Spring is rapidly approaching! If you are among the men and women who are less than excited about trading turtlenecks for tank tops, you are not alone. Stubborn fat accumulation on the triceps (the area on the back of your arms) is very common and can be extremely annoying. Thankfully, getting rid of arm jiggle and gaining confidence can be done without joining a gym or investing in weights. The quickest and most effective way to achieve toned arms is to lose fat while gaining muscle.
Losing fat anywhere on your body requires a healthy diet. Loading up on fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean protein will help you drop fat and increase your overall health. Try to limit the amount of processed food you eat, focusing on the outer edges of the grocery store (where unprocessed foods are usually found) while shopping. Eating a healthy number of calories from nutrient-rich foods gives your body the fuel it needs to build muscle and is the most important factor in reducing body fat. It is essentially impossible to focus fat loss on one area of the body, but as your whole body becomes leaner so do your arms.
In addition to eating well, performing the following exercise two to four times a week will build muscle in your triceps, helping you feel confident when it is time to bust out your tank tops. Here are the 5 arm fat workouts without weights that you can do in your home to get rid of arm fat easily in 2 weeks.
1. Push-ups
Push-ups are a classic exercise for building upper body strength, and they work. To begin, lie face down on your stomach and place your palms just wider than shoulder-width apart on the floor. Keep your feet together, and curl your toes so that the balls of your feet touch the floor and your heels are lifted. Raise your body using your arms until your arms are straight. Make sure your abdominal muscles are contracted to prevent your hips from sagging—there should be a straight line between the top of your head and your heels. To complete a push-up, lower your body towards the floor, keeping your body in a straight line. Lower yourself as close to the floor as you can before pushing yourself away from the ground until your arms are almost straight. Remember to keep your abdomen engaged to avoid using your hips to raise and lower yourself.
2. Chair Dips
Chair dips firm the triceps at the back of your arms as well as the pectorals (the muscles in your chest). Sit in a chair, and grip the sides with your legs extended straight out in front of you. Shift your body forward, bringing your feet flat against the ground with your arms bent behind you to hold you up. Slowly raise and lower your body 15 times. Complete a total of three sets of 15 chair dips.
3. Alternative: Counter push-ups
If you are not yet able to complete a full push-up with proper form, try counter push-ups to build strength. Face a waist-high countertop or desk with your feet two to three feet away. Position your hands on the countertop just wider than shoulder-width apart. Tighten your abdomen to form a straight line from your head to your heels, and lower yourself towards the desk just as you would towards the ground in a normal push-up. Push the desk away until your arms are straight.
4. Plank
The plank position is great for toning arms and strengthening your core at the same time. You begin by positioning your body horizontal to the floor, with your feet together and toes curled (like you are about to do a push-up). Hold your body in this position for 30 seconds or longer, keeping your arms straight. Once again, make sure your wrists are directly under your shoulders and your body is in a straight line. For more of a challenge, rest your elbows and forearms on the floor with your hands clasped together. Don’t forget to breathe! Check out these 10 advanced plank variations to strengthen your core.
5. Arm Circles
Finally, arm circles help maintain good range of motion in your shoulders and strengthen in the muscles in your arms and shoulder. While sitting or standing, hold your arms directly out to the side so that your body forms a “T”. Move your arms in circles, starting with small ones that gradually get larger as you go. Make arm circles for 30 seconds or longer, rest, and repeat three times.
