I know when people look at me they see my fat stomach but I really do not mind my stomach as much as I hate my arms! They are double the size they are supposed to be. I went out with my friends last night and I am not even looking forward to my friend posting the pics on facebook. I usually am excited to see the pictures! But this is a turning point for me. I am not going to let my weight control my life ever again! I am taking control!
I have bigger arms too. I am down to 135 now, but I still think my arms are just big! I have done a lot of weight training with my arms so they have toned up, but they honestly haven't really lost many inches, maybe 2. With weight loss the size with go down and they will tone up of course, but I am starting to wonder if it's more of a genetics thing at this point. If you find the secret let me know. lol
My arms are quite large as well. I've lost a couple inches in them since I started but they are still huge. I lift weights a lot so my biceps look pretty muscular when I flex but there is still a lot of fat in them and they have noticeable hanging skin which makes them look even larger than they really are. At 15" they are the same size of my neck! I feel your pain sweety. I figure if we stick with it sooner or later they will shrink down so don't loose hope. They might be one of the last things to go but they will go.
I am told that if you want leaner arms that you want to not focus on your arms and focus on cardio to help lose fat around the arms. AT least that's what I have been told.
On another note this has been working for me. I have been trying to lose the fat around my arms so the muscle is more defined, and I do weight training fairly irregularly to my cardio.
I have bigger arms too. I am down to 135 now, but I still think my arms are just big! I have done a lot of weight training with my arms so they have toned up, but they honestly haven't really lost many inches, maybe 2. With weight loss the size with go down and they will tone up of course, but I am starting to wonder if it's more of a genetics thing at this point. If you find the secret let me know. lol
It's body fat percentage. That is, if it isn't all in your head. I've been weight training for decades, and you'd think that would have made my arms look svelte, but that didn't actually happen until I lost enough fat. And, since everyone's body is genetically programmed to lose the fat in its own way, there's no telling where the sweet spot is.
As for focusing on cardio, it's generally held to be diet first, weight training second and cardio third, especially if you believe in squats and deadlifts and lunges and the like, the kinds of exercises that work the largest muscles in your body and therefore help you burn the most calories when weight training. And, well, if you weight train, you also end up with lean muscle instead of just lean arm. As to that, it depends on what you're going for. It's a fallacy to say that you should not focus on your arms if you want to look leaner. You absolutely can focus on your arms—you can, and in my opinion should, lift weights—but you won't see the wonders of your efforts until your body fat falls enough.
Last edited by Petite Powerhouse; 01-15-2011 at 03:09 PM.
I'll attempt to show you what I mean. These pictures aren't the best for showing the arms, but they are the best I have on hand. I was heavier here that I am now, but I had finally lost enough at this point that my arm was starting to look small and defined rather than just big and muscular only when I flexed.
I lift very heavy, and yet, as you can see, my arms aren't huge. The muscle is there, but the arm is pretty lean.
I'm also reminded of Ali Vincent from her win on The Biggest Loser. She lost a significant amount of weight, but her arms ended up leanly muscled once her body fat was down enough. Take a look at her before and after.
Last edited by Petite Powerhouse; 01-15-2011 at 03:25 PM.
I don't think I will ever be at a weight where I'm willing to bare my arms. It's not as much their size as their... condition. My upper arms haven't seen the light of day since I was a child, so they are totally white. They are covered with stretch marks from shoulder to elbow and very squishy/saggy on the underside. And lastly, my arms have lots of keratosis pilaris bumps, especially on the upper arms. Ugh, they are a lost cause, lol.
I have huge arms. I mean, HYOOGE. To put it into perspective, I have a thirteen-and-a-half-inch neck...and sixteen-inch upper arms.
I definitely lift weights, though, and focus a lot of my efforts on my arms. Right now a lot of those sixteen inches is made up of fat; one day, the fat will be gone, so something's got to keep the skin from sagging down and turning my elbow into a dimple. I'd rather that something be muscle, not fat.
I don't like my big arms, but I can't say I hate them, either. Makes shopping much easier as I know I can just pass right on by anything sleeveless.
And lastly, my arms have lots of keratosis pilaris bumps, especially on the upper arms. Ugh, they are a lost cause, lol.
Have you ever tried Salex or its generic counterpart? This works so well for me. Seriously. It's the only thing that has ever helped. And the generic version is really cheap. I use it every day. I have for years. My dermatologist says it's still the go-to treatment for KP despite how long it's been on the market.
Last edited by Petite Powerhouse; 01-15-2011 at 03:05 PM.
I started out with an arm that was at least 14 inches, as first recorded. The doctor took out the big cuff for the blood pressure reading. I was mortified! Now it's 11 and 1/4 inch and I am thrilled! I have been thrilled with the size of my arms for a long time because even when they were still big, I could feel the hard muscle underneath and I loved that! It took a while to see any definition without flexing, but it was great knowing that day would come. No, you can't spot treat, but you can prepare for the day the fat moves itself...and it will.
I'm now waiting for the fat to move on my thighs. That's my problem area. But I know that day will come.
I started out with an arm that was at least 14 inches, as first recorded. The doctor took out the big cuff for the blood pressure reading. I was mortified! Now it's 11 and 1/4 inch and I am thrilled! I have been thrilled with the size of my arms for a long time because even when they were still big, I could feel the hard muscle underneath and I loved that!
I have fat flabby arms too, and I thought I was totally nutty for being so self conscious about it. I am SOOO glad to read I am not the only one. I have worn sun dresses, and tank tops...while we were away on vacation back on the west coast this last summer, then my father in law posted pics of our trip on facebook and I was absolutely horrified by how bad it really is. I put those dresses and tanks away and won't touch them again.
Interestingly, I just bought some 3lb dumbbells yesterday so I could start working on my arms now, so maybe one day I could wear a tank top, or a sun dress, and not feel so apprehensive about it.
Have you ever tried Salex or its generic counterpart? This works so well for me. Seriously. It's the only thing that has ever helped. And the generic version is really cheap. I use it every day. I have for years. My dermatologist says it's still the go-to treatment for KP despite how long it's been on the market.
No, I have never heard of it. I asked my doctor about the bumps once when I was a teenager and she told me to drop the weight to help it. I've since learned that people of all shapes and sizes have it, but I've never mentioned it again during an appointment.
I hate my arms!
I've been weight training for decades, and you'd think that would have made my arms look svelte, but that didn't actually happen until I lost enough fat. And, since everyone's body is genetically programmed to lose the fat in its own way, there's no telling where the sweet spot is.
I was mortified! Now it's 11 and 1/4 inch and I am thrilled! I have been thrilled with the size of my arms for a long time because even when they were still big, I could feel the hard muscle underneath and I loved that! It took a while to see any definition without flexing, but it was great knowing that day would come. No, you can't spot treat, but you can prepare for the day the fat moves itself...and it will.
