A very popular question from patients: – Is it possible to avoid weight gain when taking psychotropic therapy?

I can answer that it is possible to take drugs without a significant increase in body weight, and there are even options for weight loss during treatment with psychopharmacotherapy.

The problem is not only related to taking drugs, it is multifaceted. Much depends on the patient himself – habits and lifestyle, the implementation of the doctor’s recommendations, there are factors that are associated with the metabolic processes of the body, hereditary predisposition. Weight gain comes not from drugs, but from what you eat. You eat more calories than you burn. Sweet gives a feeling of pleasure with minimal effort and cost. And after a long stress, the desire to receive it is very great. Although it can also be obtained from physical activity, from hobbies, etc. , but it takes effort and most people follow the path of least resistance – ate a chocolate bar, went to McDonald’s, etc. Given that against the background of stress, there is usually a decrease in body weight, often significant, and there is confidence that this will not harm.

For many patients, stress does not affect appetite, and even eating a lot of sweets does not affect the scales, because. because of the experiences, everything “burns out”.

But against the background of treatment, the level of anxiety and irritability decreases, which leads to a slowdown in metabolic processes, and if the patient continues to consume the same amount of easily digestible carbohydrates, this leads to weight gain.

There are also patients who seize anxiety and, on the contrary, note an increase in weight against the background of stress, and so, with rare exceptions, they have a decrease in body weight during treatment with psychotropic drugs.

I would also like to note an alternative – there are a number of drugs that, while improving mood and reducing anxiety, do not affect appetite, and some even reduce it, and most patients lose body weight.