Today, I’m sharing tips on how to lose arm fat that’s flabby and saggy, no matter how stubborn it is. You’d be surprised to know how big of a role your hormones play here!
The Improper Function of the Adrenal Glands Is the Cause of Loose Skin
The adrenal glands are small organs located at the top of each kidney. They create hormones that aid the body in managing blood sugar levels, regulating blood pressure, reacting to stressors like a major injury, and burning fat and protein. Hormonally, at 38, things start shifting in the body.
Over a period of a few more years of age, around age 50, the ovaries stop working. There is a backup organ which is the adrenal gland. So what happens is it will shift from the ovarian hormones to the adrenal hormone. If there is anything wrong with that adrenal gland before menopause and the ovary starts having problems, everything is magnified like loose skin and flabby arms, hot flashes, and bone loss.
There is loss of collagen, which means loss of hormones, too. Not only that, collagen is an essential nutrient for the skin. Once there is a lack of supply, your skin loses its internal support, leading to wrinkles and skin sagging. Your skin’s resistance to stretch marks lowers as well since collagen naturally has a strong resistance to them. Learning these definitions will help you understand how to lose arm fat more effectively.
These are the hormones that go down:
Testosterone – the main male sex hormone that plays an important role in developing male reproductive tissues like prostate and testes and also affects body mass
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) – an anti-stress hormone made by the adrenal gland that plays a crucial role in synthesizing androgen and estrogen
Estrogen – controls fertility and the menstrual cycle
Progesterone – rises during the second half of the menstrual cycle
Growth Hormone – stimulates cell reproduction and regeneration and growth and is responsible for the loose skin and arm flab; when you are an adult, it controls the burning of fat, tightening of muscles, energy levels, collagen, and all the protein – hair, nails, and skin, which goes down as you age
After menopause, most women go through what they call “estrogen dominance” and this refers to the ratio of estrogen to progesterone. Even though the estrogen level decreases, progesterone really decreases, too. But still, estrogen remains higher or dominant.
If the cortisol is too high, it destroys muscle mass, and your body goes into a catabolic state, which is the breakdown of muscles and proteins faster than you can build it up. It may also lead to chronic complications like osteoporosis, Type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure. Chances of suffering from weight gain might be high as it enhances your appetite.
Having high levels of cortisol can increase your risk of infection as well as impede your immune system. The hormone triggers tiredness, too, because it disrupts the regular cycle of other hormones, causing fatigue and interfering with your sleep pattern. You will see loose skin and a saggy stomach. So now, you have two hormones destroying your body – growth hormone and cortisol.
What to Do About Saggy Skin and How to Lose Arm Fat
When losing arm fat and saggy skin, you want to lower your cortisol and raise growth hormone. Since cortisol is triggered by stress, everything you do is to reduce stress.
For lowering cortisol, you should:
Perform low-intensity workout routines like walking or yoga
Increase sleep by following a regular sleeping schedule, avoiding beverages that do not promote sleep like caffeine and alcohol, not eating heavy evening meals, and taking sleep-promoting supplements
Support the gland with nutrition and acupressure
Avoid stress such as people in certain situations, indulging in physical activities, getting more sleep, and performing relaxation techniques
Increase potassium intake with vegetables, avocados, and beans
Increase intake of B vitamins like nutritional yeast, citrus fruits, leafy greens, legumes, seeds and nuts, and whole grains
Avoid sugar
To raise growth hormone, you should:
Do high-intensity interval training after fixing sleep and lowering the cortisol. Go for an intense full body workout in short intervals and with plenty of rest in between.
Increase sleep
Add protein, no more than 6 grams per meal
Do intermittent fasting – get rid of snacks between meals and follow the method that works best for you to lose weight
Lower cortisol and Fat Storing Hormone (no sugar)
Support liver health by exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet and tracking your daily calories, avoiding toxins, and maintaining a healthy weight.
You'll see within the next month that the tightness of the skin and toned arms will start coming back. But, if your stomach is not strong enough as far as acidity is concerned, meaning you experience bloating, acid reflux, burping, and gas, then you can’t break down the collagen or the protein. You can take something to acidify the stomach and pull collagen into the cells to allow your skin, nails, and hair to come back. It will also allow you to absorb the minerals better.
Now you’ve learned what the real cause of sagging skin is, so you’ll be guided in finding ways to reduce arm fat. It’s only a matter of changing your lifestyle into something healthier to prevent loose arm fat and any related skin sagging.
Do you have sagging skin and loose arm fat? What are your ways to lose arm fat fast? Share your experience in the comments section below.