Honest opinion- upper arm flab

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Raegold
Raegold Posts: 191 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
I'm really looking for an honest answer about the dreaded upper arm flab that women get... I never thought I'd get it, and here I am, 36 with 2 kids and I have it. My question is... Should I just accept it and continue my general healthy lifestyle? Is it worth it to add a bunch of upper body strength training, will that even make a difference? Or am I just genetically predisposed to this,regardless... Also not even sure a little extra weight loss would help, because wouldn't that lead to more sagging skin? Would love an honest opinion!!! If you Google it, there's a million answers but I don't really trust them. Thanks!!

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  • rachelleahsmom
    rachelleahsmom Posts: 442 Member
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    I'd say that some of it is inevitable. You could work on your triceps so that you have a nice strong muscle under the wing. :smiley: Are you talking loose extra skin or fat? Bottom line - wear sleeveless shirts either way!
  • Raegold
    Raegold Posts: 191 Member
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    rachelleahsmom wrote: »
    I'd say that some of it is inevitable. You could work on your triceps so that you have a nice strong muscle under the wing. :smiley: Are you talking loose extra skin or fat? Bottom line - wear sleeveless shirts either way!

    :) I'm definitely wearing sleeveless shirts!! I think it's a combo of skin and fat honestly. Definitely is a change because when I look at my total body fat and where it's distributed, I never would have had fat on my upper arms 10 years ago when I'm at this weight. So I'm hesitant to go crazy with a deficit to try and spot reduce my arms, which I know isn't a thing. I might try to drop 5 lbs and see what happens, but I don't want to make myself crazy. My priorities at this point are like mostly functionality/stability training and, if I'm being honest, like 10% vanity.
  • Raegold
    Raegold Posts: 191 Member
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    RunsWithBees wrote: »
    How long has it been since you lost weight? Skin can take a couple of years to bounce back and my upper arms firmed up after my weight loss but it indeed took about 2 years. I don’t strength train though, I’m a runner but my arms still went back to just about pre-weight gain size and they used to be huge when I was obese, also I’m in my mid 40’s.

    I'd say like 2 years since I lost 35ish lbs (post baby fat loss over the course of a year of deficit and exercise). I'm kinda thinking that what's left now is not going to shrink anymore. I "could" lose more weight, I wear a size 10 in pants and it's not like I'm super lean, but I just don't know if I care to get crazy about it, especially since I can't control where it comes from. I'd bet anyone that I'd lose 5 lbs from my already small boobs and none from my arms bc that's how things seem to be working lately!
  • RunsWithBees
    RunsWithBees Posts: 1,508 Member
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    Raegold wrote: »
    RunsWithBees wrote: »
    How long has it been since you lost weight? Skin can take a couple of years to bounce back and my upper arms firmed up after my weight loss but it indeed took about 2 years. I don’t strength train though, I’m a runner but my arms still went back to just about pre-weight gain size and they used to be huge when I was obese, also I’m in my mid 40’s.

    I'd say like 2 years since I lost 35ish lbs (post baby fat loss over the course of a year of deficit and exercise). I'm kinda thinking that what's left now is not going to shrink anymore. I "could" lose more weight, I wear a size 10 in pants and it's not like I'm super lean, but I just don't know if I care to get crazy about it, especially since I can't control where it comes from. I'd bet anyone that I'd lose 5 lbs from my already small boobs and none from my arms bc that's how things seem to be working lately!

    Yea unfortunately (short of surgery) we can’t pick and choose where the fat comes off :s Maybe it’s time to just accept it then and move forward. I have a pudgy tummy and I’ve just learned to love it because I am just not going to put in the extra work and discipline that it takes to get abs of steel, not to mention my face gets too thin for my liking when I go under a certain weight, so pudgy tummy it is :D
  • MikePTY
    MikePTY Posts: 3,814 Member
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    Strength training is good for everyone. I can't guarantee you it will help you with your arm flab, but it is in beneficial in many ways and it would certainly be advantageous to do it, regardless.
  • Raegold
    Raegold Posts: 191 Member
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    MikePTY wrote: »
    Strength training is good for everyone. I can't guarantee you it will help you with your arm flab, but it is in beneficial in many ways and it would certainly be advantageous to do it, regardless.

    I definitely could add more strength training, although it's hard because I tend to have injuries since having kids (ligament laxity). I do a lot of core and pilates, and exercises from my PT, but nothing that would add mass upper body wise
  • Raegold
    Raegold Posts: 191 Member
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    QuinntessentiallyMe wrote: »
    I lost 113 lbs. so far, and man.... my arms got nasty within 6 months of my weight loss journey. Once I started busting out bicep and tricep work, and began replacing the fat and filling in the bagginess with muscle, there was a big difference. Still have a ways to go, with still a lot of jiggle, stretch marks, and assorted pocking and such, but I wear sleeveless with no shame. All of those things I mentioned still having are natural signs of weight loss. Proof of how far I've come. There's a good story behind my batwings, and I am proud to share it.

    Congrats!!! That's amazing. That is good to know though, maybe I will try adding in some quick, simple exercises and see if it makes a little difference
  • Strongfitmama100412
    Strongfitmama100412 Posts: 90 Member
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    3 kids here and 44 years old. Honestly you need to strength train. Dont be afraid to lift heavy. Sign up with a personal trainer to make sure form is ok and they can tell you a plan or take muscle classes at a gym.
    Pilates and core are great but if you want results you need to step up the workouts.

    Hiit training (high intensity interval training) a few days a week
    Lifting weights 3-4 days a week
    And pilates or yoga 1 day a week


  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,467 Member
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    MikePTY wrote: »
    Strength training is good for everyone. I can't guarantee you it will help you with your arm flab, but it is in beneficial in many ways and it would certainly be advantageous to do it, regardless.

    This!
    My arms got so weak as I aged and with carpal tunnel, frozen shoulder, and bursitis. When I decided to exercise to strengthen my arms and hands and shoulders, my arms looked much better. My bat wings didn’t disappear, but shrank a lot and looked much better. I never lifted weights, more like aerobics, swimming.
  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,254 Member
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    The flab on my arms has definitely improved since I began eating in a deficit and lifting weights. I’ve only lost about 13 pounds but that plus the lifting has helped. I don’t even lift heavy (dumbbell press 20 pounds, bench press about 58 pounds). I still do have flab, though.
  • imxnianne
    imxnianne Posts: 216 Member
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    Slowly build the weights. I used to have them, but now they’re not very much. I’m trying to replace it with muscle. I have kids.. don’t give up! You are what you determine.
  • gradchica27
    gradchica27 Posts: 777 Member
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    Strongfitmama100412 wrote: »
    3 kids here and 44 years old. Honestly you need to strength train. Dont be afraid to lift heavy. Sign up with a personal trainer to make sure form is ok and they can tell you a plan or take muscle classes at a gym.
    Pilates and core are great but if you want results you need to step up the workouts.

    Hiit training (high intensity interval training) a few days a week
    Lifting weights 3-4 days a week
    And pilates or yoga 1 day a week


    37, 4 kids, and I went from ~200 to ~130 with 3 out of 4 (ah, miraculous 3rd pregnancy of only 35lb gain, you were wonderful). Bigger upper arms are a thing for my family, so I wasn’t shocked when I saw some in the mirror. I was a runner, so not much muscle.

    After 3 years of primarily lifting, my arms are a bit smaller but way firmer. When lifting my arms to redo a ponytail, I see muscle and far less jiggle. My arms are by no means skinny and now I’m okay with that bc I can see they’re strong and have some shape instead of being one flabby tube of fat.

    So all that to say, lifting is the way to go. Lifting heavy (for you—as long as you keep pushing yourself, that’s “heavy”). You can work at reshaping your body, within some genetic confines, and you’ll be far happier with how you look and feel in your skin.

    As I wrote on a post about the dreaded saddle bags, lifting didn’t erase my problem area, but I could build up muscle around it to make the saddle bags less disproportionate and to increase overall muscularity/decrease overall jiggle.

    A good amount of the benefit of lifting is mental for me as well. At the pooll yesterday, I didn’t have the slimmest legs or arms (and I never will—my friends with 3-6” on me and far more delicate bone structure will have me beat with their discernible ankles and tiny wrists), but I knew my arms and legs were strong and there was a lot of muscle under there that lets me do things I’m really proud of, so I was rocking my non-skirted sans rash guard.
  • lauragreenbaum
    lauragreenbaum Posts: 1,017 Member
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    I can tell you from personal experience, working with weights will help a lot. I am in my early 50's and my arm flab was out of control and very gross. I've been doing Pilates 6-7 days a week since December, and it's made a huge difference. I never ever wore sleeveless tops or dresses before and now I can. I still have a way to go, but it's made a tremendous difference- even at my age.
  • JeBeBu
    JeBeBu Posts: 258 Member
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    I will also jump on board of lifting and building up those muscles...I am happy to report that, with time and exercise, my arms only wave when I CHOSE to wave! #nomorebatwings
  • pineapple_jojo
    pineapple_jojo Posts: 440 Member
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    Heidi Powell has written a really interesting article about this https://heidipowell.net/11298/underarm-flab-frustration-the-gym-mistake-thats-keeping-you-from-sexy-arms/
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,506 Member
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    It usually boils down to genetics. Age of course will make a difference too, but flabby arms are usually from excess fat deposit and lack of muscle conditioning in that area at the same time. Now you CAN improve the muscle underneath, but like your ab muscles, to be able to visually see the difference will require losing fat around the area. As you know you can't target where you lose fat (unless you do something like lipo), but reducing the amount of body fat % will usually show just about anywhere on the body. If you're female, try shooting for 25% BF.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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