How I Got Rid Of Arm Flab In Time For Summer (2024)

I’ve never been a woman who wanted a rock hard body worthy of fitness competitions. To me, so long as the arm flab doesn’t flap too long after I stop walking, I’m happy.

As I’ve gotten older, things definitely aren’t as trim as they used to be, and after having my daughter? Forget about it. But just because I no longer care what others think of my less than toned abs, doesn’t mean I don’t care about my body and that I don’t want to feel good about myself.

My personal hurdle has always been my arms. While I’m a naturally thin and petite person, my arms have always been a little extra fleshy. I don’t have spindly arms, and I often have to size up in T-shirts because they aren’t as thin as the rest of my body and thearms are too tight on me!

So, I set out to tone my arms and I did it just in time for summer. Even though we are already there, you can still start this arm workout and start seeing results almost immediately, I promise! So how did I do it?

Getting Rid Of Arm Flab

First off, I took a starting picture of myself because I wanted to see if the video workout I found really worked. There’s nothing worse than suffering through a painful workout, only to see no results, right? Here is my starting point and I took this photo on March 17:

Next I started implementing the video I found immediately. How did I find the video? Oh, a skilled research. In other words, I found one on Pinterest, watched the video and determined I loved the instructor’s British accent. It also didn’t hurt that the video was around 12 minutes, and I didn’t feel like I was about to die while doing it.

I started doing this workout with only 5lb weights because my goal was to slim down and tone arm flab. You are more than welcome to use bigger weights if you don’t feel enough resistance, but I highly suggest starting with 5lbs because some of these exercises use muscles you may not normally use and you’ll find that 5lbs is plenty.

How Often Did I Do the Workout?

I also did this workout no less than 4 times per week. Mamas—I’m a work from home (two jobs) mom and wife. I made it through a 3 month home construction project, preschool drop offs and pickups, swim lessons and a mom group during the time I did this workout. YOU CAN DO IT. DON’T make excuses!

It’s only 15 minutes out of your day! You can do this while you’re waiting for dinner to come out of the oven, while you’re vegging and watching TV. If you want toned arms, you have to work for it!

The workout I used was XHIT Daily’s “How To Lose Arm Fat” and is found on YouTube. It has over 22 MILLION views, only takes TWELVE MINUTES and I’ve pasted it for you below!

Now, the reason I’m sure you’re all here is because you probably want to see if it really worked right? IT DOES! I’ve NEVER been so diligent with both doing this workout and taking progress pictures along the way. They make all the difference.

If you feel like you are losing steam or motivation, start taking progress photos. You will see any change as a positive reason to keep going. About halfway through my goal, I picked up a bad case of the flu that lasted almost two weeks. I didn’t work out at all during that time, but looking at my progress pics helped me pick up where I left off.

This is my 1 month progress comparison and even though I wouldn’t call the changes dramatic, you can definitely start to see muscle definition and less arm flab. The photo on the right was taken April 15:

At the two month mark I really started to see that my arms were THINNER. I also didn’t realize how much my shoulder muscles would change, but I have to say—I’m digging it! The photo on the right was taken May 21:

This is my most up to date progress at three months and the photo on the right was taken June 8 (technically 12 weeks from my starting point):

And just for fun, I put together this collage so you can see my progress a little easier. I didn’t take photos every week (thank you, flu) but I have to say that I can definitely see my arms change in a dramatic way over these last three months! Much less arm flab!

I’m super proud of myself for sticking to this workout routine and you know what? I’m not done. Because this is such a low impact workout, I plan to continue it so I can keep my arms fab—not flabby!

I would love for other mamas to join me, and I’m happy to answer any questions you have! Get working—you can do it!

Here’s my transformation! This flabby arms before and after exercise routine is super simple!

What Causes Arm Fat?

Excess body fat brought on by poor food, a sluggish metabolism, and aging results in bat-like arms.

As women become older, their estrogen levels drop, which causes their muscles to lose tone and their bodies to store more fat.

It just so happens that your body stores additional fat in your arms.

Unfortunately, your genetics dictate exactly where in your body fat is distributed.

Depending on the woman, the abdomen orhipsmay have more fat cells than the upper arms.

Can You Really Tone Flabby Arms?

You want to know how to get rid of flabby arms, but is it even possible? Fortunately, it is!

While a flabby arm workout can help you lose arm fat, you also need to focus on other lifestyle choices. Well, at least, this is what my research says.

Nutrition is also an important factor. However, as moms, I’m sure we’re already making sure that our children are eating well, which makes it easier to control the nutrition aspect of losing arm fat.

My flabby arms before and after images have motivated me to keep going, and I hope they will do the same for you!

The Exercises

If you don’t have the time to go to the video, here’s a quick summary of the arm exercises for flabby arms:

Standing V Raise

The standingV raise strengthens your upper body and helps to lose weight around your arms.

Follow these steps:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and two light dumbbells by your sides with the palms of your hands facing your upper thighs.
2. To create a wide “V” with your body, raise the weights in front of your chest. At the top, squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold for a few seconds.
3. Bring the weights back to the starting position gradually.

Shoulder Press

The shoulder press is a fantastic exercise because it helps you to work on your tricep muscles and shoulders simultaneously.

Here’s how:

1. Get two weights and put them on your shoulders. Your palms need to face forward
2. Squeeze your glutes and engage your core.
3. Push the weights up over your head while squeezing your tricep muscles at the top.
4. Lower the weights and repeat the exercise.

Tricep Extension

Tricep extension is a fantastic triceps exercise that helps to tone andstrengthenyourtriceps.

Here’s how to burn arm fat with this exercise:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. With yourthumbs holdingthe weight for improved grip, hold it in both hands. Your palms need toface the ceiling while you hold the weight behind your head.
3. Keep your upper arms closer to your head. Try to keep your elbows perpendicular to the floor and close to your eyes.
4. As soon as the weight reaches the top of your back, lower your upper arms. Keep your elbows still. Lock them up next to your ears.
5. Your arms should be fully extended over your head as you lift the weight up using your triceps. Breathe out when doing this.

This is one of the best upper arm exercises you can do since it specifically targets arm fat.

Inside Curls

There are numerous variations when doing this exercise. Do this with your right and left arm simultaneously.

Here’s how:

1. Holding a weight at arm’s length in each hand, stand up. Elbows should be in close proximity to the body. Your legs should be approximately shoulder-width apart.
2. Yourhands should be in a neutral position with yourpalms facing in.
3. Curl the dumbbells outward while keeping the upper arms still, and contract your biceps while exhaling. When the weights are fully raised, your wrist should turn so that you have a supinated hold (palms facing up).
4. Only move yourforearms. Continue the motion until the dumbbells are at shoulder height and your biceps are fully contracted.
5. Squeeze yourbiceps while holding the contracted position.
6. As you inhale, slowly start to return the dumbbells to their initial position with your arms straight. As you drop the weight, keep in mind to rotate your wrists to return to a neutral grip.
7. Repeat.

Push Ups

We all know what push-ups are! While push-ups mainly work your chest, they are also great for the tricep muscles. If you want to gauge how much strength you have, push-ups are a great way to measure this. This exercise uses your body weight instead of dumbbells.

Follow these steps:

1. With your arms slightly bent and your hands shoulder-width apart on the floor, place the palms of your hands downward. Do not separate your feet. Your weight needs to be spread between your hands and toes.
2. Slowly lower your body towards the ground. Your chest should not touch the floor. Make sure to inhale during this motion.
3. Push your body up to the starting position. Exhale as you do this.
4. Repeat.

Reverse Curls

Thisvariation of the traditional biceps curl involves gripping the weight with your hands facing down rather than up.By including this workout in your routine, you can develop stronger, more toned arms.

Follow these steps:

1. Stand up with your shoulders back, back straight, andchest raised. Put a set of weights on your front thighs and hold them with your palms facing down. You can keep your knees slightly bent if it’s more comfortable.
2. Bend your elbows and lift the weights towards your shoulders. Exhale during this motion.
3. Lift the weight to form a complete bicep curl or contraction.
4. Slowly and carefully lower the weights to the starting position while inhaling.

Don’t forget to take pictures of your flabby arms before and after exercise sessions to keep track of your progress.

How Long Does it Take to Tone Flabby Arms?

Is it really possible to get rid of flabby arms in 30 days?

As I mentioned, for me personally, it took approximately one month to start noticing changes. However, this depends on your body type.

The average time frame where most people start noticing a difference is around six weeks (according to my research).

However, if you have less body fat, you’ll be able to tone your arm muscles much quicker than someone with more muscle mass. If you have stubborn arm fat, don’t be discouraged! It is still possible to lose weight, you just have to be slightly more patient.

If you take note of your flabby arms before and after weight training sessions you should be able to notice a difference.

Should You Do these Upper Body Exercises Every Day?

I wouldn’t recommend training your arm muscles every day. If you don’t give your body enough rest, it will be difficult to lose weight and build muscle. At least four times a week was enough for me to see results!

You Can Lose Arm Fat Too!

Are you ready to take those flabby arms before and after pictures? I hope this has motivated you to get rid of flabby arms for the summer. As a mom, you can still take care of yourself while looking after the kids, especially with this simple exercise routine. It’s time to lose fat and build lean muscle! I’m here with you on your flabby arms after weight loss journey.

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Karly Wood

I'm a born and bred Southern California native and currently the managing editor at Red Tri. I get to share my life with my husband of 13 years and our beautiful, 5-year old daughter. In my free time you'll catch me cheering for the Dodgers, cooking, baking, reading, crafting and probably watching a little HGTV!