Arm flab: It's the bane of women everywhere, especially after they reach a certain age. But women aren't the only ones who suffer from upper-arm jiggles; men can store fat there too, and many of them want to lose the flab and show off their sculpted triceps.
First, the bad news: There is no quick cure for upper arm fat. Just like other parts of the body, the triceps accumulated fat over time. It will take more time to decrease the amount of fat stored there.
Now the good news: There is a proven formula to help you lose extra fat all over your body. Losing the fat will result in a slimmer you, and will get rid of the stored fat on your upper arms.
As with so many fitness concepts, losing tricep flab is just a matter of eating the right foods, doing the right exercises, and burning enough fat. Are you ready to begin?
Step 1: Give Your Diet a Makeover
Turn a critical eye to your diet. Are you eating mostly carbs? How much saturated fat do you eat in a day? Is your diet heavy in processed foods and diet sodas?
The very best fat-burning diet is one rich in nutrients, but those nutrients need to come from healthy sources. Eat plenty of fish and other lean proteins, a variety of colorful fruits and veggies, and whole grain products.
Vow to eat whole food whenever possible, and forget that fast food even exists. You might miss the sugar and fat at first, but your taste buds will adapt over time. Plus, you can splurge once in a while, in moderation.
It's important to know how many calories you actually require. Eat too many, and your body will store the extra energy as fat. Eat too few, and your metabolism will slow down, leading to painfully slow fat loss.
Step 2: Build a Stronger Tricep
You can get your triceps lean and toned by doing strength training exercises one to three times a week. These should be non-consecutive days so that your muscles will have time to repair themselves following your workout.
Some wonderful tricep toners include dumbbell kick-backs, chair dips, and push-ups. If you cannot do a full push-up at first, do modified knee push-ups until your arms get stronger.
Bonus: The more muscle you build, the more calories you'll burn each day, even while you rest. Ladies, don't be afraid of strength-training. Your body won't get bulky like a man's, but it will grow lean and firm.
Step 3: Burn Body Fat
You might already have shapely triceps, but nobody will see them if they're covered by a layer of flab. By burning body fat all over, you'll lose inches from your upper arms as well.
The best way to burn fat is through regular cardio exercise. Find a target heart rate calculator to find your optimal fat-burning zone. Then choose an exercise you enjoy, and keep your heart rate in that zone for at least 30 minutes.
You can start off by doing this 3 times a week, and work your way up to 5 weekly cardio sessions. The best type of exercise is one you'll stick with so if you enjoy, swimming, swim! If you're a runner, run! Persistence is the key to fat loss.
Step 4: Monitor Your Results
Buy a tape measure and use it to keep track of the inches you lose from your upper arms. Every inch you lose takes you closer to your goal; soon you'll be wearing sleeveless tops without trepidation.
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