Everyone wants to find the best exercises to lose weight, especially underarm fat. But is it easy to lose weight and burn fat in a targeted way that can melt underarm fat? Underarm fat is common even among the most beautiful people in the world. Do you know that celebrities and models have their excess arm fat, also known as back bulge, digitally edited from magazine covers?

Unlike belly fat, the extra flab on the underarms isn’t linked to severe diseases like diabetes or heart problems, so there are no health risks. However, back bulge might lead to body image problems or cause discomfort for people who hope to lose weight, so their clothes fit better. So, four recommended exercises should help burn fat around the underarm and back area.

“You have to make the decision to lose weight in your head, not your stomach.” – Jean Nidetch

What Causes Fat Cells to Accumulate in the Arms?

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Fat cells, also known as adipocytes, can accumulate in different body parts, including the arms. Several factors cause the accumulation of fat cells in the arms. One of the main factors is an unhealthy diet that includes high amounts of calories, saturated and trans fats, and sugar. When the body consumes more calories than it burns, the excess energy is stored in fat cells. Over time, fat cells can accumulate in different body parts, including the arms.

Another factor that can contribute to the accumulation of fat cells in the arms is a sedentary lifestyle. The excess energy is stored as fat cells when the body is inactive and does not burn enough calories. This can happen in different parts of the body, including the arms. Sitting for long periods, not engaging in regular exercise, and not moving the arms enough can all contribute to the accumulation of fat cells in this area.

Finally, genetics can also play a role in the accumulation of fat cells in the arms. Some people are genetically predisposed to store more fat cells in certain parts of their bodies, including the arms. Even with a healthy diet and exercise routine, they may still have more fat cells in their arms than others. However, with a healthy lifestyle, it is still possible to reduce the overall amount of fat cells in the body, including the arms.

How to Lose Weight Under the Arms With These Four Fat Melting Exercises

Try these moves to start sculpting your entire body–add arm strengthening for further definition.

1. Start by doing cardio exercises.

According to nutritionist and trainer Lauren Simmons via Women’s Health magazine, losing underarm fat doesn’t come with natural, simple solutions. To burn the flab in this part of your body, you must lose weight first. Hence she recommends that you start by doing calorie-burning exercises.

Cardio workouts, however, can be a complicated process because the results vary with every person. Age, gender, genetics, and current weight could impact the results. So, while others burn fat and lose weight faster with cardio, you may take a little longer before seeing any significant results.

However, don’t lose hope; keep a positive mindset. If you keep doing cardio workouts at least three times a week, you’re on the right track to losing that flabby underarm fat. With regular cardio exercises, you’re building up your core to withstand more intense cardio programs when the right time comes.

Aside from the workouts, you might want also to add swimming, biking, and running in your routines. These cardio activities not only help you lose weight but are also fun to do with a group of friends.

2. Move on to high-intensity interval training (HIIT) exercises.

If your body is used to cardio exercises, you can move on to high-intensity interval training (HIIT). This consists of a series of short but really intense cardio movements that last from 10 seconds to four minutes per routine. These involve a lot of bodyweight work – such as push-ups – and could subsequently involve weights. A typical workout can be over within thirty minutes, but its intensity depends on a person’s fitness level.

One study indicated that HIIT exercises are more effective than regular or basic cardio exercises. Celebrity trainer Rob Sulaver also told Self magazine that all exercise and physical activities burn calories, but HIIT routines burn fat more effectively.

HIIT, however, puts more pressure and stress on the body hence it’s not advisable to do this every time you do cardio. It’s best to pace yourself and let your body rest as well. Only increase the intensity of your workouts to the level you’re comfortable. The most important thing to consider with HIIT is to give your body time to recover.

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3. Do muscle-building exercises.

You can move on to muscle-building exercises, from simple cardio moves to HIIT. These routines are also called strength training exercises and complement cardio exercises. You must tone your muscles to keep leaner if you’re successfully burning fat and losing weight with cardio. Muscle toning is how you lose arm fat in the best way possible.

As the name implies, strength training also strengthens your body’s endurance since you’re building muscles. Your metabolism also improves because it takes more calories to build and tone the muscles than to burn fat. According to the National Council on Strength and Fitness, gaining a pound of muscle burns at least 30 to 50 calories.

Most strength training routines target your back and upper arms, but ideally, you must tone every muscle group to build up overall strength. Switch up your routines every few weeks and do take breaks as needed. Some of the muscle-building exercises you can do include:

  • Curls
  • Push-ups
  • Dips, on the bench or the machine
  • Squats and lunges using weights, dumbbells, and kettlebells
  • Step ups, with or without weights
  • Deadlifts
  • Chest press and rows, with a dumbbell or a barbell

4. Continue with weight management exercises.

Now that you’re slowly shaping your body muscles and losing that underarm fat, focus on maintaining a good weight management routine. This way, you avoid developing excess fat that goes directly to your underarms and back.

Some practical weight management exercises include walking, Zumba, jump ropes, kickboxing, and power yoga. Supplement these exercises with a good diet and healthy lifestyle to maintain overall wellness.

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Final thoughts on Trying These Exercises to Make You Fitter

As you age, you raise the risks of developing underarm fat, back bulge, and saggy arms. This is because older people begin to lose muscle cells more quickly than when they’re younger. Geriatrician Jonathan Wanagat told NPR that stem cells don’t respond the same way in older people compared to their younger years, hence muscles can quickly turn to fat.  For this reason, he recommends regular exercises and muscle-building routines like weight-lifting for older people. While positive thinking is a start to lose weight, if you’re looking for answers about how to lose arm fat, these exercises will help!

References:
https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/a19974927/armpit-fat/

https://www.ncsf.org/enew/articles/articles-poundofmuscle.aspx
https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123887823