Arm Fat

  • I'm just wondering if anyone out there can tell me how to lose arm fat without lifting weights? Is it even possible?. My arms have a little bit of hangy flab that I would just LOVE to get rid of. Do jumping jacks actually work?. I try to ride my exercise bike and do some jumping jacks every morning, then at night I try to walk for about 30 minutes 5 times a week. Is what I'm doing enough, or will I need to do more. Please let me know if anyone has some exercise sugguestions.
    And right now, buying new exercise equipment is out of the question.
  • Can I ask why you don't want to lift weights?

    The thing is, the swingy/hanging arm flab can only be lost with a combination of diet and exercise. YOu can't spot reduce - the fat will go as your weight drops, but mostly it's unpredictable where you'll lose, when. But even so, you won't see any tightening up of the skin after you lose the fat, unless you build muscle under there.

    Jumping jacks will not do diddly squat for arm flab - because they don't build those tricep/bicep muscles.

    .
  • It's not that I don't WANT to lift weights - I just don't have weights, and the the moment I can't afford to buy a set.
    I'm wondering if I could find a cheap pair of weights at Walmart or something?
    Any idea's on how much the weights should weigh????
  • Ah ... gotcha. So it's not about not wanting to lift, just $$ ... I can WELL understand that.

    Weights aren't totally necessary. You can accomplish a LOT with some basic body resistance stuff. Also a set of resistance bands from WalMart should run you between $10 and $20 and they'll add tons of options to a basic workout.

    Try pushups, tricep dips, pull ups, etc. Here's a link with some ideas and basic descriptions. You can also search here and there are quite a few links to videos on youtube that will help you to see how to correctly do some of these things.
    http://female.bodybuildbid.com/train...ping-arms.html

    Here's a link to some things you can do with resistance bands, as well:
    http://exercise.about.com/cs/exercis...istanceban.htm

    When you get to the point that you want to buy weights, I'd skip the "pastel Barbie weights" (*grin* a line from my favorite book - New Rules of Lifting for Women) and go for a set that you can add weight to. You can find a good one at Target or Walmart for around $50 or so. (edited - I've seen something similar to this set at Target for $49: http://www.sportsauthority.com/produ...ductId=2173649) That way you won't be limited to a 3lb weight or a 5lb weight, which will quickly become too light to have any value to you.

    Good luck! Working my arms has been the best part of lifting weights for me. To be able to see definition and muscle there, rather than the "wing" of flab is the best thing ever!!

    .
  • Thank you for your help!
  • Resistance bands will probably be cheaper. You can also do bodyweight exercises. Or fill milk jugs. Use your imagination.
    http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/t...ictraining.htm
    http://exercise.about.com/library/bltravelworkout.htm
    http://www.ultimatehomeworkout.com/

    Edited to add that I didn't refresh before posting and photochick already had you covered. Good luck.
  • Milk jugs, soda bottles filled with water/sand, cans of various things, many, many containers can be filled with sand, water, kitty litter, plaster of Paris, etc. And - keep an eye out for sales on weights. Many sporting goods stores around here will list them for half price regularly. My 3, 4, 5 lb dumbells were less that $5 on sale. Also check second hand stores and garage sales - even freecycle. I'm betting you can get them used for not much at all.
  • Try a local thrift store! I found a 2nd set to keep in my car when I travel up north to my parents. I paid about $3 a set of 5lbs weights!