FLABBY ARMS no more! How to achieve strong, shapely guns

Flabby arms, bingo wings, whatever you choose to call them are the bane of many women’s lives. The good news is, your arms can easily be toned.

The secret to this is by doing targeted exercises to build muscle. Many women might find their arms start to look saggy as they hit middle age, this may be because muscle mass decreases as you get older.

Here are some great ways flabby arms can be toned.

4 easy and effective exercises for flabby arms

When it comes to women and weight loss and exercise, there often seems to be a lot of emphasis placed on the lower half of the body!

Whether it’s a flat tum, curvy bottom or toned thighs, the lower body is spoilt for choice with a whole range of different cardio and resistance exercises.

This makes sense as women are often genetically pre-dispositioned to carry weight in that area, especially after pregnancy, but it also means that we sometimes neglect our upper bodies, in particular our arms and shoulders.

This isn’t the wisest move as toned arms and shoulders not only hold great aesthetic purposes, but also need to be strong and resilient for the added workload they end up taking on once a baby is on the scene.

Our arms need to be strong!

If you think about your average day, your arms and shoulders spend a large part of it working hard. Breastfeeding, carrying baby, wearing a sling or carrier, pushing the pram, they all require our arm and shoulder muscles to be working effectively.

Add tasks like grocery shopping into the mix and it’s not hard to see why you often find yourself having sore shoulders at the end of a busy day!

Building up muscle throughout our bodies is a big positive for health and weight loss as the more muscle we have, the more effective our metabolism will be.

Integrating a few simple upper body exercises into your routine is a great way to tone the area (who doesn’t want gorgeous, shapely biceps and triceps) as well as keep it in shape for the future, especially as your baby turns into a toddler and gets heavier and heavier.

Start slowly

When it comes to resistance exercises, always remember to start slow and listen to your body. Consulting a personal trainer or other qualified person can also be helpful if you feel as if you’re getting stuck and confused. Never push your body to a point where things are painful and always stop if you feel faint/dizzy or overwhelmed.

Here are our 4 easy exercises for toned arms

1. Bicep curl

Bicep curls work the front part of your upper arms (your biceps), muscles which are essential for lifting and carrying.

• Sit on a fit ball or stand, legs comfortably apart with knees slightly bent.
• Hold a light weight (or food can) in each hand.
• Keeping your shoulders level and arms steady, breathe out and curl the weights/cans towards your body smoothly so that you feel your bicep muscle contract.
• Inhale and return weight to your sides.
• Complete 10-12 repetitions before taking a break.

2. Tricep kickback

This exercise works the underside of your upper arm (the infamous ‘bingo wing’ area) which can be hard to tone and strengthen without specific exercises.

• Lean forward slightly and rest your hand on a fitball/park bench/other stable surface
• Bend your right leg forward while keeping your left leg straight
• Hold a light weight or can in your left hand
• Bring your arm up so that your elbow is pointing behind you and the weight is parallel to the floor
• Straighten out your arm so that your elbow is no longer pointed. You will feel your tricep contract
• Return to the starting position
• This is one repetition. Do 10-12 of these.

3. Shoulder press

The shoulder press works a wide variety of muscles in your shoulders and back.

• Sit on a fitball or stand, feet comfortably apart, knees slightly bent
• Holding a light weight in either hand, bring your hands up so that they are in line with your shoulders
• Breathe out and push the weight above your head, using your shoulder muscles
• Return your hands to their starting position
• This is one rep. Complete 10-12 before resting

4. Lateral raises

• Lateral raises are a great exercise for working your deltoid (where your arm meets your shoulder) muscles.
• Stand with feet comfortably apart and knees slightly bent
• Holding a light weight in each hand, raise your arms so that they are in line with your shoulders and parellel to the ground.
• Return your arms to your sides. This is one rep.
• Do 10-12 of these reps before stopping.

How this mum toned her arms as well as her body

Amy Thomson hated her arms so much that she spent many years keeping them covered up. But today she stands tall and proud of her shapely new guns.

She shares how she completely transformed her body including her arms and how you can do it too. Prepare to be INSPIRED!

“I felt extremely uncomfortable with my upper arms”

Amy says “One of the most sensitive areas I had was my upper arms.

I would hide away and feel extremely uncomfortable whenever I wore a short sleeve shirt as I would get a roll under my arm.

It was embarrassing!”.

Starting her Healthy Mummy journey

Wanting to improve her health and weight Amy signed up to The Healthy Mummy 28 Day Weight Loss Challenges.

In addition to becoming healthy and strong, Amy was determined to improve her arms.

She says, “Over the past 17 months with The Healthy Mummy, I have really focused on changing my arms, determined to never feel embarrassed about them again.

“Although I still have a bit of loose skin, I have made a huge transformation!”

Wow, you certainly have Amy!

How has Amy achieved her amazing arm definition?

Amy spends around 10 minutes a day doing arm exercises – sometimes less and sometimes more, depending on how busy her day is.  

She says, “I do boxing, tricep dips, push ups, weights, bicep curls, arm circles (with weights), planking, and every night I do an arm workout to music.

“Basically I just keep them up and moving.  It’s hard to explain the actual movements but things like arm circles really help.

“I try to do some kind exercise each day, even if it’s just 10 tricep dips off the side of my bed before I sleep”.

“I also use the Healthy Mummy Body Sculpting Lotion which has helped with loose skin”. Buy Sculpting Lotion.

Here are Amy’s results after just 3 months using the Body Sculpting Lotion.

 

It is not just Amy’s arms that have been changing since she embraced her Healthy Mummy lifestyle by following the meal plans and exercises on the Healthy Mummy 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge App.

Her overall body has changed dramatically too.

Weight loss results – 40.3kg

She says “40.3 kilos lost and never to return (down from120 kilos to 79.7kgs)

And 117cms GONE!

“I can’t wait for the NEW Healthy Mummy ‘Get Strong’ Program to really focus on muscle tone.

“Time to tone up and get even stronger. I have always said, I want to be STRONG not SKINNY!”.

Wow! The Healthy Mummy team think Amy is absolutely smashing it and we couldn’t be happier for her.  Talk about an AMAZING transformation. We love that Amy’s focus is on being STRONG! What an INSPIRATION! Well done Amy!

Mum reveals how she toned her arms

Lauren has lost over 46kg

Lauren says, “If you’re just starting out on your journey, I’d highly recommend starting with a 28 Day Weight Loss Challenges. It’s such a great way to learn about healthy eating and exercise.”

Jo Has Lost 41kgs

Jo says,“There is 12 months between these pictures (above). I have lost over 41kgs* since starting The Healthy Mummy 28 Day Weight Loss Challenges in April 2016. 

“I love my daily Healthy Mummy smoothie and exercising with my two very active boys aged 2 & 3 years. I’m forever grateful to The Healthy Mummy for giving me a life that is a healthy one and a sustainable one too!!”

Renee has lost 46kg

This beautiful and hard working lady has lost an amazing 46kgs using the The Healthy Mummy 28 Day Weight Loss Challenges and Smoothies.

Renee says, “At times I feel as though progress is slow. But in hindsight, 17 months is such a short amount of time in the grand scheme of things, considering that I lived every single day as an obese young woman for well over a decade.”

“The Healthy Mummy is just a part of my everyday life, I live and breathe it every minute of the day.

“This weight loss journey has been so much more than me losing 46kgs*. The Healthy Mummy has given me the ability to make better choices for myself and my 7 year old son.”

Elle has lost 20kg

“I have lost 25kg in just over a year following the Healthy Mummy lifestyle, but so much for me has changed, much more than just my weight.

“From the age of 11, I always wanted long skinny legs – just like the models I saw on Fashion TV. I always HATED my chunky thighs. As I’ve lost weight and gained more confidence I now have learnt to embrace my legs. They are strong and I work them hard to look toned.

“I have accepted I will never have gorgeous long skinny legs. But I will try to look the best I possibly can without compromising my health. Loving your body and nurturing it, finding your strengths is a BIG thing.”

Sascha lost 30kg

Sascha says, “Over 30kg gone from using The Healthy Mummy 28 Day Weight Loss Challenges and maintaining it couldn’t be more enjoyable.”

Cicily has lost 56kgs

Cicily says, “Now I’m feeling so happy in myself, full of energy, confidence is back and excelling. 

“I’m just so darn ME! I feel like I can finally be myself, like I was being held back and didn’t even realise it! Healthy Mummy you are my rock! Trust in the plans. They’ve changed my life forever!”