Dear Jellybean,
I've read a lot of your advice articles about getting a fit tummy and legs, but the thing that really makes me self consious is my arms. They're a lot chubbier than the rest of my body! I've gotten into the habit of doing 10 push ups a day, but while I seem to be getting stronger at them, it doesn't seem to be making my arms any thinner! Are there any other excersises or anything that I could do to lose arm fat?
-Flabby Arms
Dear Flabby Arms,
Push-ups are a great exercise for toning the upper arms, but 10 push-ups a day probably isn't enough to change the appearance of your arms. You'd be way better off working your arms every other day, and doing a series of exercises to target the biceps muscle (the top-of-arm muscle) and the triceps muscle (the back part of your arm, which is usually the area that looks flabbiest).
According to the fitness expert who I consulted about your question, you don't need to join a gym to get the toned arms of your dreams. You just need a good arm routine that you can do at home. A good combination of moves might be bench dips (put hands behind you on a bench or couch, legs straight out in front and keeping upper body straight, bend from the elbows to a low position and push up, repeating 15 times), push-ups (aim for 15), bicep curls with light dumbbells, and maybe one other triceps move (check the library or the web for exercises).
Keep in mind that while exercise plays a key role in getting toned, so does nutrition. You can have the strongest, tightest muscles ever - but if there's a layer of fat on top, nobody will see them. Make sure you're eating enough food to fuel your activity, but that it's healthy food, with a good balance from all the major food groups. Try to avoid junk food and fast food, drink water instead of sodas or juices, and go heavy on the fruits, veggies and proteins. For more information about eating right for your age and fitness goals, check out the Canada Food Guide Website.
