Why is Arm Fat So Difficult to Lose?

Fat is something your body needs, but not something you want to show. It tends to accumulate in your midsection and in your arms and legs. Even with intense workouts and weight training, the fat around your arms is extremely difficult to get rid of. 

At Meridian Plastic Surgery, our team are experts when it comes to giving you a body you can be proud of. Dr. Lee Thornton and Dr. Mark Elliott are our board-certified plastic surgeons. Dr. Thornton and Dr. Elliott provide a number of successful procedures to help you get the toned arms you’ve been dreaming of.

Why arm fat is so stubborn

Subcutaneous fat is that unsightly pudge under your skin. It’s extremely hard to make disappear, even with the most strict exercise regimen and diet.

Unfortunately, there’s no way to target this fat, especially when it’s lingering in visible places such as your arms. You have your genetics to thank for this. They play a large role in where you store fat on your body.

Your gender also has a lot to do with where your body stores fat. For instance, women are more likely to have extra fat in their hips, arms, and thighs. But men also harbor fat in their arms, so you’re sort of out of luck either way.

You also can’t control where you lose fat, no matter how hard you try. When you lose weight, subcutaneous fat is part of what’s lost. However, it comes from wherever your body deems necessary, making it impossible to target your arms.

Tips to help you tone your arms

If you’re having trouble losing the excess fat around your arms, there are ways you can speed up the process. Some of the lifestyle tips that allow you to target your arm fat include:

Lift weights

Lifting weights is a great way to lose fat in your arms, while toning the muscles at the same time. This helps your arms look slimmer, because of the increased muscle mass. Muscle is also a great way to burn fat.

Incorporate bodyweight exercise

If you don’t have the means to get to the gym, using your bodyweight as the resistance factor produces pretty significant results. Things like push ups or planks are examples of bodyweight exercises.

Focus on losing weight

It’s nearly impossible to target specific areas on your body specifically for fat loss. The best way to get your arms in the shape you’d like is to focus on weight loss in general. Everybody is different in how their body sheds fat, but weight loss helps you lose all over.

Keep hydrated

Staying hydrated is one way to help you lose excess weight, especially in hard to target areas like your arms. Drinking plenty of water promotes a feeling of fullness, allowing you to eat less calories and lose weight.

Adding fiber to your diet, eating plenty of protein, and incorporating cardio into your workouts are all great ways to target your arms and decrease fat. However, even with dedicated efforts, arm fat could stick around, requiring expert help from the team at Meridian Plastic Surgery.

When you need professional help

When you’ve tried diet, exercise, and have dedicated your workouts to burning fat in your arms without results, our team can help. Whether you’re a woman looking to have toned, defined arms, or a man trying to cut fat, there are cosmetic treatments that allow you to achieve these goals.

If you’re struggling to get rid of stubborn arm fat, Dr. Elliott and Dr. Thornton offer several surgical and nonsurgical options to give you the perfect arms. These treatments include:

Liposuction

Our team recommends liposuction if you have stubborn fat on your arms that’s extremely bothersome. Liposuction is a surgical procedure that involves freeing up the fat in your body and sucking it out through a tube. 

Liposuction isn’t an alternative to weight loss. You should be near your ideal weight and looking to just get rid of intractable pockets of fat in your arms.

Coolsculpting

Coolsculpting is a noninvasive cosmetic procedure that freezes away your fat cells using a cold laser. This procedure is ideal for stubborn pockets of fat that aren’t touched with a healthy lifestyle.

Arm lift

When you have flabby skin or fat that you just can’t get rid of through diet and exercise, an arm lift can help. The team removes areas of excess skin and fat, while also tightening the skin around your upper arms.

An arm lift is a surgical procedure, but significantly helps get rid of stubborn arm fat.

If you’re looking to tone your arms through a cosmetic procedure, don’t hesitate to call our office in Meridian, Mississippi today at 601-693-7742. You can also book an appointment on the website using the scheduling tool.