How to Strengthen and Tone Your Arms For Good

POPSUGAR Studios
POPSUGAR Studios

Have your arms always been your trouble zone? Instead of hiding them under long sleeves and bulky sweaters, start toning and tightening them up today. Spot-reducing fat doesn't work, but these tips will help you stop getting caught up in the jiggle and start feeling more confident in sleeveless or strapless designs this Summer.

Lift Differently
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Lift Differently

Many women pine after flab-free arms but won't lift more than five-pound weights in fear of bulking up. If you want to see real results in your muscle definition, the answer lies in shocking your body with heavier weights. Celebrity trainer Jennifer Cohen recommends lifting heavier weights one or two times a week in order to shock your body, build lean muscle, and achieve definition.

If you tend to grab three- or five-pounders at the gym, Jennifer suggests alternating with 10-, 12-, or 15-pound dumbbells. Working with lighter weights one day and heavier weights another will keep your muscles guessing so you don't plateau and you continue to get stronger and leaner.

Change Up Your Cardio
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Change Up Your Cardio

Serious about getting rid of fat? You might need to amp up your cardio game. According to the USDA, you should perform 60-minute sessions five times a week to really notice a difference. And instead of a steadily paced workout, take things up a notch with interval training (workouts that alternate between periods of pushing your body and recovery) since it offers the afterburn effect; once you complete a workout, your body will burn more calories — an extra 200 calories throughout the day — than you would without intervals!

Do the Right Moves
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Do the Right Moves

There's no such thing as spot-reducing fat, but you can add moves to your routine that will strengthen and tone up your arms. Here are some of our favorite arm-centric workouts to try ASAP:

Hit the Mat
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Hit the Mat

While this arm-focused yoga sequence is a great start, the stress-relieving effects of yoga on your brain and body are even more influential when it comes to losing weight. When our bodies are under stress, our adrenal glands pump out excessive amounts of the stress hormone cortisol, which causes irregularity in our hormones. This imbalance reduces your ability to burn fat. Take the time to hit up yoga class, or simply carve some time out of your day to unwind and relax with one of these de-stressing ideas.

Change Your Diet
POPSUGAR Photography | Lizzie Fuhr

Change Your Diet

You can do a ton of cardio and strength training, but unless you really revamp your diet, you won't see the results you're after. Cut back on processed foods, follow these clean-eating rules, and when you're feeling full, remember this piece of tough love from celebrity trainer Anna Kaiser: "put down the fork."

To optimize your diet's fat-burning potential, look to these metabolism-boosting recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even snack time. All of these dishes include ingredients that have been proven to help fight fat!