by Personal Trainer and Health & Nutrition Coach Tami Raco
One of the most common trouble spot that I hear women complain about is their “bat wings” aka the fat on the back of their arms. Due to hormones, especially as we age, women have a tendency to store more fat in common trouble spot areas, one of those areas is the upper arm. Genetics and hormones can play a big part in storing fat in the upper arms. To change the composition of the arms and lose the bat wings we need to drop body fat AND increase lean muscle tissue with weight training.
First: Change your diet! Reduce your carbs especially the processed ones. Eliminate added sugar and high fructose corn syrup. Increase your protein and add some healthy fats like avocado and olive oil. Focus on filling your plate with a healthy array of plant-based foods, some protein and healthy fats. Lastly do not starve yourself!
Second: Exercise with Weights! As much as you might want to only focus on your trouble areas (like the flabby arms) it is important you train your entire body. Increasing lean muscle tissue will increase your metabolism and help to keep your body fat in a healthy range.
Here are two exercises that you can add to your full body weight training workout to really target those bat wings and help turn them into sculpted arms:
Tricep Dips- from a bench position your hands shoulder width apart behind you on the bench. Slide your butt off the bench, with legs extended in front of you and feet on the floor. Slowly lower yourself towards the ground until your elbows are bent to a 90-degree angle. Pause for a second then push yourself back up to a straighter arm. Give the triceps a squeeze at the top of the movement. Repeat 12-15 times and do this twice.
Overhead Triceps Extension- Standing feet shoulder width apart, grasp a dumbbell with both hands. (Start with 5 lbs. and work your way up according to your strength). Raise the dumbbell straight up over your head with arms straight up towards the ceiling. Slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head until your elbows are bent to a 90-degree angle. Hold for a second and return to the starting position. Repeat 12-15 times and do this twice.
Always check with your physician before you begin a diet or an exercise program.
