Lose under arm fat?

Veganvibesss

Has anyone lost under arm fat from strength straining? People say it's not possible to target fat loss but I just don't believe it... I'm not fat anymore but my arms are still flabby and I already see a difference from from lifting weights ... would love to see some before and afters of people's arm progress. What types of exercises are you doing?

sijomial

How do you propose to contract or directly exercise your subcutaneous fat tissue?

Metalman224

If you are not fat anymore is it possible it is just loose skin.
How rapidly did you lose the weight?
If it was excessive amounts of weight in very short time it may have left you with loose skin. Skin is amazingly elastic but it does have its limits. If you were severely overweight before it may have stretched beyond it ability to snap back. Weights may help to a degree but may also make the issue worse as recomposition may make it look worse. Your doctor will be able to give you the best advice.
It may be a case where surgery is required, maybe not. There is no way for any of us to tell or give you correct advice on this matter as there is much we don't know and everyone is different.
Good luck!

Cherimoose

If working a body part targeted fat there, then people who bike or walk as their only exercise would have lean legs and fat upper bodies.. but that never happens.

sardelsa

If that were the case my legs and glutes would be shredded by now because of how often I work them. They are not.

What strength training in a deficit does it helps preserve the muscle so you have a more defined appearance as you lose.

malibu927

People say it's not possible to target fat loss but I just don't believe it...

Whether you believe it or not, science does not support spot reduction

AnvilHead

Veganvibesss wrote: »

People say it's not possible to target fat loss but I just don't believe it...

Believe it. It's not possible to target fat loss.

Fat has no contractile properties and cannot be exercised. Exercising the muscles beneath the fat has no effect on the subcutaneous fat above them, because the fat isn't doing anything because it can't because it's just fat.

Here's a study which tested spot reduction:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21804427

AnnPT77

If by "under arm fat" you mean the upper arm area (so called "bat wings", "chicken wings", etc. (SMH)), many women are mis-identifying what they have, thinking it is fat or loose skin, when it's actually relaxed triceps muscles. And triceps muscles do firm up with strength training . . . but they also firm up if you contract them.

I've gone through this many times with women in real life who are all fussed about their "fat" "ugly" upper arms. They hold their arm out from their shoulder, move it around, and talk about "flaps waving in the wind" or some other such self-critical nonsense.

What I usually do is suggest they flex like a bodybuilder, making the muscles in the back of the arm (triceps) as tight as possible. This will usually require raising the upper arm above shoulder level, bending at the elbow, curling the hand over, clenching the fist, etc. For everyone I've ever had do this, a major chunk of what used to flap/wave when their arm was relaxed, will not do so when flexed.

Another thing to try is to do the straight-out relaxed arm thing, then use the opposite hand to grab onto the floppy part, getting the fingers as close up to the bone as practical holding the floppy bit, then flex like a bodybuilder. Anything that gets firm in your hand was not fat or loose skin, it was relaxed muscle.

Relaxed triceps are somewhat slack and mobile, even in very fit women. So, as a starting point, if upper arms are what you're talking about, make sure you're correctly identifying what you have. (Note that this same principal can apply to other smaller muscles in the underarm area - or other body parts affected by gravity - as well. Many muscles, when relaxed, are somewhat slack and mobile. They're still muscles, not fat or skin. We shouldn't be hating on useful muscles, so this identification process is important. )

Muscles can be strengthened by strength training, and will have a better, tighter appearance. Fat can only be reduced by losing fat, usually via a calorie deficit (recomposition can have a similar effect, but slowly). Looking "toned" is a combination of the two: Developing some muscle via strength training, and losing enough fat so that it shows. Loose skin typically can shrink only after losing much of the subcutaneous fat that conspires with gravity to keep it stretched out; it will potentially take quite a while to shrink even after reaching goal weight; and genetics is a potential limiting factor on skin elasticity.

So: Figure out what you're working with, as a first step. No spot reduction of fat is possible, unfortunately.

cwolfman13

Veganvibesss wrote: »

Has anyone lost under arm fat from strength straining? People say it's not possible to target fat loss but I just don't believe it... I'm not fat anymore but my arms are still flabby and I already see a difference from from lifting weights ... would love to see some before and afters of people's arm progress. What types of exercises are you doing?

You can believe it or not...but you cannot spot reduce fat with exercise. To "burn" subcutaneous fat, it must be first converted to triglycerides and sent into the blood stream...this happens from all over, not a specific spot.

I you could spot reduce with exercise, I'd be a Greek God by now.

Motorsheen

cwolfman13 wrote: »

Veganvibesss wrote: »

Has anyone lost under arm fat from strength straining? People say it's not possible to target fat loss but I just don't believe it... I'm not fat anymore but my arms are still flabby and I already see a difference from from lifting weights ... would love to see some before and afters of people's arm progress. What types of exercises are you doing?

I'd be a Greek God by now.

@cwolfman13


Wait.


What?




You're Not ?


*illusions shattered

cwolfman13

Motorsheen wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

Veganvibesss wrote: »

Has anyone lost under arm fat from strength straining? People say it's not possible to target fat loss but I just don't believe it... I'm not fat anymore but my arms are still flabby and I already see a difference from from lifting weights ... would love to see some before and afters of people's arm progress. What types of exercises are you doing?

I'd be a Greek God by now.

@cwolfman13


Wait.


What?




You're Not ?


*illusions shattered

@Motorsheen

Maybe slightly better than average...maybe...

SonyaCele

its just loose skin and sometimes time will shrink it up so you may think its from lifting weights when it could just the skin shrinking back over time Also if you do get a little bit of tricep growth from lifting it will fill in and firm up under the skin a bit giving the illusion of less hangy skin.

apullum

Strength training can help build muscle in a particular area, so it may make you happier with that area's appearance. You still can't spot reduce fat. As Neil deGrasse Tyson said, "The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it."