How do I tone my arms and get rid of back fat? Can I target one spot?
You can't pick where fat comes off. What you can do is build the muscle in your arms and back with full-body strength training, and bring your overall body fat down with the right nutrition. As the fat comes down, the muscle underneath is what shows. That's what toned actually looks like.
So skip the hundred arm circles.
Build the muscle.
Fuel it, and let the rest of the fat come down around it.
Why do my arms and back feel different after 40?
You're right. It's real.
When women tell us what's changed, I hear a few of the same things:
- The arms. Your arms feel softer or bigger than they used to, and you've started choosing sleeves.
- The back. There's a bit more around your sides and the back of your bra line than there used to be.
- The shift. Things seem to have moved, more into your arms and belly, even though your habits didn't change much.
- The goal. Most women tell us they want to look toned, firmer and stronger.
Right?
Here's the thing.
After 40, a lot of the women we coach notice that muscle slips away more easily unless they give it a reason to stay. Less muscle and a little more fat over it tends to show up first in the places you notice in the mirror.
That's fixable.
Can I target one spot, like my arms or my back?
No, and I wish someone had told me this years ago.
Chris explains it like this: you can't pick where fat comes off. You can build the muscle in your arms and back, and as overall fat comes down, that's what shows.
Can we please stop pretending the arm-only workout is the answer? A hundred kickbacks build a little muscle, which is great. They won't burn the fat sitting on top of it.
Your body decides the order fat comes off. It's different for every woman. For some, the arms change early. For others, the back is one of the last places to go.
What you control is the muscle you build and the fat you lose overall.
The same goes for your middle, by the way. Here's why you can't spot-reduce belly fat either.
What does "toned" actually mean?
Toned is two things happening at once:
- More muscle. Muscle gives your arms and back their shape.
- Less fat over it. So that shape can actually show.
Chris calls the goal shrink wrap. Leaner, firmer, stronger, and still you.
Light weights you could lift all day won't get you there. And neither will eating as little as possible, which tends to cost you the very muscle you're trying to show off.
How do you build the muscle in your arms and back?
With full-body strength training that builds week to week.
Chris calls resistance training "the foundation and heartbeat" of everything we do. Here's how that works for your arms and back:
- Upper body in every week. In the 8-week Metabolic Reset, you do 3 strength workouts a week, and your arms, shoulders, chest and back get worked along with your legs.
- Weights that challenge you. By the last few reps of a set, it should feel hard. Here's how to tell if you're lifting heavy enough.
- A little more over time. You write down what you lift, and next time you beat it a little. That's progressive overload.
- Big moves that use a lot of muscle. Push-ups, presses and full-body moves work your arms and back together with everything around them.
What about the food side?
This is the half most arm workouts leave out.
Most women come to us wanting to lose weight. What they actually want to lose is fat.
To bring your overall body fat down while you build muscle, you need to eat enough to fuel your workouts. That's why our nutrition plan uses real food and the hand method for portions, with no calorie counting, no food scales and no macro tracking.
The first 14 days are lower carb and higher protein, with a short break from alcohol, dairy, gluten and processed sugar. Then foods come back.
If you've been eating very little and your arms still won't change, read why eating too little can stall fat loss.
How long until my arms and back look different?
It's different for every woman.
In our experience, a lot of women notice their clothes first. A top fits differently across the back. Sleeves feel looser. You catch yourself in a window and notice your arms have shape.
The scale can be slow to show it, because you're building muscle while you lose fat. That's why we don't let the scale be the only judge. Here's what to watch besides the scale.
We've helped 1,000+ women lose 10 to 20 lbs of fat in 8 weeks.
And a lot of them came in with arms and back at the top of their list.
Ready to build the arms you want?
You can't choose where the fat comes off.
You can choose to build the muscle and give it the food and recovery it needs.
Start with the short video on our homepage at fortyfwd.com. It walks through why your body stopped responding after 40 and the method we use to change that.
If it sounds like you, apply for a call with Chris.
He reads every application himself. On the call, he'll ask what you want to change, arms and back included, and tell you straight whether the program is the right fit. If it is, he walks you through the investment then, once you both know it's a fit.
Your arms and back can change.
Let's start building.
Frequently asked questions
Can I lose weight from just my arms?
No. You can't pick where fat comes off. You can build the muscle in your arms and back, and as your overall body fat comes down, that muscle is what shows.
What is the best way to tone flabby arms after 40?
Full-body strength training with weights that challenge you, done consistently and built up week to week, plus enough food to fuel it. Toned arms are muscle with less fat over it.
How do I get rid of back fat?
Bring your overall body fat down with a nutrition plan you can stick to, and build the muscle in your back and shoulders with strength training. Your body decides the order fat comes off, so the back can take longer for some women.
Do arm exercises burn arm fat?
Arm exercises build arm muscle, which helps your arms look toned. They don't burn the fat sitting on top of that muscle; that comes down as your overall body fat comes down.
How long does it take to see toned arms?
It's different for every woman. In our experience, a lot of women notice their clothes fitting differently before the scale moves much.