How To Get Rid of Flabby Arms: Exercises To Lose Saggy Fat Fast

We received many questions on what to do about sagging underarms.
Read on to find out!

We all know that feeling when the warm weather is fast approaching and the sight of our summer wardrobes fill us with dread. Although there's no shame in wearing what you want at any size or shape, that feeling of discomfort is all too common!

Flabby upper arm skin and arm fat are some of the things that can make people feel reluctant to wear sleeveless shirts and swimsuits. The most annoying thing is that arm fat always seems to be some of the hardest fat to shift!

The truth is, a little arm fat and flabby arm skin are inevitable, especially as we get older. Our metabolisms slow down, and some of the bad habits of our younger years start to catch up with us (we're looking at you, sunbeds).

So what can we do to tackle flabby arms and regain our confidence in those cute summer clothes again? There's no need to lose faith, with some of the best skin care products, training exercises, diet tips, and lifestyle changes, you can help whip your arms back into shape. There are also cosmetic procedures out there that can help lose fat in the arms and regain a more toned look.

In this article, we're going to share some tips on how to avoid and treat sagging arms so that you can feel and look your best in your sleeveless tees!

 

What Makes Arms Look Flabby?

 

Flabby arms – sometimes called "bingo wings" or "bat wings" – can look that way due to a couple of factors.

First, your arms can look flabby due to the accumulation of arm fat. When we gain body fat over time, whether it's due to a health condition, change in exercise habits, or change in diet, some of that fat will inevitably build up in the arms and we'll see that loose, flabby area in the upper arms.

Second, a lack of muscle strength and definition in the arm muscles will make flabby arms look more prominent. The better muscle tone we have in our arms, the less flabby they will look.

Last but not least, flabby arms can be caused by sagging skin. As we get older and our skin begins to sag and wrinkle, it can be very prominent in the arms, leaving loose skin hanging below the upper arms in particular.

Basically, a lack of arm muscle definition plus either excess fat or loose skin is what makes your arms look flabby.

 

What Causes Flabby Arms?

 

Before we get into the best ways to get rid of flabby arms, it's important to understand their causes. After all, it's always better to prevent than cure!

Let's take a look at why flabby arms happen:

 

Loss of Collagen & Elastin

 

Produced by specialized cells known as fibroblasts, collagen and elastin are important proteins that are present in many tissues and organs in the body, including the dermis, joints, ligaments, lungs, and blood vessels. 

Collagen is a fibrous protein that forms the foundations of many of your tissues and organs, including the skin. Its fibers form a web that works like scaffolding to hold everything up. When we are young, our collagen is strong and our bodies continue to make more fibers constantly, and this, in turn, keeps our skin strong and firm. As we age, collagen production slows down, and our skin begins to wrinkle and sag.

As you may have guessed from its name, elastin is an elastic, stretchy protein that enables our skin and other tissues to return to their original shape after stretching or contracting.

Elastin fibers are kind of like little rubber bands in the connective tissue throughout our bodies. Over time and as we get older, these rubber band-like fibers begin to lose their ability to snap back. This negatively impacts the quality of our skin and tissues, causing them to sag and wrinkle more easily.

Damaged to our collagen and elastin supplies is a big contributor to the loose skin and tissue under the upper arm area!

 

More helpful reading: What is elastin?

 

Sun Damage

 

As much as we may love to bask in the sun's warmth and get a radiant, bronzed glow, it's so important to remember the damaging impact UV rays have on our skin and body.

As we get older, the impacts of external elements start to show on our skin, and sun exposure is the biggest contributor to this kind of skin damage. There are 2 types of UV rays: UVA and UVB radiation. Both can wreak havoc on your skin and cause premature aging if you aren’t careful.

Sun damage has a direct impact on the DNA of your skin. UVA/UVB radiation destroys collagen and alters the DNA of your skin, causing premature cellular death.

UV radiation causes collagen to break down at a higher rate than normal aging. It does this by penetrating the middle layer of the skin (the dermis), producing enzymes that inadvertently break down collagen and create so-called "solar scars." Continued exposure only speeds up the process, leading to further wrinkling and sagging. Exposure to these elements can also damage the elastin fibers in your skin, which causes the skin to sag and stretch.

This sagging effect will take a toll on your face, for sure, but another key area most commonly affected by the sun is your upper arms. Over the years, it's likely that your shoulders and arms have been exposed to their fair share of sunlight, and as we get older this significantly contributes to sagging arm skin.

get rid of flabby arms

 

More helpful reading:

https://www.renewskinco.com/blogs/i/sun-damaged-skin

 

Sudden Weight Loss

 

As we have mentioned, flabby arms aren't all about arm fat. In fact, flabby arms can be caused by the loss of fat and muscle, especially when weight is lost very quickly.

When your weight fluctuates and you lose arm fat fast, it can break or weaken the elastin fibers in the dermis, which results in the loss of tensile strength. Therefore, the skin on your arms is unable to bounce back and regain its original shape, similar to when a rubber band is stretched beyond its limit. The result of sudden weight loss is excess skin with no underlying mass to support it, kind of like a deflated balloon.

If you lose weight and simultaneously lose muscle mass, this leads to a loss of tone that causes the skin in the arms to appear flaccid. 

 

Cigarette Smoking

 

We all know that smoking is bad for our health, but do you know just how bad it can be for your skin? Cigarette smoke contains over 4000 chemicals, all of which have a damaging effect on your body and on your skin.

Nicotine, the main substance responsible for addiction to tobacco cigarettes, causes your blood vessels to shrink and tighten. Over time, this begins to cut off oxygen supplies to your skin, leading to oxidative stress and capillary rupture that causes the skin to become damaged, dull, and saggy.

Among the many negative impacts of cigarettes, perhaps the worst for your skin is their attack on your collagen and elastin. If you smoke, not only will you produce less collagen and elastin as you age, you will also suffer the effects of cigarette smoke’s attack on your skin’s structural fibers. 

By accelerating the decline of your collagen and elastin, cigarette smoke reduces your skin’s strength and elasticity and leads to premature aging. This often causes sagging and deep wrinkles to form, and smokers are more prone to loose, saggy underarm skin than non-smokers.

 

More helpful reading:

https://www.renewskinco.com/blogs/i/smokers-lips

 

Genes

 

Unfortunately, some things are simply beyond our control. Your genetic makeup plays a big role in your appearance, and some people are simply more genetically predisposed to flabby arms, sagging skin, and excess arm fat than others. We just have to work with what our mamas gave us!

More helpful reading: How to tighten skin

how to get rid of saggy arms

  

8 Expert Tips for Avoiding & Treating Sagging Underarm Skin

 

Our experts share their top tips to help you not only avoid, but treat flabby skin under your arms so that you can feel confident in even the skimpiest of outfits.

 

1. Prevent Sun Damage

 

As we now know, one of the biggest causes of premature aging and sagging skin is sun damage, and our face, neck, and arms are most vulnerable to this. Sun-damaged skin on the arms is likely to shrivel and sag, leaving you with that pesky flabby underarm skin when you get older.

The main thing you can do to protect yourself from UV-related skin damage is to wear broad-spectrum sunscreen, even on cloudy days. Ideally, you should also avoid sun exposure during peak mid-day hours, or between 11 am and 2 pm. You can also cover up and wear a hat to avoid excess sun exposure on your face and shoulders.

It doesn't sound so appealing if you love to sun yourself and get a tan, but in the long-term, your skin truly will thank you for it!

exercises to get rid of flabby arms

  

Check out RenewSkin Inc.'s summer tips for skin!

 

2. Eat a Healthy Balanced Diet

 

When it comes to preventing flabby arms, your diet can help you in two ways. First, a healthy diet can provide your body with the right nutrients to get through the day, while avoiding excess fat buildup. Second, a diet packed with the right nutrients for optimal skin health can help improve the tone and texture of your skin, which helps prevent sagging arm skin.

Most importantly, your plates should always have an abundance of colorful fruits and vegetables, which contain antioxidants and vitamins that are so important to skin health. It helps to eat foods rich in lycopene, which is an antioxidant that offsets the damage caused by UV rays. Foods that are rich in lycopene include red bell pepper, pink grapefruit, tomatoes, and other red-hued fruits and vegetables.

Vitamin C is an antioxidant and a cofactor of collagen production, so it's great for building up the collagen in your skin and strengthening your dermis. You'll find it in foods like leafy green vegetables and citrus fruits.

As well as loading up your meals with hearty nutrients, it's also important to know what foods to keep in moderation. Processed foods and foods high in sugar are your skin's worst enemies and eating too much of these kinds of foods can wreak havoc on your body. High blood sugar levels lead to a process called glycation, in which harmful free radicals begin to break down collagen and elastin fibers in your body.

A diet high in sugar also leads to elevated insulin levels, which causes inflammation and early cellular damage. This causes your skin to age more quickly, and sagging skin becomes more prominent.

how to lose flabby arms

 

More helpful reading: Best foods for skin

 

3. Drink Plenty of Water

 

It's true that a few extra glasses of water per day could help keep those flabby arms away. This is because water hydrates the cells in your body and increases blood flow to your skin, which can keep your skin looking healthy and your cells replenishing quickly.

Skin cells are made up of water, so without water, your skin cells cannot function optimally. If you don’t drink enough water, your skin will become dry, wrinkly, and flaky, and it will lose its resilience and become more prone to wrinkling and sagging.

Studies confirm that increasing your daily water intake can improve the elasticity, hydration, and strength of your skin. And when your skin is more hydrated and elastic, you're less likely to see that unwanted flabby arm skin. 1, 2

For the best results, make your glass of water go one step further with Taut Collagen Powder, our water-soluble collagen supplement that adds a boost of collagen, hyaluronic acid, and grape seed extract to your drink. Our triple-action formula can help boost skin elasticity and thickness and support a firm, healthy, and youthful complexion.

To get the most out of your water intake and maximize those skin benefits, dissolve one sachet into your glass of water, stir, and enjoy!

 

Does drinking water clear your skin? RenewSkin Inc. investigates.

 

4. Avoid Smoking

 

As we now know, smoking is the second most common cause of premature aging (after sun damage). Try to avoid both smoking and secondhand smoke. Smoking makes your skin less resilient, reduces collagen levels, increases the level of inflammatory proteins in your skin, and contributes to wrinkles and thin skin. The oxidative stress and premature aging that comes with smoking cigarettes simply aren't worth it!

If you can, try to quit smoking for good. Your skin will definitely thank you for it in later life. In fact, research suggests that quitting smoking can have benefits for your health in as little as 20 minutes, at which time your blood pressure will already start to reduce. Even better, your sense of smell and taste should improve in just 48 hours, your circulation should change for the better after 2 weeks, and after one month the cycle of addiction can be broken. 3

 

More helpful reading from RenewSkin Inc.: Inflammation & Skin

 

5. If Weight Loss Is Your Goal, Lose Weight Slowly

 

Sudden weight loss is one of the main causes of loose skin around different parts of your body, especially your upper arms. If you want to lose weight, it's best to go slow and steady – for both your health and your skin!

The reality is that weight loss takes time, and any get-skinny quick solutions will likely not be good for your body in the long term. If you lose arm fat too quickly, you will be left with saggy skin that will droop when you lift up your arms.

If you are trying to lose weight, experts advise that you don't lose more than 1-2 pounds per week. It’s also important to have a nutritious and protein-packed diet while you’re losing weight in order to preserve your muscle mass. 4

Additionally, you should incorporate strength training into your weight loss routine – keep reading this article to find some of the best arm exercises for flabby arms a little further on!

 

More helpful reading: How to get rid of stretch marks

 

6. Support Skin Strength With a Hydrolyzed Collagen Supplement

 

Collagen is a structural protein found in animal connective tissue. The most abundant protein in the human body, collagen is a major structural component of the skin. Collagen is known as a supermolecule because it is so large, with a molecular weight of 300,000 Daltons. Collagen is found in fish and animal meat, but hydrolyzed collagen is far more absorbable by the body because the collagen molecules are so tiny. Hydrolysis breaks collagen supermolecules down into small, bioavailable components with an average molecular weight of 5000 Daltons.

When you take a hydrolyzed collagen supplement, it reaches the small intestine and then is absorbed into the bloodstream as free amino acids and small peptides. These small collagen peptides and amino acids are distributed throughout the body and dermis through blood vessels. Once in the dermis, the collagen peptides and free amino acids stimulate collagen and elastin production in fibroblasts.

Various clinical studies have demonstrated that taking a hydrolyzed collagen supplement can reduce wrinkles and boost skin elasticity. Take at least 10,000mg of collagen per day for eight weeks in order to achieve visible results.

Taut Liquid Collagen Drink is our best and most potent collagen supplement that can help you restore your skin's strength and elasticity. Each tiny bottle is packed with 13,000 mg of hydrolyzed marine collagen peptides, along with elastin peptides, grape seed extract, hyaluronic acid, vitamins C and B6, and ceramide.

This formula is designed to help slow down and reduce signs of aging, and visibly reduce fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin. It's your daily dose of skin-loving nutrients that will firm up saggy skin all over your body, for a more youthful, firm, toned look. Bye-bye, flabby arms!

  

More helpful reading from RenewSkin Inc.: Collagen drink benefits

 

7. Underarm Surgery

 

Underarm surgery, also known as Brachioplasty or arm lift surgery, consists of tightening loose, sagging skin and removing excess fat deposits in the upper arm that develop as you age. In most cases, patients seek Brachioplasty for aesthetic reasons, but in some cases, the skin sags so much that it creates “bat wings”, which can restrict movement and interfere with the use of your arms.

Brachioplasty is only recommended for patients who are in good health and who don’t have any serious diseases or pre-existing medical conditions. It’s also important to understand that the surgery will leave a large scar from your armpit to your elbow, so you shouldn’t undergo this operation unless you feel comfortable having such a large scar.

 

8. Laser Liposuction Treatment

 

If you have minimal skin laxity, an excellent way to contour the skin under the upper arm area is with laser liposuction treatment. For patients who can’t seem to get the contours they want through exercise alone, laser liposuction can be used to add definition. It works by removing arm fat through a small incision in the skin. As well as reducing your arm fat, an additional benefit of laser liposuction is that it stimulates collagen growth and tightens the skin.

Ideal candidates for laser liposuction are patients who just have a little bit of fat under their arms. For those who have lost a significant amount of weight, Brachioplasty may be more appropriate.

lose arm fat

  

10 Exercises To Help You Lose Arm Fat

 

When it comes to getting rid of flabby arms, losing a little bit of arm fat and adding more muscle definition can seriously help. Engaging in a combination of aerobic exercise and strength training can help tone your arms, lose fat, and reduce upper arm flabbiness. The muscles on the back of your arms are called triceps, and these are the main muscles you want to work on if flabby arms are your concern.

The following arm exercises can build up your triceps, get rid of sagging skin, and tone your arms:

 

1. Plank Position

 

What you'll need: Just your body and a mat

 

A basic plank position is a great way to tone your arms and speed up fat loss, while also working those ab and glute muscles for a full-body burn!

To start, lay face-down flat on your mat. The mat is there to help to protect your palms and feet from slipping or rubbing against the floor – it'll definitely make your life easier as you hold this deceptively tricky position.

Keep your arms shoulder-width apart with your elbows on the mat, your elbows should be in line with your shoulders and your palms should rest flat on the mat.

Keeping both legs straight, push up from your toes to gently lift your body into a plank. Your body should make a straight line from your head to your heels – avoid twisting your neck or letting your belly or butt droop towards the mat. You'll feel the burn in your abs and your arm muscles!

Hold this position for as long as you can. When you start out, try to hold it for 20 seconds. Increase the time by 2 seconds every day to work towards a longer plank – try setting yourself a goal of 60 seconds and see if you can build up your body strength to get there! Try to do a plank at least 4 times per week to build up your strength.

 

2. Push-ups

 

What you'll need: Just your body and a mat

 

Push-ups are perfect if you are trying to lose excess fat in the arms and build your tricep muscles.

To do standard push-ups, start with a basic plank position – face down, arms straight (elbows off the mat this time), and legs straight. Bending your elbows, slowly lower your body so your chest almost touches your mat, then pause – not allowing your body to fall or rest on the mat. Then use your palms to push your body back to the starting plank position.

This is a simple but effective exercise that uses your own bodyweight to tone your arms and build muscle.

If you are a beginner, you might find standard push-ups too difficult, in which case you can do half push-ups. These are the same as regular push-ups, but you can rest your knees on the mat, using the knees instead of the feet to support your body.

If you want to take your push-ups even further, you can try one-arm pushups. To do this, keep your right arm on the mat and put your left arm behind your back, then continue the push-up as normal. Then switch, using your left arm to push up and keeping your right arm behind you. Warning: this exercise is not for beginners!

 

3. Burpees

 

What you'll need: Just your body and a mat

 

Burpees are a great addition to your home workout routine, as they are a combination of aerobic exercise and strength training that works all of your muscles and helps you lose fat, toning your upper body in particular. Perfect for beating arm fat and toning up those flabby arms!

Burpees are basically a combination of push-ups with jumping in the air, which builds both strength and endurance.

To start, get yourself into a squat position, with knees bent, back straight, and feet shoulder-width apart. Put your hands on the floor in front of you (just inside your feet), then kick your feet back so you are in a plank position. Do a push-up, then leap your feet back to the squat position. Move to a standing position, lift your hands in the air, and jump, landing with knees slightly bent. Repeat 10-15 times.

Basically – squat, plank, push-up, squat, jump, repeat. It's not the easiest maneuver, but it will build strength and muscle tone fast, helping beat those flabby arms while working out your whole body.

 

4. Rope Pushdown

 

What you'll need: Resistance bands plus a strong bar or two hooks at head-height

 

Do this with ropes or some resistance bands looped over a hard, steady surface at a height – this surface will need to be able to take a bit of pressure! If you're at the gym, do this at the cable station.

Attach the resistance bands to a steady bar above your head height. Stand facing the bar with your elbows tucked close to your body and bent at a 90-degree angle, with your feet shoulder-width apart. Grab the other end of the resistance bands in each hand.

Push the band downward while keeping your elbows close to your body, so you extend your arms downwards towards the floor and squeeze your triceps – like a skiing motion. Slowly bend your elbows back to 90 degrees, then repeat.

Do this movement 10 times then rest for 30 seconds. Repeat 2-3 times. Bye-bye bingo arms!

 

5. Overhead Tricep Extension

 

What you'll need: One dumbbell

 

Do this exercise with a dumbbell or any weighted object you have around the house.

Starting position: stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and hold the dumbbell with both hands. Lift the weight up over your head and backward, so that your elbows are bent and the weight is behind your back.

Lift the dumbbell up straight above your head and squeeze your triceps at the same time, then slowly lower the weight again behind your head. You'll feel this in your biceps and triceps. Try and complete this movement 10 times then rest for 30 seconds. Repeat 2-3 times.

 

6. Bench Dips

 

What you'll need: A sturdy chair or bench

 

Sit on a chair or bench and put your feet straight ahead of you. Put your palms facing down on the seat or bench, next to your thighs.

While keeping your core tight and using your body weight, slowly lower your buttocks down toward the floor while simultaneously bending your elbows. Don't touch the floor, the idea is to hold the position and engage your muscles for a second, squeeze your tricep muscles before you slowly push yourself back up to the starting position.

Do this movement 10 times and then rest for 30 seconds. Repeat 2-3 times.

 

7. Tricep Kickbacks

 

What you'll need: Two light dumbbells

 

This exercise can be completed with two light dumbbells, one dumbbell in each hand. Start in a standing position, bend your knees slightly and lean your upper body forward, so you are bent over.

Hold the dumbbells with your elbows at a 90-degree angle. Then, "kick" your elbows back and squeeze those flabby arms away by locking the elbows out briefly – you should feel a burn straight away in your tricep muscles.

Come back to starting position. Do this movement 10 times and then rest for 30 seconds. Repeat 2-3 times.

 

8. Tricep or Diamond Push-ups

 

What you'll need: Just your body and a mat!

 

This exercise is great for building up your tricep muscles!

Start in a plank position with your palms facing down on the floor, arms straight. Your index fingers and thumbs to make a triangle.

Once you feel stable in this position, use your body weight to bend your elbows and lower yourself to the floor. Put your chest as close to the floor as you can without falling down completely onto the mat.

Then, push away from the mat and raise your body up again to starting position. Do this push-up movement 10 times and then rest for 30 seconds. Repeat 2-3 times.

 

9. One Arm Tricep Dips

 

What you'll need: A sturdy chair or bench

 

This tricep dips exercise is great if you want to lose arm fat and tone your biceps and triceps.

To start your tricep dips, stand with a chair or bench behind you, then squat as if you are going to sit down. Instead of resting on the chair, place your palms facing downwards on the edge of the seat behind you, shoulder-width apart. You should be resting your body weight on your palms.

Now, extend your left leg straight in front of you and off the ground, and extend your right arm in a straight line. Bend your left elbow and slowly lower your body towards the ground – you'll feel the burn!

Hold your body in the position for a few seconds, then gently lift yourself back to your starting position. Repeat 10 times. Then repeat 10 times on the opposite side – right leg straight and left arm extended.

 

10. Yoga

 

If circuit-style training exercises like the ones we have listed above don't suit you, you might prefer to attend an exercise class. Yoga is a great style of workout for toning up flabby arms and improving muscle definition all over your body – not to mention improving your flexibility too!

The following yoga poses can help you lose arm fat and tone your upper body:

  • Upward plank pose – this is like a normal plank position, but you face upwards with your arms and hands behind your back, so you push yourself up and backward from the floor.
  • Downward-facing dog – stand with your feet slightly apart, then bend forwards and put your palms on the floor then walk your hands and feet away from each other so you are in an inverted V position – keeping your back straight and stretching the back legs.
  • Crow pose – form a squat position, then lean your upper body forward and pop your palms on the mat in front of you, bending your elbows. Resting your knees on your elbows, press your palms into the mat and lift your legs up off the floor and hold for a few seconds.
  • Cobra – lying face down on your mat, feet together and elbows tucked to your side, press your palms into the mat and slowly push up your upper body until your arms are straight. Hold for a few seconds.

These are all great exercises to help lose arm fat and work those arm muscles. Of course, these exercise poses aren't necessarily meant to be done on their own, and they work best in the flow sequence of a yoga class, where you will also focus on getting your breathing right and focusing both your mind and your body on the workout.

It's best to attend a workout class with a trained yoga teacher, or you can find a great selection of online yoga classes for free on YouTube!

get rid of upper body fat arm fat

 

More helpful reading: Yoga & facial exercise

 

Tone & Lift Sagging Skin With Our Transformation Program

 

There’s no way to avoid the eventual loss of skin tone that occurs as you age, but by taking the preventive measures above, you can do your best to preserve your youthful appearance for decades to come and age with grace. Sun protection, a healthy diet, and arm exercises will all help you to get rid of flabby arms, and supplementing with some skin-loving collagen supplements will help avoid sagging skin for smooth, toned arms!

If you're working to get rid of flabby arms, we recommend our Taut Anti-Oxy Foxy Kit, which is our best inside-out solution for damaged, sagging, or inflamed skin. This health and beauty bundle contains a combination of our premium collagen drinks with some powerful antioxidants, which work synergistically to improve vascular and muscular health while also toning up your skin.

In this kit, you receive a three-week supply of:

  • Taut Liquid Collagen Drink – our premium supplement packed with 13,000 mg of hydrolyzed marine collagen peptides with elastin peptides, hyaluronic acid, grape seed extract, vitamins C and B6, and ceramide.
  • Masquelier's French Pine Bark Extract – our antioxidant supplement with anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, and anti-allergic properties, with natural OPCs that are significantly more powerful than vitamin E and 20 times more powerful than vitamin C as an antioxidant.

Our liquid collagen strengthens and enhances your skin from the inside out, reinforcing the structure of your skin from within to ensure a stronger, firmer, and more youthful appearance.

Masqulier's OPC supplement protects collagen and elastin in the body, neutralizes excess free radicals and toxins, protects and strengthens your vascular system, and enhances maximum blood flow and waste removal throughout your body.

Together, these two treatments can work simultaneously to support your diet and exercise regimen and beat those flabby arms for good!

Check out our review section to find out how Taut has worked for our customers!

 

References:

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4529263/
  2. https://forefrontdermatology.com/role-water-plays-skin-health/
  3. https://www.healthline.com/health/effects-of-quitting-smoking
  4. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/losing_weight/index.html