How Long Does it Take to Lose Arm Fat? (Here’s the Truth…!)

Each of us craves a flat stomach, chiseled face, slim arms, and toned legs. However, are we all born the same way, owning a similar ideal body shape? Unfortunately, no.

Different people have different body shapes, which is why most of us have a few problematic areas in our bodies. For instance, flabby arms, chicken legs, pot-belly, etc., to name a few. This article will be focused on flabby arms and the ways to lose arm fat. 

Fat arms affect innumerable men and women. It is more of a matter of concern because people feel embarrassed wearing their favorite clothes as your arms are that body part that cannot be concealed all the time. So, now the big question is, is it even possible to lose arm fat?

Yes, you can lose arm fat. However, you will have to lose fat from your overall body to get slimmer arms. If somebody is promising you spot reduction, they are hiding something.

There’s no way to just shed off fat from one part of the body without concerning the other areas. So, when you plan to lose arm fat, you will have to shed pounds from your complete body. However, you can always give time to weight training to tone your arms and get better muscle definition.

In this article, we will answer all possible questions related to losing arm fat. Keep reading to get your doubts clarified.

Does Arm Fat Ever Go Away?

Yes, you can reduce arm fat, provided you put in consistent effort.

Arm fat is one of the most stubborn body issues. People who struggle with this know how difficult it is to get rid of flabby arms. However, you don’t need to worry about it because you can get rid of fat arms if you consistently indulge in lifestyle changes.

Most people reading this right now might think, wow, it’s great that we can lose arm fat. But, you need to know that spot reduction or loss of fat from a particular body area isn’t completely possible.

Yes, you can define the muscles of different body parts through spot weight training, but if you think you can lose weight from a particular part of your body, that’s not possible. Losing weight will affect your entire body, and the area where the fat loss will occur first is totally dependent on your genetics.

Besides, to lose weight, you need to follow the right combination of exercise (cardio and weight training) and a protein-rich, low-calorie diet.

How Long Does it Take to Lose Arm Fat?

You can lose arm flab in nearly 4-6 weeks with the right diet plan and workout routine.

As already said, different bodies react differently to workout sessions and weight loss exercises. The amount of time your body will take to respond to a certain diet and exercise depends on your body fat percentage, metabolism, and genetics.

Usually, within 4-6 weeks of constant training, people see a difference in the circumference of their arms.

Most importantly, you need to know that spot reduction isn’t possible. You can tone your arms, but you cannot shed weight only from your arms, keeping your body weight intact.

So, whatever diet you take will affect your whole body, and the area that will shed weight first depends on your genetics.

Let’s do some math and science to know how much fat you can lose per week. Scientifically, 1 pound of fat consists of 3500 calories. Therefore, to lose 1 pound, you will have to burn 3500 calories or create a calorie-definite in this quantity.

Practically, losing 3500 calories in a day isn’t possible, so let’s divide it by the number of days in a week, i.e., 3500/7 equals 500 calories per day. Now, if you aim to lose 500 calories daily, you’ll have to follow a well-structured diet and a well-planned workout routine.

Now, it’s important to understand the right way of losing calories or shedding weight.

Let us first discuss what dieting does to your body.

A lot of people believe that with the right diet, they can shed those extra pounds without physically working out on their bodies. However, when you diet, you typically reduce your base metabolic rate (that is, the baseline calories we burn every day just by being alive).

Scientifically, a lower resting metabolic rate means our body can burn only a few calories overall, and this effect is the result of the loss of muscle during dieting.

Thereby, most people stop seeing results after a few weeks of dieting, which is their saturation point.

On top of that, when people stop dieting and increase their calorie intake, they gain weight even faster because of their lower resting metabolic rate.

Now, let’s study the effect of dieting (including necessary nutrition in diet) plus exercise (weight training and cardio)

When you work on linear progressive weight training with a protein-rich diet, you help your body increase the resting metabolic rate. By exercising, especially weight training, you make your body increase muscle density and grow muscle mass. For this, all you should do to your training is increase the weight or reps or increase the time under tension.

Moreover, when you add high-protein food items to your diet while exercising, you get a ‘metabolic advantage.’ A protein-rich diet significantly boosts metabolism and increases the calories you burn. Generally, a protein-rich diet can help you burn 80-100 more calories daily.

Now, let’s understand how exercising makes a major contribution.

The best part about exercising is that your muscles first burn through the stored glycogen for energy. Next, after around 30-60 minutes of aerobic workout, your body burns mainly the fat.

Several studies have determined how many hours of EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) or afterburn can go on after the right workout. These studies suggest that the effect can peak in the first hour and continue for 72 hours. Imagine the efforts you put in your workout today will burn calories for as long as three days after the exercise.

Now, let’s specifically talk about the effect of cardio.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that adults work on their bodies for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity cardio per week. Furthermore, they clarify that a healthy person can do low-intensity cardio daily.

According to a study published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, doing cardio after weight training will help you burn more fat in the initial 15 minutes than the cardio before weight training.

Theoretically, you can capably burn from four to 18 pounds of fat in 4 to 6 weeks if you follow a low-calorie, protein-rich diet and combine it with linear progression weight training and cardio sessions after your weight training time.

How Long Does it Take to Get Toned Arms?

You can get toned arms in 4-8 weeks, provided you stay focused.

Studies recommend that you work on arm-toning exercises dedicated to the biceps and triceps for at least 2-3 days a week. Most importantly, to achieve toned arms, you must follow a 48-hour window between every workout session dedicated to the arms. This interval will assist your body in building muscles optimally and toning them in the right way without exertion.

Different people have different body types and the amount of time it would take to tone your arms depends on your body fat percentage, your diet and exercise routine, and your genetics.

Generally, following a protein-rich diet and the right combination of workout plans can help you see results in 4-8 weeks of consistent training.

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How Quickly You Can Lose Arm Fat?

The speed at which you lose body fat depends on your body fat percentage and daily routine.

Generally, there is no such thing as spot weight reduction, so don’t be confused. Instead of working on the arm fat, you should aim to shed weight from your overall body.

If you follow a consistent exercise and dietary routine, you can ideally lose 1-2 pounds per week. So, with constant efforts, it would take 4-6 weeks to see a visible difference in your body, including your arm fat.

What is the Fastest Way to Lose Arm Fat?

Losing arm fat is tricky, which is why we are discussing this topic today. So, let’s discuss the fastest ways to get slim arms.

Aim to lose overall weight

Spot reduction is a renowned term in the fitness industry, but most studies have found it ineffective.

There was a study conducted on 104 individuals, where the subjects completed a 12-week resistance training program that only trained one arm. As a consequence of this training, the subjects lost overall weight but did not produce more fat loss in the specific area trained.

In yet another 12-week study, resistance training was done by subjects on one leg, but this did not show results in just one leg, but the overall body fat got reduced.

So, aim to lose overall body weight and not be misled by terms like spot reduction.

Practice weight training

Weight training helps your build muscle mass and boost muscle strength. Lifting weights consistently helps reduce overall body fat and tone down muscles, making them look slimmer.

According to a 12-week survey conducted on 28 women with type 2 diabetes, low-intensity resistance training promoted total fat loss while increasing muscle mass and strength.

Studies suggest building lean body mass can boost metabolism and increase the number of calories burned at rest throughout the day.

Lifting weights will help decrease body fat, increase muscle mass and tone your arms to make them appear slimmer.

Add more fiber to your diet

A fiber-rich diet is recommended to boost the weight loss process. Scientifically, fiber moves through your digestive system slowly, which keeps you full for a longer time. As a result, you do not feel the urge to eat food more often.

Furthermore, research revealed increasing daily fiber intake by 14 grams for 4 months led to a 10% decrease in total calorie intake and 4.2 pounds of weight loss, without any other changes.

Fiber-rich food items include fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, whole grains, seeds, etc. So, make changes in your diet today to curb hunger and feel fuller for a longer time.

Switch to a protein-rich diet

Switching to a protein-rich diet is yet another way to shut down quick cravings and control appetite. Including more protein in your diet helps in weight management and shedding away excess weight.

According to a study conducted on 20 young women, a high-protein breakfast in their routine curbed hunger and decreased ghrelin levels, a hormone that stimulated hunger and increased fullness.

Food items such as seafood, meat, eggs, and dairy products are a source of first-class protein.

So, higher protein intake will keep you fuller for a long, assisting in weight and fat loss.

Do not run away from cardio

Cardio boosts your heart rate to burn more calories, and including this form of exercise in your daily routine can increase fat loss, including arm fat.

Various studies suggest cardio effectively speeds up the weight loss process by increasing lean body mass. For instance, in one of the studies done on 141 people, the subjects added 40 minutes of cardio 3 times per week to their weight management program. Consequently, they saw a 9% decrease in body weight in just 6 months.

Jogging, climbing stairs, swimming, jumping rope, dancing, biking, etc., are some common cardio exercises, and doing these for at least 20-40 minutes per day can bring great results.

Give up on refined carbs

Refined or processed carbs are high in calories and low in fiber. Consuming these food items increase blood sugar levels instantly, resulting in hunger.

Food items like pasta, breakfast cereals, white bread, and packaged food include refined cards. So, instead of relying on them, you should consume whole-grain food items like buckwheat, barley, quinoa, oats, etc., in moderation. Whole-grain food assists in weight loss that will automatically reduce your arm fat.

Follow a pre-defined sleeping schedule

The general rule says the more you stay awake, the more you eat. Different studies have revealed that besides changing your diet and following an exercise routine, getting enough sleep helps regulate your appetite and speed up weight loss.

For instance, according to a study, the participants who slept 5.5 hours each night lost 55% less weight and lost 60% more lean body mass compared to those who slept for 8.5 hours per night.

So, try setting a sleeping schedule and follow it religiously.

Drink plenty of water

Hydration is the key to a healthy body. Drinking plenty of water with meals makes you feel fuller. Thereby, you consume less food, and less food means lesser calories.

According to a study, water may help increase metabolism temporarily, as shown in the research that drinking 500 ml of water increases the metabolic rate by 30% for 30-40 minutes.

So, stay conscious about the amount of water you’re consuming and keep your body hydrated to lose fat fast.

Do Arm Workouts Burn Arm Fat?

No, arm workouts do not specifically burn arm fat. Instead, it helps tone your arms.

Some people claim training a certain muscle helps in spot reduction. But that’s not completely true. Exercises like biceps curl and triceps extension cannot help you lose fat from your arm, but they define your muscles, making your arm look well-defined.

According to a study, 24 individuals were made to do four hours of ab training per week for six weeks. As a result, despite all the hard efforts, people did not lose belly fat loss.

So, spot reduction is a myth. Never focus on an exercise to lose fat from a particular body part. Rather, plan your workout and diet to maintain your general body weight.

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Final Thoughts

Although research reveals that there’s no such thing as spot reduction and it’s just a myth, you can still lose arm fat with the help of various strategies discussed above.

So, the motive should be to lose overall fat, which will automatically make your arms look slimmer. You must engage in a consistent workout program, monitor your diet, and introduce other lifestyle changes like sleeping well, staying hydrated, etc.