Why are My Arms So Fat? – How Can I Lose Fat on my Arms

Photo of author

By Alex Haley

Updated on

fact checked

There are many reasons why someone may have fat on their arm such as genetics, the amount of arm exercise they do each week, or if they have another medical condition that causes them to retain more body fat in this area. If you are looking for tips on how to lose weight on your arms, then this post is perfect for you!

What are fat cells and how do they form?

Fat cells (also called adipocytes) form when there is a need for energy and the body doesn’t have what it needs. When this occurs, our bodies store fat to use as an energy source at a later time. Without these fat cells we wouldn’t be able to survive because your body wouldn’t have anywhere to store extra calories such as carbohydrates and sugars.

How are fat cells formed?

Fat cells are formed when you consume too many calories for your body to use. Our bodies get energy from three sources: proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. When you eat these sources of food, your body turns the excess into fat cells to store in case there is a time of famine.

What happens when fat cells are full?

Once your body forms these new fat cells, they remain that size until you use them for energy or until there is enough food to make more. They also don’t shrink unless you lose weight because the body uses these cells as a last resort. When this happens, fat leaves the cells and is distributed around the body.

Are there a lot of fat cells in arms?

Fat cells are everywhere! You have fat cells all over your body that form when you don’t use the calories you eat. The only areas where you can’t store excess fat are in your bone marrow, brain, and a few other places.

Why do you gain weight in your arms?

Arms are one place on the body where you can store fat easily, same as belly, thighs and breast. As you gain weight, your arms hold on to the fat cells so they don’t use them for energy. This means that if you continue eating past full or overeating during meals, these cells will remain full and keep storing excess food as fat.

One old wives tale or myth is that you could be big boned – this has been dispelled many times.

A person’s genetics can influence where they accumulate body fat. For example, some people have a higher percentage of body fat in their arms and may not be able to lose weight there no matter how hard they try. In order to lose arm fat, you need to eat fewer calories than you burn each day. If your body uses the fat cells in your arms for energy, then there will be nothing left to store.

How to lose fat on your arms

Here are some tips on how you can lose weight in your arms:

  1. Aerobic exercise – this type of exercise is known to increase fat loss around the body because it helps burn calories and boost metabolism.
  2. Strength training – try to do strength training 2-3 times each week for 20 minutes. If you can’t make it to the gym, you can always do bodyweight exercises from home! Weight lifting has been shown to burn fat in the arms.
  3. Eat at a calorie deficit – you will need to eat fewer calories than you burn if you want to lose weight from your arms. A good rule of thumb is to use 10-12 calories per pound of bodyweight for weight loss depending on how quickly or slowly you want to lose weight. Since you want to lose arm fat, keep a food journal and track how many calories you eat each day and then aim to eat fewer calories than you burn.
  4. Eat plenty of protein – eating foods high in protein will help your body preserve lean muscle mass while dieting, which means that you’ll be burning fat all over!
  5. Drink lots of water – it’s recommended that you drink half your body weight in ounces each day. For example, if you weigh 120 pounds, then drink 60 ounces of water each day.

There are many ways you can lose weight on your arms! Hopefully these tips will help and give you an idea of how to work towards getting the arm muscles you’ve always wanted.

Note: If you are dangerously overweight or obese your doctor may prescribe diet pills. A Phentermine weight loss pill is the most likely route if your BMI is very high (28 or above). There are also natural Phentermine alternatives that do not require a prescription.

Why you should try a new workout routine for your arms

Why you should try a new workout routine for your arms

Whether you want toned arms or bigger muscles, or maybe both, we often ask ourselves if there’s a quick and easy way to achieve the look we want.

Well I’ve done some research on several workout routines for different arm goals and have found some amazing suggestions that will help you achieve your arm related fitness goals without having to spend hours at the gym.

First, the best way to get rid of fat around your arms is to do aerobic exercises such as running and cycling for 45 minutes at least 3 times a week and strength training 1-2 times a week with weights or resistance bands.

Both of these will help you lose overall body fat in not only your arms but other parts of your body as well.

There are many different workout routines for toning your arms, some not involving working with any weights at all! The best one I found is using resistance bands because they are versatile and easy to use whenever you have a few minutes to spare.

Arm workout routines for toning your arms

This first arm workout routine does not involve any weights and you can easily do it at home without having to go to a gym. All you need to tone your arms are resistance bands which you can get at Walmart or Amazon.

Step 1:

Start by stepping on the middle of the band with your feet, then grab both ends and place them by your side.

Step 2:

Bend both arms at a 90 degree angle and pull the bands until they’re in line with your chest. Make sure you keep calm and breathe out as you contract your arm muscles. Hold for 3 seconds and release.

Step 3:

Do this 12 times per arm for 2 sets (24 reps per arm). Another variation is to use one arm at a time; repeat the same steps above with each arm by itself! You can also try bending your knees more or less depending on your strength level.

The next resistance band workout routine to tone your arms involves weights and I honestly think it has to be the best one because it’s a great cardio workout as well.

Arm workout for toning your arms with weights

Step 1:

Start by placing the band around your legs about mid-thigh level, then take both ends in each hand and raise them above your head. Next, bend your elbows slightly and pull the bands back until they’re straight out behind your head. Both your upper arms should be facing the floor with palms facing each other. Hold for 2 seconds, breathe in, then release back to the starting position. Repeat 12 times.

Step 2:

Next, place the band around both legs a little lower this time and take both ends in each hand and raise them above your head again. This time bend your elbows slightly and pull the bands back until they’re behind your head at ear level. Keep your upper arm facing the floor with palms still facing each other. Hold for 2 seconds, breathe in, then release back to the starting position. Repeat 12 times.

Step 3:

Place the band around your legs lower still and take both ends in each hand and raise them above your head. This time bend both elbows and pull the bands back until they’re behind your head and by your ears with palms facing each other (like you’re hugging a big beach ball behind you). Hold for 2 seconds, breathe in, then release back to the starting position. Repeat 12 times.

These arm toning workouts should only take 10-20 minutes and you can do them every other day or every day depending on your level of fitness. You’ll be glad you did!

What to eat to lose fat in your arms

Exercises are not the only thing you need to do in order to lose arm fat, you also have to watch what you eat. Make sure your daily caloric intake is under 2000 calories or else all your hard work will be wasted!

Follow these simple dietary tips for losing arm fat quickly:

  • Do not eat starchy carbs after 7 pm. This includes bread, pasta, potatoes, rice etc. They turn into sugar once your body digests them and will be stored as fat if you don’t use the energy by exercising.
  • Drink at least 10 glasses of water a day to flush out excess toxins from your body which may prevent weight loss.
  • Eat protein with every meal. This will help you to lose the arm fat faster because protein takes more energy for your body to digest it, therefore burning more calories.

When you lose weight, you not only lose fat in your arms but stubborn body fat all over your body. Then, to lose your stubborn arm fat, a calorie-deficit diet is recommended.

What is a calorie-deficit diet?

A calorie-deficit diet is where you eat less calories than your body needs to fuel its daily activities, so it has to find energy from other places which usually means fat stores. To lose 1 pound of fat, you have to burn 3500 calories or more depending on the percentage of water weight you are carrying.

This means that you will have to eat about 475 calories a day less than what you burn to lose 1 pound of arm fat every week.

So, how many calories do you need? ​

A calorie calculator is the easiest way to work out your daily calorie needs as it takes into account your age, height, sex and activity level. Simply go to https://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/ and put in your details. This will give you your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), or the amount of calories you burn just by existing and staying in bed all day. Once you know your BMR, you can calculate your Daily Calorie Needs based on your activity level.

The sweet spot for most women with a low or moderate activity level is a calorie intake of about 1250-1500 calories for maximum arm fat burning results.

You should also drink lots of green tea as it is full of antioxidants that speed up metabolism and burn more calories throughout the day.

Green Tea for Arm Fat Loss

Green tea is a great drink for preventing weight gain as it contains EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) which speeds up metabolism and burns calories faster.

In one study, those who drank 5 cups of green tea a day lost 70% more body fat than those who did not drink it on a calorie-deficit diet.

What to eat on a calorie-deficit diet?

When you are on a calorie-deficit diet, it is important that you eat the foods that will help you lose arm fat more easily. You should have lots of lean protein and green vegetables while avoiding processed foods, sugar and starchy carbs.

Lean Protein from Chicken Breast

Chicken breast is a great source of protein for burning fat in your arms as it contains less fat than red meat. In addition, chicken releases insulin slowly after you eat it which prevents blood sugar spikes and keeps your energy levels stable throughout the day.

Grilled chicken makes a healthy alternative to fried chicken if you’re having a craving for fast food.

Building lean body mass and losing fat

People who have more lean mass and less fat in their bodies burn more calories than those with more fat. This means that one way to lose weight is by building lean mass, which also helps keep your metabolism high!

Fortunately, you can lose arm fat and build muscle by doing strength training 2-3 times each week. This will help you burn calories quicker and preserve lean mass while creating a caloric deficit so you can lose weight.

Increase Strength Training to Lose Arm Fat Faster

Weight training is a great way to build lean mass and burn more calories, especially for your arms where the fat stores are stubborn and hard to get rid of. Lifting weights with high intensity will force your body into muscle building mode and activate more fat-burning hormones.

Weight lifting exercise can include :

Pushups – Great for toning your arms. You can do them anywhere and you should try to increase the number of repetitions and sets as time goes on while keeping the rest times low. Dips – These work two muscle groups at once, triceps and pectorals. Make sure to keep your back straight and engage your abs.

Bicep curls – These are easy enough to do at home with a dumbbell. You can use other types of weight like soup cans or water bottles, anything that is heavy enough to challenge you.

Lunges – Lunges work your legs and glutes which will burn more calories than exercises like squats where the upper body doesn’t get much workout.

Push ups – Push ups work the triceps and pectorals. You can do them while facing down or up to make it easier or harder.

If you want to lose arm fat fast and for good then try the tips that we’ve shared with you in this blog post. You’ll be able to create a plan that focuses on your specific needs and get results faster than ever before. We hope these tips to reduce arm fat were helpful.

Photo of author

about the author

Alex Haley is a specialist in bio-information and operations. Alex has an interest in the field of genetics, with a focus on genome sequencing. When not working, Alex enjoys reading about scientific developments that may be relevant to her work or studies. When she's at home, she spends time with her family and friends. She also likes to read books about science fiction and fantasy worlds where anything is possible!