Expert's opinion
Learn how to lose arm fat in 7 days by focusing on specific exercises that target the arms, while also making nuanced adjustments to your everyday eating, sleeping, and stressing habits. Fat loss can take some time–anywhere from several weeks to months–however, you can start to see results in as little as 7 days by being consistent and diligent with your workout routine.
Targeted arm exercises are one of the most effective ways for you to learn how to get rid of arm fat, especially endurance and resistance training[1] exercises. This article covers six of the best arm workouts to try, to help tone arm muscles and reduce arm fat, and will also discuss lifestyle tips to enhance fat loss efforts.
6 Effective Exercises On How To Reduce Arm Fat In 7 Days
When attempting to lose arm fat, you can start to see results in as little as one week if you stay focused on exercises that target the arms, such as chair dips, planks, and diamond pushups, and are diligent about your other lifestyle habits, including:
- One Arm Triceps Curls
- Lateral Plank Walk
- Counter Push-Ups
- Chair Dips
- Single Arm Lateral Raises
- Diamond Push-Ups
How To Lose Arm Fat In 7 Days: 6 Exercises That Help
Arm workouts are essential to help tone the arms. The below exercise will give you choices for how to lose arm fat in a week without weights, as well as with them. Many strength and resistance training workouts for the upper body[2] utilize the body’s own weight as resistance, while others are aided by dumbbells or resistance bands.
For those who do want to use weights, start with lighter weights (such as five or ten pounds), and gradually increase the weight as you feel more comfortable. These arm fat exercises can be used not only to reduce arm fat but also to help you achieve bigger arms.
One Arm Triceps Curls
How to do:
- Hold a dumbbell in one hand over and behind your head, bending your elbow so that the dumbbell is level with the base of your neck.
- Breathe in, then breathe out. On the exhale, push the dumbbell up over your head until your arm is fully extended. Hold there for a few seconds.
- Inhale while lowering the dumbbell back down behind your neck slowly.
- Repeat 10-15 times on one arm, then switch to the other. Repeat each rep three times.
Tips:
- Begin with your feet shoulder-width apart and keep your core engaged to stabilize your body.
- Keep your upper arm close to your head and extend your arm fully, squeezing your triceps at the end of the movement.
- Use a weight that challenges you while maintaining proper form to effectively target and strengthen your triceps.
Optimal Sets and Reps: 3 sets of 12-15 reps on each arm.
Lateral Plank Walk
How to do:
- Start in a push-up position, with your arms shoulder width-distance apart and extended fully, and keep your belly held in tight.
- “Walk” yourself to the left by extending your left leg and arm out to the left, then bringing your right leg and arm in.
- Keep going for ten “steps,” on one side then switch to the other side. Do three repetitions on each side.
Tips:
- Keep your hips level and avoid excessive twisting or tilting as you move sideways to maintain proper alignment and engage your oblique muscles.
- Breathe steadily throughout the exercise to ensure you have enough oxygen to support your muscles and maintain control.
- If you find the exercise too challenging at first, start with shorter distances and gradually increase the range of motion as you become more comfortable and stronger.
Optimal Sets and Reps: 3 sets of 10-12 steps in each direction.
Counter Push-Ups
How to do:
- Use a counter or table to lean your hands against. Your surface should be steady so that it does not move during your exercise. Keep your arms straight and tighten your core.
- Keep your hands on the counter’s edge, shoulder-width distance apart. Keep your legs back a few feet, firmly planted on the ground.
- Bend your elbows to lower yourself toward the counter, then push yourself up while keeping your legs straight. Do as many push-ups as you are able.
Tips:
- Focus on maintaining proper form throughout the exercise, ensuring your chest touches the countertop or surface with each repetition to maximize the engagement of your chest and triceps.
- Control your breathing by exhaling as you push yourself away from the countertop and inhaling as you lower your chest down.
- As you progress, you can increase the difficulty by using a lower surface or adding more sets and repetitions to continue challenging your upper body strength.
Optimal Sets and Reps: 3 sets of 12-15 reps.
Chair Dips
How to do:
- Use a sturdy chair with arms as the base you will push off from.
- Start by sitting in the chair with your hands on the arms of the chair.
- Lift yourself off the chair by pushing yourself up and forward and extending your legs out in front of you. Be sure to keep your arms bent and continue to support yourself.
- Slowly use your arms to lower your lower body down toward the floor (but not all the way) and then push yourself back up. Repeat 10-15 times.
Tips:
- Keep your shoulders down and away from your ears throughout the exercise to minimize strain on your shoulder joints.
- Ensure that your elbows are pointing directly behind you as you lower your body, avoiding them flaring out to the sides.
- For an added challenge, you can elevate your feet on another surface or use a weighted backpack or weight belt to increase the resistance gradually.
Optimal Sets and Reps: 3 sets of 12-15 reps.
Single Arm Lateral Raises
How to do:
- Stand straight and tall.
- Pick up a dumbbell with one hand and lift your arm to the side, creating a 90-degree angle with the floor. Keep your arm straight (your other arm can be placed on your hip for support).
- Slowly lower your arm back down to hip level, keeping the arm straight. Repeat 10-15 times then switch to the other arm. Do three repetitions on each arm.
Tips:
- Keep your core engaged and maintain a neutral spine to prevent excessive leaning or arching during the exercise.
- Lower the weight slowly and under control to maximize the time your lateral deltoid is under tension.
- Focus on your breathing, exhaling as you lift the dumbbell and inhaling as you lower it to maintain proper rhythm and support your effort.
Optimal Sets and Reps: 3 sets of 10-12 reps.
Diamond Push-Ups
How to do:
- Position yourself in a standard push-up position, however, instead of keeping your hands shoulder-width apart, bring your hands close together so that the tips of your forefingers touch and the tips of your thumbs touch, forming a diamond shape.
- Bend your elbows to lower yourself down close to the floor. Hold it for a few seconds, then push yourself back up to the starting position. Repeat 20-30 times (or more if you are able).
Tips:
- Keep your elbows close to your body as you lower yourself down, emphasizing the engagement of your triceps.
- Focus on your breathing, exhaling as you push yourself back up and inhaling as you lower your body to maintain a steady rhythm.
- If you’re new to Diamond Push-Ups or find them challenging, you can start with knee push-ups and gradually progress to full Diamond Push-Ups as your strength improves.
Optimal Sets and Reps: 3 sets of 10-12 reps.
Why Do We Accumulate Arm Fat?
For most individuals, arm fat is accumulated when more calories are consumed than burned. A poor diet combined with a lack of exercise can contribute to fat build-up in the arms.
Some evidence suggests that arm fat may also be genetic.[3] This does not mean that if someone in your family has arm fat, you will also. However, you may be predisposed to it.
The antidote to arm fat is to actively take part in a healthy diet and exercise routine targeted at the arms. Other lifestyle factors, such as proper hydration and sleep, can also help you lose arm fat.
Tips On How To Lose Arm Fat Fast In 7 Days
Exercise is not the only method to help reduce arm fat, nor is it everyone’s favorite thing to focus on. Consider these lifestyle habits for how to lose arm fat in 7 days without exercise.
Stay Hydrated
Drinking enough water allows for many essential functions in the body to perform optimally, including weight loss.[4] A few ways water assists in weight loss is by suppressing appetite and boosting metabolism. Drinking water is especially important when engaging in exercise to replenish hydration that is lost during workouts.
It’s important to drink enough water to help you lose weight, which is between eight and ten cups of water a day.
Sleep Well
Getting a good night’s sleep regularly can have significant benefits to weight loss and fat-burning efforts. Studies have demonstrated various correlations between sleep deprivation[5] and weight gain, as well as with obesity.
One reason for this is that sleep helps regulate hormones responsible for appetite.[6] Poor sleep can alter the production and activity of these hormones, leading to increased hunger and snacking, which can increase body fat.
Focus On Weight Loss
Instead of concentrating on arms alone, you can help reduce arm fat by widening your approach to weight loss. When overall weight loss is achieved, arm fat can be reduced as a result.
Taking an overall weight loss approach means adjusting your calorie intake, focusing on whole foods, and exercising regularly. The amount of calories to eat to lose weight will vary depending on things like genetics, sex, age, and personal medical history.
Watch Your Diet
What you consume plays an important role in whether you will hold onto or shed arm fat. Studies have shown that a diet high in fiber[7] can help with fat loss.
Fiber has many health benefits, one being increased satiety–the more fiber you consume, the fuller you’ll feel and the less prone you’ll be to snack. Eating enough protein and healthy fat can also enhance satiety.
Removing processed[8] and packaged foods that are high in saturated fat, excess salt, and sugar is also an important change to one’s diet if overall body fat loss is a goal.
Reduce Stress
Stress levels can contribute to physical health in numerous ways. Namely, excess stress can hurt our weight loss efforts, even leading to obesity. Stress hormones, particularly cortisol,[9] can negatively impact body weight, and create a stress-weight gain cycle that can be difficult to break.
Get Surgery
Individuals can reduce arm fat quickly with surgery. To do this, a surgeon removes excess fat in the arms via liposuction or a brachioplasty (arm lift). This allows for arm fat to be removed in as little as one day. However, all surgery comes with potential risks, so discuss this with your doctor before choosing this option.
Conclusion
Losing arm fat doesn’t have to be a lengthy process–results can start to emerge in seven days when individuals are diligent about their lifestyle habits. This includes engaging in specific arm-targeted resistance training exercises, staying properly hydrated, sleeping well, managing stress, and watching their diet.
Specific exercises that help reduce arm fat are exercises that target the arm muscles, particularly the triceps. These exercises include chair dips, single-arm lateral raises, diamond push-ups, lateral plank walks, counter push-ups, and one-arm tricep curls.
Frequently Asked Questions
The more you exercise, hydrate, eat healthily, sleep better, and manage your stress, the sooner you will see results.
Making changes in a short amount of time can come at a cost. One of the quickest ways to reduce arm fat is to have it removed surgically. This could potentially happen in 2 days but would take time to schedule.
It may be easier for some people to lose arm fat than others. Those who engage in healthy eating, sleeping, and exercise will have an easier time losing arm fat as well as those who are not genetically predisposed to excess body fat.
Muscles in the upper arm tend to be smaller than other muscles in the body, making them more difficult to tone than other areas. Additionally, there are fewer blood vessels in the arms than in other areas of the body, making them more difficult to target.
Poor diet and lack of exercise are the most common causes of arm fat.
Genetics can certainly play a role in causing arm fat, however, it is just one of many factors that can contribute to arm fat. Lifestyle habits such as diet and lack of exercise can increase the risk of developing arm fat.
