Flabby Arms by Jane Thurnell-Read

When you’re young, you tend not to worry about your arms at all -  in fact you probably hardly ever look at your arms. As you get older or if you’ve lost a lot of weight, your arms are likely to become a source of anxiety and distress for you. Flabby arms or bingo wings – whatever you call  them – they make you feel self-conscious and unhappy about yourself. Some women, who have got flabby arms as a result of weight loss, put weight on again because they believe that fat arms are better than flabby arms!

For many years I’ve been a keen cyclist, but last November I decided to join the local gym. When I was trying on clothes to wear at the gym, I put on a sleeveless top, took one look at myself in the mirror and took it off again. My upper arms looked dreadful – there was no way I could parade my arms in public and in gym with some of the walls covered with mirrors, so I went wearing short sleeved tee shirts.

I found people were very friendly and I was given great weights routines to do.  I started going regularly to the gym, joined some spin classes, made friends with other gym customers, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. At the gym I saw a woman who had been at school with one of my sons. She had great arms, but she’s only 27. I decided I wanted to get my arms to look as good as I could and as close to hers as possible. Every six weeks I get my gym routine changed – this keeps me interested and motivated and means my body has to work in different ways and doesn’t get used to the exercises.  After a few months I told the gym instructor that I wanted to add extra exercises for my arms.

It’s July now, so seven months since I started doing weight training, and today I got talking to another lady in the gym. She told me she was in her early 50’s and was worried about her flabby arms. I told her that I was 62 and described how my arms were last November (flabby and wrinkly – not a pretty sight!).  She was amazed and said “You look fabulous.  Just fabulous.” She told me she was going to tell the gym instructor that she wanted arms like mine.  As you can probably imagine, I felt great at this comment. To have arms that other people admire is a great feeling. She was obviously excited to at the idea that she could do something about it. It was a definite win-win situation for both of us.

You can have toned arms whatever your age. It may be easier to have toned arms when in your twenties than when you’re in your fifties, sixties or seventies. But it can be done. It takes hard work and determination, but there are all sorts of other benefits. You will be stronger too, so carrying shopping, lifting a grandchild, moving garden rubbish all becomes easier.

So what exactly have I been doing to get rid of those flabby arms? My flabby arms exercises include weight training for the biceps, triceps and shoulder muscles. Don’t worry if you don’t know what that means, the gym instructor at your local gym can show you what you need to do. I started off using weight machines, but now I do a lot of exercises with free weights (dumbbells).  The machines are easier to use and should definitely be where you start, but using free weights has extra benefits. With free weights you need to stabilise your core muscles while you work – improving your waist, back, bottom and abdominal muscles.  Also using fee weights means that it is obvious if one arm is doing most of the work. That’s not always obvious when you use weight machines.  But start with weight machines for most of your exercises to minimise your chance of injury.

As well as firming up the arms, I’ve also wanted to improve the look of the skin. I’ve been doing that by taking anthocyanidins. The anthocyanidin supplement I use is based on fruit extracts. You may not have heard of anthocyanidins, but they have an important role to play in maintaining the health of collagen. Collagen is a protein that is responsible for the structure and firmness of the skin. Anthocyanidins also have lots of other benefits – they strengthen capillaries and so reduce water retention; they can help with hay fever and also are beneficial in preventing macular degeneration (one of the main causes of blindness in older people).

I’ve also been using some great products from Weleda. They aren’t based on petroleum like many skin products are. There is some evidence that petroleum products interfere with the natural processes of the skin and so are in the long-term harmful for you. Instead Weleda products are based on natural oils. I particularly like their Sea Buckthorn Body Oil and the Wild Rose Body lotion. I use them both – choosing the one I prefer according to my feeling of the moment. (I have no connection with Weleda, financial or otherwise). By the way if you have stretch marks, which I don't, take a zinc supplement. You won't see immediate results, but zinc helps scars and other skin damage.

I now have arms that look great. I like wearing sleeveless tops that show off my arms. Gone are the days when the only way I’d wear a sleeveless top was with something else over my arms. Women often worry about getting too many muscles. We don’t have enough of the male hormone testosterone to do this without complete dedication to body building and a special diet. Instead what you’re aiming for is a toned body that is strong and flexible.

It takes work, but it can be done. Set yourself the target and go for it.

Copyright 2010 Jane Thurnell Read


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