Upper arms look awful 😞

[Monkeytapper]

Im 43 I’m a size 12, …I run 3 times a week so the rest of my body is in proportion but my upper arms are just awful.

I’ve tried upper arm exercises with weights at home and also got a ‘power spin ’ hoop that I follow a routine on YouTube.

I was heavier a few years ago so am guessing the skin has stretched and will never bounce back regardless of what I do.

Love the hot weather but just feel so paranoid if I have to wave or lift my arms up.

I know no one is looking at me but I keep going from thinking I’m just going to accept this is me and to just get on with it, to then googling surgeons.

I’m off for a run tonight and would love to put a vest on rather than a T-shirt bit in my head all I can think about is my arms flapping behind me.

Anyone else feel this way or has anyone managed to improve their upper arms?

Photo doesn’t really reflect the ‘movement’ of them

I think your arms look fine.

I’ve noticed something this year which I’m sure I didn’t have before - armpit flab. I bet there’s a surgical procedure for that as I’ve never seen someone famous with it.

I think it’s because the rest of me is sort of ok, they just feel out of proportion to the rest of my body….Thanks for everyone’s tips and kind words.

I'm reading this thread ... appreciating all the tips.

I've just taken some photos of my arms. They look just like yours. I've always thought of my arms as 'normal' so yours must be too!

@nbee84 yours look toned, do they wiggle about when you wave?

Weights! Lifting heavy, lower reps. And non weight exercises like press ups, planks, tricep dips will help too. What you need to do is convert the fat in your arms to muscle and only lifting weights will do that. Running doesn't help with muscle building (toning). It can take some time (not 6 months!) and you also need to ensure you eat more protein in your diet (not shakes, but natural protein).

While your arms look absolutely fine, it's always good for women to do more strength training as they get older and lose bone density (it slows bone loss). And weights or body weight exercises are great for this! I wouldn't bother with the powerball thingie too much as I'm not sure how scientific they are really.

The Sweat app is a great investment as it has loads of trainers and strength building routines that you can do at home. Stephanie Sanzo's Lift at Home or Kelsey Wells PWR are fab for beginner weight lifters. It's good if you don't want a PT or gym membership.

@todaysdilemma thanks for the advice. I really don’t think it’s fat though, it’s loose skin where fat used to be and over the years I ah e lost weight and not toned up whilst doing so which has left ‘empty’ skin.

No exercise will make a difference if it's loose skin. I've had to learn to accept mine and dress appropriately.

It can take some time (not 6 months!)

Oh thank God

I am absolutely prepared to put inn the work but 6 months sounded like a verrrrrrryyyyy long time.

Normally loose skin would only be an issue if you weight loss had been significant (like 50 lbs+ type thing) in a short time, or with something like bariatric surgery. Was that the case with you? Your arms do not look that big (hard to tell from a photo obv), but just like normal arms with no muscle. All arms have a bit of jiggle, so that in itself isn't only loose skin. I'm a size 6 and my arms had jiggle till i started strength training. With strength training you do have to do it regularly for at least 4 weeks to see any definition.

@Shodan I follow Stephanie Sanzo's Lift at Home programme and it was only 12 weeks. And most people who post their progress photos showed results after 4 weeks.

Now these are bad arms op. Hope it makes you feel better about yours!

@todaysdilemma Thank you- I'll look that up.

Ds1 is very kindly bringing me over all the weights he used at home during lockdown so it would be good to have an actual programme to follow.

I wouldn't say it's because you were heavier and have lost weight. My upper arms are the same and I've put on 3 stone over 3 decades, I now weigh nearly 10 stone and I'm 10 years older than you.. I reckon it's genetic as my DM's arms are the same (I've also inherited her knees 😂).

Isn't it a pain when you find clothes to fit but the sleeves are too narrow for fat arms?

You have lovely arms. I'm pretty shocked that not every one else has piled on and reassured you of this. Totally normal, slim, shapely arms.

If you want more tone, try skull crushers with as heavy a kettlebell or set of dumbells as you can safely manage.

@Monkeytapper yes, they wiggle when I wave I reckon most arms do. There is some tone there as I do exercise but they still wiggle.

I am a bit paranoid about mine too but not yet enough to stop wearing sleeveless things. Mine look very much like yours. A few years ago I diligently used nip and fab upper arm lift as well as doing my usual weights and I could swear this actually worked. They’ve bloody discontinued it though! Aghh!! I’ve looked everywhere.

They look fine. Honestly. But what improved the look of my upper arms, was regularly working my biceps. Felt like I should be focused on triceps, but a bigger bicep pulls some of the loose skin upward. Takes a few months to notice.

I’m also shocked you’re not being reassured, your arms look totally fine to me.

I think your arms look great and normal. To improve your upper arms you’d have to shift quite a bit of fat and use weight to build the muscles. Arm muscles are quite small as well so you don’t get the big gains quickly that you might get with quads ime.

Sorry posted too soon. I’ve improved my arms a lot by using free weights and doing things like high plank exercises like stair climbers, plank squats etc.

Gillian Michaels 30 day shred is a good place to start if you’re someone who likes to follow a plan.

Swimming seems to help my arms have tone.

Ds1 is very kindly bringing me over all the weights he used at home during lockdown so it would be good to have an actual programme to follow.

@Shodan - do have a look at Carolina Girvan''s EPIC programme on YouTube. It's excellent, and it's free. I'm 67 years old and her workouts have changed not just the way I look, but my strength.

Apologies if I sound slightly evangelical, but as fitness gurus go, she is in a different league. And she is so calm, kind and lovely!

@FlowerArranger

Ds1 is very kindly bringing me over all the weights he used at home during lockdown so it would be good to have an actual programme to follow.

@Shodan - do have a look at Carolina Girvan''s EPIC programme on YouTube. It's excellent, and it's free. I'm 67 years old and her workouts have changed not just the way I look, but my strength.

Apologies if I sound slightly evangelical, but as fitness gurus go, she is in a different league. And she is so calm, kind and lovely!

Were you really fit when you started with her?