Bye-Bye Arm - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

weezle · 09-18-2004, 05:49 PM

Anyone else have this problem? I always thought it was an "old lady" (no offense to ANYONE) thing, and Thursday evening, Terry helped me discover that I have "Bye-Bye Arm." Actually, he just flat out told me. (Jerk.) He pointed out a bruise on my arm from volleyball, and then we both noticed it.

It's when your bicepts are lovely but your tricepts are CRAP, and when you hold your arms straight out to your sides and wave, your lack of tricepts wave bye-bye as well. I remember my choir director having Bye-Bye Arm as a child, which may be why I associated it with old ladies. This was my deciding factor in putting in my notice at Job #2 last night.

I also need to free up my evenings for PartyLite parties, but if I'm not booked, I'm hauling my flappy @$$ (and arms) to the Y. A little weight lifting should clear that up, right? In less than 7 months, I'm wearing a sleeveless wedding gown, so I need to get rid of all the waves I can. Any thoughts besides lifting weights to fix that up?

Only thing I can think of is that it's just skin that was holding fat that I've misplaced. Either that, or volleyball has toned up my bicepts and I just didn't notice that my WHOLE upper arm was waving bye-bye before I started.

Argh! The things we women have to deal with! I'm too self-conscious about my boobs, stomach, butt, thighs, hips, and calves (I have "cankles" too) already! I don't need Bye-Bye Arm TOO!

Mamacita · 09-18-2004, 05:53 PM

Weezle, didn't you know??? Mature women don't have arms...we have wingspans!!!

Mamacita

weezle · 09-18-2004, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mamacita

Weezle, didn't you know??? Mature women don't have arms...we have wingspans!!!

I can't decide whether I should be laughing or crying. And I never claimed to be a mature woman!

BellyDancer · 09-18-2004, 08:29 PM

I've been noticing my own wings really acutely lately...and I'm not even going to be 30 for another 6 months!!

Push-ups, push-ups, push-ups...and the tricep-dip machine if your Y has one. (The thing where you kneel on a platform, grip two handles, and use your trikes to push yourself up.)

At least in my case I think it is also partly just garden-variety fat and will go away as I lose some more weight. I'm really aware recently of the pattern of how I lose weight--first from my back (weird) and hips, then thighs and tricep-wings (this is the in-progess stage right now), then lastly (and never completely) my tummy. I'm an apple-shaped person and I lose the "female fat" (hips and thighs and wings) way before the belly. Even when I'm at a healthy weight, if I wear empire-waist dresses, strangers ask me when my due date is.

Good luck with your trikes--and congrats on your nicely toned bikes!!

nelie · 09-18-2004, 09:19 PM

There are a lot of exercises you can do for your triceps. BellyDancer mentioned pushups, but there is something called tricep pushups which basically you move your hands closer together and do pushups. I have a wing problem too but it is because I have an excess fat problem. I can feel my triceps getting stronger but it won't do me any good til the fat comes off.

Ruthxxx · 09-19-2004, 06:07 AM

Just use the theme from "Batman" as your wedding march!
Weezle, it will get better.

Heidi · 09-19-2004, 09:43 AM

Hi Weezle, Try going to strongwomen.com, click on Fitness Programs and see what they have there. All kinds of strength training moves including some that would target triceps. It's a great series of books and exercises to complement any way of eating. Hope it's useful.

Sootie · 09-19-2004, 10:06 AM

Hi Weezle,
We call them Bingo Arms because when old ladies win at bingo they have to put their arms in the air and shout "Bingo" and their arms flap around I suppose!

I have been doing dips at my gym and have noticed a visible difference in my Bingo arms. You don't need a special machine for them either, you can just use a chair (we use a step at the gym). I actually don't mind dips either - they're not so bad.
Good luck.

Bamiegurl · 09-19-2004, 10:32 AM

I refer to them as chicken wings! hahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't let it stress you because it will get gone along with the rest in time!

weezle · 09-19-2004, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruthxxx

Just use the theme from "Batman" as your wedding march!

girl81 · 09-20-2004, 01:27 AM

i have seen women with this on Oprah. a plastic surgeon told them it was excess skin.

little chick · 09-20-2004, 03:53 AM

I can remember as a little girl my grandmother having the same problem, I used to push it and watch it flap thinking it was great fun. Now I find myself getting the same problem and my girls doing it to me. I think the chicks are right with the push ups. If not you will always have a toy for your future kids to play with.

GoldieFun · 09-20-2004, 09:15 AM

Ha, ha! We call them "Hadassah arms" -- Hadassah is a Jewish women's organization with a predominatetly "older" membership (i.e., all of our grandmothers belong!!)

Lauren

susancsals · 09-20-2004, 03:48 PM

Hey, Weezle - I thought I must've been reading a post by me when I read your original post here - MY elementary music teacher had bye-bye, bingo, old-lady arms and I swore I'd never have them. Well, now I do, but I'd never be caught dead directing with anything less than 3/4 sleeves!!
I'm also a PL consultant north of you, up by Rockford - how's business in Springfield?

Susan

kissyjoy · 09-20-2004, 05:11 PM

Weezle-
Have you been reading Modern Bride? I can't remember what issue it was (but I have it at home so I'll look) but they had a great workout in there for basically the upper body. There are a few exercises for the lower body but it is basically all upper body. There's also a book called "Buff Brides"

that is a really fun book. You can get it on Amazon. I used that for my wedding 2 years ago with some added cardio

and I looked the best I ever have

. I'll get back to you on which issue it is (I think it was the beginning of this year). If you don't have it, maybe I can scan it and e-mail it to you.