Whether you want to wear sleeveless shirts or you just want an overall, better physique, getting rid of arm fat is a common request in the fitness and health setting. The arms are pretty hard to hide, so having well-defined arms is something many of us strive for.
You may be someone who puts in hours and hours of work in the gym, only to find that the fat on your arms just isn’t budging. But don’t worry—there could be a few reasons why you’re unable to get rid of arm fat, and we’ll go over what to do about it.
You’re Working Out Wrong
Working out is working out, right? Well, there are many, many ways you can spend your time in the gym, and improper programming can prevent you from reducing the fat on your arms.
Though there should be some cardio included in your workout program, it shouldn’t be your main source of exercise. A majority of your workouts should be structured around resistance training; to get you to a lower body fat percentage and keep it there, adding lean body mass will not only improve your metabolism, but it'll also give you the toned look you’re looking for when trying to minimize fat.
Opt to include more weightlifting with your workouts if you want to get rid of fat on your arms. A great place to start is using MAPS Anabolic to help guide you through your workouts!
You’re Inconsistent
Whether you are inconsistent with your diet, workouts, or prioritizing sleep, you need to start evaluating where you can promote a more consistent routine for your health and wellness.
It does no good to work out for two weeks just to take two or three weeks off. It is vital to establish a routine that works for you, one that you can maintain long-term for months at a time. If you can only work out two days a week, that’s fine, but commit to those two days and don’t miss them. People who work out on a regular basis tend to have a lower body fat percentage and an overall healthier BMI.
This also applies to your diet. A common mistake is to be super strict during the week, then completely go nuts on the weekends. It’ll do your body more good to eat well most of the time, where 70 to 80% of your diet comes from whole foods and minimally processed snacks and meals. A consistently healthy diet will help reduce the overall body fat percentage, with your arms reaping some of those benefits.
You’re Chronically Stressed, or Not Recovered
Believe it or not, stress can be a huge contributor to gaining or maintaining fat mass. Elevated levels of stress that don’t relent create chronically high cortisol levels, which then increase blood glucose, followed by insulin; this chain of events has been shown to promote weight gain.
If you feel like your workouts are consistent and your diet is pretty steady, take a look at how you are sleeping or managing your stress; there could be some things you can tweak!
Ned offers stress relief products that can help reduce anxiety and improve sleep, while Eight Sleep is the brand Mind Pump trusts for smarter, temperature-controlled sleep.
Your Diet Needs Some Tweaks, Too
This one is obvious, but it is something I need to mention. If you haven’t taken a hard look at your nutrition lately and you are struggling to reduce the fat on your arms, you may need to adjust your quantity or quality of calories (or both!).
You need to be in some sort of calorie deficit—10 to 20% of your current intake—and the majority of your diet should be made up of lean cuts of protein, a variety of vegetables, and water as your main beverage of choice.
I would eliminate as much alcohol as possible (it’s not doing you any favors if you want to get rid of fat on your arms), and though I wouldn’t go cold turkey on your favorite desserts or snacks, put in the effort to ensure you’re not overconsuming. It’s not fair to deprive ourselves of the foods we love, but there does need to be balance.
