10 Ways to Lose Your Arm Flab in 4 Weeks

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Arm flab can be stubborn to budge, but a few lifestyle changes can really make a difference. Whether there's specific sleeveless clothing you want to feel good wearing or just to be fitter and stronger, toned arms can really impact your confidence. While you can't spot reduced arm fat, switching up your diet and exercise regimen can lead to significant changes in just a short amount of time. Here are ten ways to lose arm fat in just four weeks.

Lift Weights

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Lifting weights not only helps with weight loss and fat-burning, it also helps achieve beautifully toned arms. You don't need to hit the gym—just using dumbbells at home is a very effective muscle-building workout. Make sure your form is correct to get the most out of your workouts.

Eat More Protein

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Getting enough quality protein is important for weight loss. "Protein needs vary greatly based on your age, gender, activity level, and medical history," Annalise Pratt, RD, tells the Cleveland Clinic. "In general, you should make sure 10% to 35% of your daily calories come from protein, and you should burn 500 calories more than what you eat each day if you want to lose weight."

Focus on Weight Loss

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Burning off more calories than you are taking in is important for weight loss. Make sure you have a sensible, sustainable calorie deficit that is suitable for your starting weight. Use this weight loss calculator from the Mayo Clinic to set a realistic goal.

Eat More Fiber

Getting enough fiber is important for weight loss. "In addition to weight control, higher fiber diets can also help to prevent type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease," says Dr. Frank Hu, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health. Get your fiber over supplements as much as possible.

Walk Every Day

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When you burn fat, it happens all over your body, including your arms. Walking is a simple and very effective fat-burning exercise, especially if you're walking on an incline. Grab some sneakers, listen to some music, and you're all set.

Avoid Added Sugars

Added sugars are not your friend when trying to battle the bulge. "Eating or drinking too much added sugar contributes to excessive calories with no vital nutrients," says UC Davis Health. "This can make it harder to maintain healthy eating habits. Replace soda and juice with healthier options like low-fat milk, carbonated water, or unsweetened iced tea."

Don't Skip Cardio

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Cardio is a highly effective way of not just burning calories but positively impacting your overall health. "The more you exercise, the more calories you'll burn," explains Corewell Health. "If you're trying to lose weight, you should aim for doing cardio at least five days per week for a total of at least 250 minutes (4 hours, 10 minutes) each week."

Avoid Refined Carbs

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Refined carbs should be avoided for both weight loss and health reasons. Replace ultra-processed carbohydrates with whole grains, legumes, and quinoa. "Too much refined carbohydrates — white bread, white rice, potato products — all the foods that crept into our diets as we've followed the low-fat craze has undermined our metabolism," David Ludwig, MD, PhD, tells NPR.

Drink Plenty of Water

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Water has no calories and is essential for our health and wellness. "Some studies have shown that our bodies read mild dehydration as hunger," bariatric surgeon Alon Geva, MD, tells ProMedica Weight Loss Surgery. "Your stomach can only take in so much volume," says Dr. Geva. "If you're filling half of it with nutritious food, and the other half with water, you stay hydrated and take in less calories overall, as opposed to just filling it with food."

Try Bodyweight Exercises

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At-home bodyweight exercises such as planks and burpees are great for many reasons. You can do them whenever it is convenient for you; no equipment is needed, and you don't have to go to a gym. You can burn off fat while working out your arms!

💪🔥Body Booster: Use dumbbells at home for an effective arm workout.

Ferozan Mast

Ferozan Mast is a science, health and wellness writer with a passion for making science and research-backed information accessible to a general audience. Read more