Losing upper body weight requires total body weight reduction. Losing weight from one area of the body appears to be a myth, advises the American Council on Exercise. To reduce weight in one area of your body you need to make several lifestyle changes. Without lifestyle changes, your may quickly gain back any weight you lose, advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Eating Habits
For weight loss, you must eliminate poor eating habits like eating too fast, skipping meals, eating just to eat, never skipping desert and always cleaning your plate, advises the CDC. You can identify your eating habits by keeping a food journal that lists exactly what you eat and when you eat. Noting how you feel each time you eat, may help you identify triggers causing you to eat even when you are not hungry. Make a list of changes you can make to your life that may encourage healthier eating habits like eating with friends or planning meals in advance. Be sure to include plenty of fruit, vegetables and whole grains, along with some lean meats and dairy products into your daily meal plans.
Physical Activity
To lose weight, you need to use more calories than you consume. You can increase the calories you use by becoming more physically active. Making simple changes to your day can help you increase your physical activity. You can start by doing your own house work, push mowing the grass, raking leaves, taking your dog or kids for a short walk, standing while talking on the phone or parking farther away from your destination, advises the American Heart Association.
Aerobic Exercise
Moderately intense aerobic exercise burns more calories than simple increases in daily activity. You need to create a deficit of 3500 calories to lose one pound of fat, advises FamilyDoctor.org. In order to noticeably lose weight, you may have to include 60 to 90 minutes of moderately intense exercise at least five days each week, according to the American Council on Exercise. The average person should already be getting 30 minutes of moderately intense exercise five days a week to maintain their health. While any amount of aerobic exercise will increase your caloric expenditure, you should aim for a minimum of 30 minutes most days of the week. Aerobic exercise may be in the form of brisk walking, cycling, dance aerobic classes, active sports like basketball or any other activity that increases your heart rate and makes you sweat while allowing you to carry on a conversation. Focusing your aerobic workouts on upper body movements like swinging your arms while walking or using an arm bike may help tone the muscles in your upper body, making your upper body look leaner.
Upper Body Toning Exercises
Toning the upper body may not only help you look leaner. It will help you burn calories, too. When toning the upper body, you want to work the muscles of the arms (biceps and triceps), shoulders (deltoids and rotator cuff), back (erector spinae, latissimus dorsi, rhomboids and trapezius), and chest (pectorals). Upper body strengthening exercises include the bench press, push up, lat pulldown, bicep curl, hammer curls, tricep extensions, tricep pulldown, flat dumbbell fly, lateral dumbbell raise and overhead press, according to Georgia State University.
References
- FamilyDoctor.org: What It Takes To Lose Weight
- American Council on Exercise: Why Is The Concept Of Spot Reduction Considered A Myth?
- American Heart Association: Physical Activity In Your Daily Life
- American College Of Sports Medicine: Physical Activity Guidelines
- Centers For Disease Control And Prevention: Healthy Weight
Member Comments