Weight loss is more than just skin deep – losing a few excess pounds can save your life. A healthy weight reduces heart disease, strokes, and even certain types of cancers. Your joints will undoubtedly thank you as well for investing in your health. Getting rid of flabby arms after weight loss is also important.
Now, after the struggle to shake those pesky pounds, you might finally be able to see the results you’ve been working so hard for. Well done! However, if you have lost a lot of weight rapidly, your skin is the first to go! Unsightly loose and flabby skin on arms are rather common after your body underwent a drastic change.
In this blog post, we’ll give you tips to help minimize loose skin after losing weight, as well as exercises that you can do to build arm muscle. Finally, we’ll tell you about some surgical solutions that might be the best for you. Ready to start seeing results? Let’s get started!
What Causes Loose Skin on Arms After Weight Loss?
The deep layers of your skin are mostly comprised of collagen (80%) elastin, and protein. Collagen, as you might have seen in firming skin care products, is responsible to tighten skin and keep it youthful, and glowing.
When the skin stretches significantly over prolonged periods, these proteins become damaged and lose their elasticity. This loss of stretchiness has a knock-on effect after significant weight loss – the flabby skin can no longer retract.
Another main culprit of excess skin on arms is a lack of protein. Not getting enough of this essential nutrient can cause your muscles to shrink and lose their strength, which in turn leads to flappy skin.
Get Rid of Flabby Arms After Weight Loss:
Continue Weight Loss Slowly
Major weight loss is one of the most challenging things you’ll ever do. However, it’s worth it when you see the transformation and the health benefits. However, when you drop the pounds, you might notice that your arms are becoming flappy, or even develop cellulite around the upper arm.
To combat this, gradually reduce your calorie intake over a period of several weeks or months. The slower you lose weight, the more time your skin has to adapt to your new shape.
Eating Right
Eating right is essential for maintaining weight loss results. When you continue your weight loss journey slowly, it will help to prevent any weight gain from creeping up on you. In addition, protein and fiber-rich foods will keep you fuller for longer, helping to control cravings and halt the overeating cycle.
As we’ve mentioned, you need enough protein to maintain your healthy glow. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, so if you want to increase your collagen production, make sure to get enough lysine and proline.
Vitamin C is also well known for its ability to synthesize collagen and protects your skin against sun damage to boot. Finally, Omega 3 fatty acids are also crucial for healthy skin. It helps to improve skin elasticity and combat the signs of aging.
Proper Hydration
Drink plenty of water to help you shed pounds and keep it off. Like houseplants, we need to stay hydrated to function. Various studies have proven that an increased water intake significantly improves the skin’s function and appearance as well. Water is, after all, critical for healthy organ function, and your skin is the biggest organ.
Effective Exercises to Build and Tone Arm Muscle
Arm muscles can be a real pain to build after weight loss. That’s why it’s important to include exercises that target arm muscles in your routine and burn some arm fat in the process. Muscles bulk out the skin, which naturally reduces the appearance of sagging skin. The more you tone, the more definition you will have.
If you really want to zone in and tone those flabby arms, consider a few compound arm toning exercises. Pushups, as dreaded as they are, really work your triceps, chest, and shoulders. Rowing is also great to target the biceps and shoulders. Also, include isolation exercises in your routine to target specific problem areas, like bicep curls or overhead tricep extensions with dumbbells.
Set Realistic Expectations
Don’t expect to lose 100 pounds in one week – that’s just not realistic! Start by dropping a few pounds at a time and work your way up as you get closer to your weight loss goal.
That said, we aren’t just talking about setting realistic weight loss goals, but also what to expect if you are trying to tone stubborn excess skin.
Indeed, gradual weight loss and building muscle will help to keep your arms tight, it won’t make flappy skin disappear completely. If you have lost more than 50 pounds or have been overweight for a long time, the skin is already stretched passed its natural limit.
At this point, the skin won’t shrink back. In more extreme cases, surgical alternatives are the only option to remove excess arm skin.
Consider Surgical Solutions
Excessive flabby skin doesn’t just affect your confidence – it can also lead to discomfort or get infected from chafing. In this case, if natural lifestyle modifications aren’t cutting it, you might have to go under the knife.
There are many different skin tightening procedures available, so speak with a doctor about the best one for you. Some of the most common surgical procedures include arm lift surgery or Brachioplasty.
The procedure is simple enough; the surgeon makes a small incision in your armpit, stretches the skin tight, removes the extra skin, and stitches you back together. The procedure does come with a hefty price tag though.
If surgery is not for you, you can also consider a few alternative solutions. One popular option is radiofrequency, It uses massage combined with frequency and infrared light to reduce the appearance of arm flab. Alternative solutions aren’t as effective as surgery, but there are fewer risks involved.
Wave Goodbye to Flab
It is natural to suffer from flabby arms after drastic weight loss. This is due to the loss of muscle mass, which can make the skin on the arms lose its elasticity. If you have lost moderate amounts of weight, the skin will eventually and naturally retract on its own.
However, if you are feeling self-conscious and uncomfortable, surgical body contouring is an option. If you are considering surgical solutions, be sure to speak to your doctor first to ensure the best possible outcome.
While loose skin may be unsightly, just remember that it is a signal of a great feat you have achieved to improve your health and your quality of life.
Reinette Robbertze completed her diplomas in both Journalism and Nutrition respectively. With an impressive portfolio of health blogs and magazine articles behind her name, she shares her real-life experiences with her passion for healthy living. Her educational background guides readers with authentic, and sometimes anecdotal information. Stay tuned!
