5 of the Best Ways to Lose Arm Fat
Updated January 2024
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I also get commissions from other companies for purchases made through links in this post.
Does arm fat have you sweating in warmer temperatures? Have you tried to lose that jiggle with no luck? In this article, you’ll learn the best ways to slim your arms down and feel confident, no matter what you’re wearing.
Five ways to lose arm fat include having a progressive upper-body routine, increasing your overall movement, counting your calories, eating enough protein, and living a healthy lifestyle. With dedication and consistency, you will see results over time.
Keep reading to learn exactly how to lose fat on your arms and get the results you desire!
Can You Target Fat Loss On Your Arms?
Unfortunately, you cannot target specific areas for fat loss. Where you lose fat depends on factors outside of your control, like genetics and gender. According to Harvard Medical School, “For some people, genes account for just 25% of the predisposition to be overweight, while for others, the genetic influence is as high as 70% to 80%.”
Gender also plays a role in weight management. In general, women tend to have about 10% more body fat than men, and this ensures a woman’s body will be able to provide for a developing baby. Men should aim to have 15-18% body fat, while women should try for 20-25%.
You may not be able to target arm fat, but you can decrease your overall body fat percentage. That will naturally lessen the amount of fat you currently have on your arms. Toning the muscles underneath will also help give you a more defined shape. Read on for easy ways to trim your arms while enjoying other health benefits.
5 Best Tips for Slimming Your Arms
Have a Progressive Upper-Body Routine
Progression is vital for muscle growth. If you don’t switch things up, you’ll stop seeing results. Remember to target your triceps, biceps, and shoulders at least 2-3 times per week. Exercises like arm circles work your shoulders. Mountain climbers provide cardio for extra calorie burn. Try some tricep push-ups. Give your biceps some love with hammer curls.
If you need additional intensity added to your workouts beyond new exercises, try increasing the amount of weight you are lifting or wearing a weighted vest (affiliate link). Use it to increase weight with your planks, or even try holding the vest as a weight and do some upright rows. You can wear it while walking outside or on the treadmill, too!
While having workout equipment makes progression easier, you don’t need it to boost your results. Whether you’re at home or in the gym, you can always do more repetitions. Do an extra set of each exercise whenever you can. Resting less in between sets will also help improve muscle mass. Get creative and find variations on your arm exercises. Instead of doing a tricep push-up on your knees, try fully extending your legs and getting up on your toes.
Also, if you are choosing to only exercise at home, be sure to consider our list of recommended at-home workout equipment (affiliate link) to add variety and resistance to your routine!
Increase Your Overall Movement
Burn more calories by moving more. It’s easy to track your steps with a pedometer or pedometer app for your phone. Get your body up and about to put you into a caloric deficit to ensure you are burning more calories than you are consuming. When you are in a caloric deficit, your body will turn to your fat stores for energy, and this will lead to weight loss. Don’t start training for that marathon just yet, though! It’s fine if you want to do more, but you only need about 30 minutes of exercise a day if you are generally active otherwise.
Even if you cannot make it to the gym one day, there are simple steps you can take to get more movement in. Try parking your car several rows away from the door when shopping or going to work. Take a walk around your house first when going out to get the mail. Go for an evening walk with the family after dinner. Piedmont Healthcare suggests, “Walk through your home each evening and tidy up any messes. Not only will you get more steps, you'll wake up to a less cluttered home.” They also advise marching in place or pacing the room during phone calls, while brushing your teeth, or watching TV.
You can also do some cardio at the end of your strength training workout. Throw in some jumping jacks or grab a jump rope (affiliate link). Do longer, separate cardio workouts on the days you don’t do strength training. Hop on the treadmill while listening to your favorite music, podcast, or book. There are tons of free cardio workout videos on YouTube, and you can try lots of different kinds of workouts without any commitment.
Count Your Calories
It’s always important to keep track of how many calories you’re putting in your body. But when you’re trying to lose body fat, it’s crucial. The most efficient way to lose weight is to be in a caloric deficit. This means you are burning more energy than you are taking in. The Mayo Clinic advises, “ If you cut 500 to 1,000 calories a day from your typical diet, you'll lose about one to two pounds a week.” Just be careful not to cut too many calories. If you do, you may not meet your nutritional needs or risk losing muscle mass.
Thankfully, technology makes it easy to track and burn calories. Use tools like MyFitnessPal.com to start a food diary, scan barcodes for a food’s nutritional information, get healthy recipes, and join a weight loss community. You can get a calorie breakdown of over 14 million foods. It will even compare serving sizes so you can adjust your intake. It’s free to get started, and they will customize the program for you after answering a few questions. You can also visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture for free exercise planners, progress tests, a body weight planner to make personalized calorie and physical activity plans, and more.
If you hate counting calories, you don’t have to do it forever. Once you reach your physique goal and have gotten a better idea as to how many calories are in your favorite foods, you can stop. Chances are, you’ll be enjoying a more healthy, sustainable lifestyle at this point.
Eat Enough Protein
Amino acids make up protein, which are the building blocks of muscle. Protein fuels and builds muscle, and it helps repair muscle fibers that tear when you do things like work out. Your body burns more energy processing protein than it does carbohydrates or fat because of its thermic effect. So, eating more high-protein foods results in a faster metabolism, and the whole digestion process and additional muscle mass result in your body burning more calories at rest. Overall, regularly consuming enough protein will result in faster weight loss.
Healthy protein sources are easy to come by, no matter your dietary preferences. If you are regularly in the gym, aim for at least one gram of protein per pound a day. Myfooddata.com provides the following amount of protein for a larger serving:
Chicken breast - 54 g
Chicken leg - 62 g
Salmon filet - 40 g
Yellowtail filet - 34 g
Light canned tuna - 33 g
Firm tofu - 43.5 g
Lentils - 17 g
Low-fat yogurt - 14 g
Green peas - 8.6 g
You can also sneak in some extra protein by adding protein powder to your morning smoothie. Don’t have any hanging around? Throw in some peanut butter, low-fat yogurt, or silken tofu. If you enjoy being creative, you can try different homemade protein drink recipes online. They range in flavors from banana cinnamon to chocolate peanut butter to beet-raspberry. There are so many flavor combinations, and you’re sure to find a few you love!
Live a Healthy Lifestyle
As always, the best way to lose body fat is to live a healthy lifestyle. Make sure you get six to eight hours of high-quality sleep each night. The Brain and Behavior Research Foundation suggests the following tips: “Shortly before bedtime, try a relaxation strategy that incorporates mindfulness, deep breathing, or meditation. The blue light emitted by digital devices—including TVs, phones, laptops, and tablets—can throw off your body’s internal clock, so avoid them before bedtime.” They also say exercise will help you sleep better, but don’t work out too close to bedtime. You should be fine as long as you exercise at least three hours before going to sleep.
Staying hydrated is another key to living a healthy lifestyle. Men should aim for about 120 ounces of water a day, while women should have 88 ounces. And yes, that protein shake you made in the morning counts! Use the juicer you’ve been letting sit around. Juice some kale, carrots, or beets for a tasty alternative to water. No juicer, no problem. Pick up some unsweetened vegetable or fruit juice at the store. Just keep an eye on the sodium content in vegetable juices. Whenever possible, choose the low-sodium option.
Enjoy your drink outside when you can. Get out in the sun every day when weather permits. Sunlight boosts serotonin levels in the brain, beating stress and keeping you focused. You’ll also get a dose of Vitamin D, which is important for your immune system. An hour of sunlight in the morning will also help your body produce melatonin when it’s time for bed. Melatonin is the hormone your body produces that helps your body know when it’s time to sleep.
Final Thoughts
While it may not be possible to target arm fat specifically, there’s plenty you can do to decrease your overall body fat. Enjoying a healthy lifestyle with lots of movement, a protein-rich diet, outdoor fun, and plenty of sleep that will help you melt that fat right off. So grab a bottle of water and your sunglasses and get moving!
