How can I tighten my flabby upper arms?

[TiniWeeniMe]

My upper arms are looking a bit saggy baggy. A bit hesitant to wear short sleeve shirts, and I've still got 14 or so kgs to go. I don't like to assume it'll come good, so what do I need to do to tighten/tone up bits like upper arms? Bum and boobs could do with some too, although they're not on show like the upper arms. I have 1kg hand weights.

[Kokko]

Im with you...I am hesitant to start working out until I"m at goal and my arms are my biggest worry. My flabby bits have all shrunk apart from my arms? Any advise would be great.

[Annabelle Joy]

I believe it can take up to twelve months for skin to shrink back. Weights will help tone and are a good idea. However, unless you can develop muscles that fill where the fat was, which I doubt you want, it's mostly a matter of wearing longer sleeves and waiting until your skin catches up.

AJ

[lil_doll]

Hey ladies

I finished the program last April- Obviously I am back, but that's another issue... with the arms any any other 'hard to lose' area, they will go- eventually... and whatever area you have issues with will be the last to go.

My arms stayed the same nearly all the way through.. and believe me, I was getting worried... but in the end they were fine and I had lost 1.5 inches off each one.

Missy

[louise41]

My arms are nicely toned and I have some little weights that I play with and lift at night while I watch tv. My arms werent too bad just a slight wobble but this has really been the icing on the cake I think

[Alli]

I have heard that zinc helps with skin toning and also the "My Sillouhette" gel by nivea. I have the wobbly arm thing and have just bought some little weights and will be getting the gel and the zinc - it can't hurt right!!

One exercise that a trainer gave me years ago (when I was once again trying to loose weight and concerned about my bingo wings) was to use a small weight, or a tin of baked beans (or whatever), put your arm straight up in the air and dip the weight down behind your head to your shoulders (elbow pointing front naturally), this really works the muscle at the back of the arm and is supposed to be good for toning.

[louise41]

I keep my weights my my bed as I watch tv in bed prior to sleep (mine are weighted soft balls) and do biceps curls while reclining in bed. I alternate these these leg raises that are good for the abs. It doesnt even seem like work as Im relaxing in bed watching tv. They say it's not good to exercise immediately prior to sleep but it doesnt seem to affect me

[miriaus]

I posted some ideas for a range of different exercises in my diary (page 3).

TeeniWeeni - with one kilo weights, your best options are probably tricep kickbacks, a triceps extension like the one that Alli described, and hammer biceps curls.

[Pickwick]

I started taking a beginner's Pilates class about a month back. Once a week and I've already had the most amazing results, particularly with my flabby arms. Definitely worth looking into!

[TiniWeeniMe]

Thanks everyone for all these great replies,

Kokko, Glad to have you on board, good to know I'm not alone.

Annabelle, That makes a lot of sense, exercise tones muscles, it doesn't replace lost fat. Of course, how silly of me.

lil_doll, Patience is the key.

Louise, I'll have to write down those exercises, that's a good way to wait for the 2 hours to pass.

Alli, "My Sillouhette" gel by nivea. I haven't heard of that one but I think I'll look into it. A friend at work told me about that exercise too and I think I'll try that one.

Miriaus, Don't know what tricep kickbacks, and hammer biceps curls are but I'll check your page 3 and pick up on your advise.

Pickwick, Pilates definitely will be worth looking into especially if your impressed with the results. I won't be able to go to regular classes because I don't work regular hours. I might be able to make one week but not the next 4. I'll look for a book of pilates exercises.

I think I'm gonna be busy!! Thanks again Ladies.

[Alli]

Hey Tini,

You can get pilates dvd's in a pack from places like big w or kmart - if I still had my old one I would pass it over but pretty sure I chucked it years back! I don't have the discipline to do it myself at home! My oseopath has suggested I get back into pilates too and I really keep meaning to look it into it.....

The my sillouhette gel you can get from big w for about $8 too

Alli

[louise41]

Good luck
I go to bed saying Im tired, then bf finds me in there doing leg raises and weights and laughs because I was supposed to be tired!

[**Elle**]

The flabby arms are a concern of mine too, not quite so much as the flabby belly lol, but definitely a concern

I had to lol @ Alli's tin of Baked Beans comment. I did this years ago, before I had hand weights. It works just fine, but word of warning, don't try to eat the beans at a later date, cause you will pretty much have a tin full of bean soup :P

As an extra idea that no-one else has posted - Resistance Bands!
You can pick up a set from pretty much anywhere, and they're pretty fab. I have a pair that I can just hook over a closed door to work my upper body. Can also do some great lower body workouts with them. Can be used in conjunction with standard pilates moves also to get that little bit of extra oomph!

I agree that a lot of it will come down to just patience, and waiting for the skin to contract, but a little toning can only help I say

[Gemsta]

+ 1 for Pilates AMAZING results

[Gypsy]

My local swimming centre has a 25m heated pool. I am absolutely freezing all the time, so the pool being heated is an extra bonus.

I recently started swimming twice a week after work as a form of stress release. I'm not pushing myself, but taking it easy and focusing on slow water resistance activity.

I will let you know in a few weeks if this is helping me with skin toning or impacting on my weight loss.

[carrieanne_c]

Originally Posted by louise41

I keep my weights my my bed as I watch tv in bed prior to sleep (mine are weighted soft balls) and do biceps curls while reclining in bed.

my husband wouldn't stop screaming and wouldnt let me near them after first set.