I know you can't spot reduce, BUT...anyone else?

AsellusReborn
AsellusReborn Posts: 1,112 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay, so I know you can't spot reduce. I get that.

But I have spent two years losing weight. (Well, with a hiatus to have a baby. Who is currently 8m!) I have lost 55lbs. I have lost 8 inches off my waist, 7 inches off my hips (and that's despite them getting wider with baby too), 5 inches off each thigh, 2 1/2 inches off each calf, and 5 inches off my chest (I'm not measuring bust since I'm nursing).


I have lost ONE inch off each arm.


Really? I store all my body fat in my arms? It's tank top season people, that just seems unfair :P I know you can't spot reduce, but just wondering if anyone else has this issue. I thought storing fat on tummy or thighs/butt was more common?! I guess my body wants to live off my arms if a famine comes...?

Replies

  • seabirdie12
    seabirdie12 Posts: 13 Member
    Your arms are the smallest part of you around, so they're going to lose inches at a slower rate comparatively. Do you do any upper body exercises to strengthen your arms?
  • sassyjae21
    sassyjae21 Posts: 1,217 Member
    Congrats! On all of that.

    Arms can be a pain. I've lost some on my arms, but they're still too big for my liking. And the women on my dad's side of the family all have HUGE ARMS. Ugh...They're also obese, but a couple have lost weight and they still have big arms. The only thing I know how to suggest is strength training.
  • _mlee_
    _mlee_ Posts: 90
    I was JUST complaining about this! lol. I have that EXACT problem! I've been losing weight but from NOWHERE I want it gone from. I'm the opposite of you, I'm losing inches off my arms and chest but not my belly and thighs! Talk about frustrating :P
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    not sure what you're getting at? you're suprised how fat your arms were?
  • SugaryLynx
    SugaryLynx Posts: 2,640 Member
    I dunno, if I could pick the order by which fat came off, arms would probably be the last place I'd pick. .. so congratz to that!
  • AsellusReborn
    AsellusReborn Posts: 1,112 Member
    That makes sense. It's still relatively a smaller loss but it does make me feel better, I hadn't thought about that. Logic! I do do pushups but I also lift an 18lb baby up and down all day. I am not worried about strength so much, more just wishing spot reduction were real haha.



    Yes Toad, that's exactly it. :P No, I was just curious if arms are a common place to lose slowly from. I figured belly and thighs would be the area to lose fat last, but those have shrunk pretty well. My arms still look pretty close to the same to me.
  • doubleohstatus
    doubleohstatus Posts: 37
    strength training will burn the fat and tighten your skin.
  • gotolam
    gotolam Posts: 262 Member
    I guess my body wants to live off my arms if a famine comes...?

    It's easier for the zombies to share your carcass during the Zombie Apocalypse.
  • AsellusReborn
    AsellusReborn Posts: 1,112 Member
    I don't have nor can I afford a gym membership unfortunately or I'd love to do a heavy lifting program. That said strength training will definitely burn fat but I don't think it will cause my body to prioritize burning the fat on my arms, right?
    I guess my body wants to live off my arms if a famine comes...?

    It's easier for the zombies to share your carcass during the Zombie Apocalypse.

    I knew it.
  • CitizenXVIII
    CitizenXVIII Posts: 117 Member
    Every body is different. I know a gal who has lost a ton of weight so far, and is still losing, but she currently looks like Dr. Frankenstein put a skinny girls top half on a fat gals bottom half. It's not fair, and I feel so sorry for her, but her body just wants to save those butt calories for last. Thankfully most of us lose fat more evenly, but not everyone.
  • shegrif
    shegrif Posts: 30 Member
    I guess my body wants to live off my arms if a famine comes...?

    That made me laugh. I empathize with you.

    All of my life, I have felt my upper arms have been out of proportion to the rest of my body especially my forearms which are normally proportioned and seem to just make them stand out more.

    No matter how heavy or small I have been, they are my bane!
    Strength training to make them as shapely and firm as possible is all I know to do.

    You do loose some there just so slow and never seems to be enough.
    When I get down about them II compare my start photos to photos of where I am at present.
    It helps me to see that I have made progress there as well.
  • shrcpr
    shrcpr Posts: 885 Member
    Yes Toad, that's exactly it. :P No, I was just curious if arms are a common place to lose slowly from. I figured belly and thighs would be the area to lose fat last, but those have shrunk pretty well. My arms still look pretty close to the same to me.

    And, now all us folks who have to get positively skeletal on top to lose anything from the thighs area hate you. LOL. jk.. I think.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    I have fat flabby arms too - it's just where my body decided to store it and very likely genetic as my grandma and aunt both also had big upper arms. But I've pretty much made my peace with them. I do some strength training and they look good when I flex them but I'll always have bingo arms. Just have to remember to be careful waving and posing for pictures. ;)

    P.S. Yeah, the grass isn''t always greener. I have a cousin who has nice looking arms and legs no matter her weight....BUT she's all belly. And I have a friend who has a nice belly but hates her butt and thighs. We all have to pay some price...
  • bfanny
    bfanny Posts: 440 Member
    Blame it on genetics! My arms and legs are very skinny, however my last 5 to 8 lbs I could swear are "stuck" in my lower abs :( I know ab exercises wont get me where I want, but a calorie deficit, cardio, weights and PATIENCE will ;) and I also understand that it is/was the first place were I "gain " fat and it i'll be the last to go, and that's why I don 't care much for a # on the scale anymore, I'll be done when that fat is gone ('cause is not loose skin) sooner or later!!!
  • Alassonde
    Alassonde Posts: 228 Member
    I have the opposite problem.....my arms look like matchsticks (seriously, I look like I could break my arm by knocking it against a wall lightly) but I can't get rid of my gut.
  • kaseyr1505
    kaseyr1505 Posts: 624 Member
    I noticed this too! I am down almost 30lbs, and I still feel like my legs and arms are a little too big for my body. Yesterday, I went out and got my first dress since I began losing weight (!!!), and I noticed my arms were a little out of place. Until yesterday, I hadn't tried anything sleeveless on in years, so I can't imagine how they looked 30 pounds ago.
  • AsellusReborn
    AsellusReborn Posts: 1,112 Member
    The Frankenstein issue is one I expected, I really expected to have a big butt and thighs for a long time. I was just surprised, I figured those would be the easiest!

    Haha you can hate me, I'm good with that. Grass is always greener, I'm more bemused than anything else though.


    Lol glad I made somebody laugh. I think this post came off a bit more serious than I intended. I am very happy with the progress I'd made, but when I did my measurements this morning and actually went back and compared them to where I started I realized it wasn't in my head, my arms do really look quite a bit the same.


    Thanks for all the responses!
  • byahbee
    byahbee Posts: 19
    i have the same issue, lost 5-7 inches off my measurements, i didn't measure my arms but they don't look any smaller to me. i am small in height but i'm strongly built in the torso area, with broad shoulders and arms. i do some weights which definitely helps the appearance of them but i don't think they will ever be skinny, or even slim. perhaps you could try doing some weight training, that will help your arms look more toned and muscular even if they don't appear smaller :)
  • AsellusReborn
    AsellusReborn Posts: 1,112 Member
    The tummy is a hard one especially because there are so many videos about "Blast your abs in 10 minutes" yadda yadda. It makes you feel like the answer should be easy but a lot of bodies store fat there unfortunately.

    See I actually think my arms have good muscle definition under the layer of fat - I can tell the difference when I flex. It seems like I may be stuck with them though, I'm very nearly to goal weight and everything else looks great, I can't imagine the last 6lbs will make a huge difference on my arms. -shrugs- I'll just have to be careful not to accidentally flap my arms for fear of taking off.
  • liekewheeless
    liekewheeless Posts: 416 Member
    Yep, my arms have always been bigger too. When I was skinny (as a teen) I had issues with small tops,..the arms never fit very well, so tight. Same now,..the top size has gotten larger but the arms don't seem to get any extra room!

    I now treat it as a luxury problem. I lose around my waist first,.. so I get to have the hour glass figure. I much rather lose the waist vs the arms.. if it has to be stubborn somewhere,..I'd rather it be the arms.
    (never had a "flat" stomach,.. just a defined waist)


    Toning should help make them appear smaller.
  • eileenlsav
    eileenlsav Posts: 1
    Have you ever heard of kitchen counter workouts? If you google it, there are a ton of ideas for push ups, dips, planks, etc, that can tone the arms all over using the kitchen counter to hold on to. I've been using my kitchen counter to strengthen my arms for the past few years and everyone comments on how great my shoulders and arms are. I have three kids and I seem to spend a ton of time in the kitchen so it is easy to fit these exercises in throughout the day. For me, if I do tons of reps my arms bulk up, I just do one set of 20-30 reps each.

    Fifty five pounds is great, and with a baby!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I still have fat arms, but some of it unfortunately is loose skin too and it's not going to go away. And I have muscles, which makes my arms bigger too. Go figure.

    I still wear tank tops.
  • shegrif
    shegrif Posts: 30 Member
    Have you ever heard of kitchen counter workouts? If you google it, there are a ton of ideas for push ups, dips, planks, etc, that can tone the arms all over using the kitchen counter to hold on to.

    Good suggestion for those who can't afford a gym membership or equipment.
    The closest gym to me is 20 miles away so always looking for alternatives
    Will have to Google that..

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