Why Are My Upper Arms So Fat? Get Rid of Bat Wings

Loose arm fat is more common in women than in men and is typically caused by hormonal changes or imbalances.

Supporting estrogen balance by avoiding foods with estrogenic properties and boosting your body’s growth hormone production with intermittent fasting and high-intensity exercise helps eliminate stubborn fat in the upper arm region.   

Learn about the causes of upper arm fat and discover what steps you can take to help get rid of flabby arms.

What causes upper arm fat?

Flabby arms, known as bat wings, are excessive fat accumulations in the upper arm region. 

There is a significantly higher prevalence of excess arm fat in women than in men, and hormonal changes, age, and weight fluctuations are thought to play a significant role in the development of stubborn upper arm fat. 

Age

As you age, the skin loses elasticity, and muscle mass typically decreases, which, combined with excess fat accumulation due to age-related weight gain, can cause sagging and flabby upper arms. 

Genetics 

Some individuals are genetically predisposed to have more fat, which increases the likelihood of developing saggy upper arms. 

Weight fluctuations

While excess weight can contribute to fat depositions, rapid weight loss can also lead to loose and flabby arm skin.  

Hormonal changes 

Human growth hormone (HGH), estrogen, and testosterone levels regulate where and how you gain weight, which greatly influences your body composition and metabolic body type. 

Factors such as age, stress, dietary factors, and lifestyle habits can trigger hormonal imbalances and may cause fat accumulation in your upper arms.  

Poor diet 

A diet high in processed foods, sugars, carbs, and excessive calorie intake can contribute to weight gain and overall body fat accumulation, including in the upper arms. 

Watch the video below to learn how to lose fat in the upper arms fast. 

Six ways to get rid of upper arm fat

Losing arm fat can be challenging without addressing the underlying causes. This may explain why you suffer from persistent arm fat even though you regularly lift weights and incorporate bicep curls and strength training exercises into your workout routine.

“Hormones such as estrogen and human growth hormone influence muscle tone, skin elasticity, and determine where your body stores fat, significantly impacting your body shape,” explains Dr. Berg. “Achieving hormonal balance is key to reducing arm fat and promoting overall weight loss.” 

Here are six steps that you can take to support hormonal balance and reduce arm fat.

1. Avoid estrogenic foods

Your diet can significantly influence your hormone levels, and it’s important to be mindful of certain foods that may have estrogenic properties. 

Estrogenic foods either have been treated with hormones or contain natural compounds that can mimic the effect of estrogen in the body and stimulate fat accumulation in the upper arms. 

Here are some foods that are considered to have estrogenic properties:

• Soy products
• Alfalfa 
• Non-organic dairy products 
• Non-organic beef, chicken, and pork 
• Wheat and grains 
• Alcohol, especially beer 

2. Eat cruciferous vegetables daily 

Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, watercress, kale, and cabbage, contain phytochemicals, including glucosinolates. 

When these vegetables are chewed or chopped, glucosinolates are broken down into various bioactive compounds, including indole-3-carbinol (I3C) and sulforaphane.

I3C and sulforaphane promote estrogen metabolism and help convert estradiol, the most potent form of estrogen, into a less active form that helps maintain estrogen balance. 

3. Intermittent fasting 

Intermittent fasting (IF) is a mealtime schedule that cycles between fasting and time-restricted eating. This method also supports overall fat loss, including strategies for losing belly fat. Fasting benefits metabolic health and profoundly influences hormonal balance.

Research published in Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) – Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids highlights that fasting stimulates hormonal changes, such as increased growth hormone and reduced insulin signaling, which helps enhance fat breakdown while reducing fat storage.¹

4. Exercise in short bursts 

Evidence published in Physiological Reports found that short bursts of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) significantly increase human growth hormone levels.²

In addition, HIIT burns fat and improves muscle mass, which reduces overall body fat and can help to get rid of flabby arm fat. 

5. Manage stress

During stress, your adrenal glands release cortisol, a hormone that regulates the body’s natural stress response.

However, chronic stress can lead to persistently elevated cortisol levels, which interfere with estrogen production and disrupt the delicate balance between estrogen and progesterone linked to fat accumulation in the upper arms.  

If you often feel tense and stressed, learning how to relax can help promote hormonal balance, improve sleep, and increase your overall well-being. 

6. Get enough sleep 

Sufficient sleep is essential for hormone regulation, including estrogen balance. Avoid sedative sleep aids, establish a good sleep routine, and limit stimulants such as caffeine and alcohol, which are common reasons for poor sleep.  

And what’s more, sleep quality and duration influence HGH secretion. Deep, uninterrupted sleep is associated with optimal growth hormone release, and sleep disorders, including sleep apnea or insomnia, disrupt normal sleep cycles and negatively impact HGH production.

Watch the video below to learn how to boost human growth hormone production naturally. 

Why is arm fat more common in women than men?

Hormones play a significant role in fat distribution. 

Estrogen, the predominant female sex hormone, stimulates fat accumulation in the subcutaneous layer under the skin rather than the visceral layer around the organs. This explains why men tend to have more belly fat and women are more likely to develop arm fat.

As women age and go through menopause, their ovaries gradually decrease the production of estrogen and other reproductive hormones, including progesterone. 

An imbalanced estrogen-to-progesterone ratio, known as estrogen dominance, is typically the main culprit of age-related weight gain and upper arm fat. 

Women have different body compositions compared to men. They tend to have a higher percentage of subcutaneous fat that sits beneath the skin and less upper arm muscle mass, which can cause fat buildup in the upper arm region. 

FAQ

Sources

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1388198122001524 ?
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5789720/ ?