According to our experts, the reason you gain weight so rapidly in your midsection and not in, say, your calves and forearms is because the adipocytes (or fat cells), which are found throughout the body, are more plentiful in the hips, butt, stomach, and thigh area for women and stomach for men.
Weight gain in your midsection that is around the stomach and back may be the result of certain lifestyle decisions. Sometimes, you may see that fat accumulation is just around the midsection even if your legs are skinny. The two S's, stress and sugar, have an effect on the size of your abdomen.
What Causes Fat In Arms? Arm fat is often a result of excess fat in the body. Chances are, your body has decided to store some excess fat under the skin – and it happens to be on your arms. It can also show up on your thighs and on the stomach and honestly, it's just a natural occurrence when you gain weight.
Abdominal weight gain and thin arms and legs are among the classic signs of hypercortisolism. The signs and symptoms of Cushing's syndrome—also called hypercortisolism or Cushing's disease—can vary, and not everyone with Cushing's syndrome will experience the same symptoms.
People who regularly eat and drink more calories than they burn each day are more likely to gain extra weight, including belly fat. Getting older also makes a difference. People lose muscle as they age. And the problem is worse for those who are not physically active.
Caloric Deficits Are Key. Eliminating extra arm fat requires you to push yourself to move more, whether by taking several walks per day or increasing the amount of intense cardio you perform. One light stroll at a moderate pace is not enough on a daily basis. Add some short sprints to increase your results, if possible ...
Subcutaneous fat is that unsightly pudge under your skin. It's extremely hard to make disappear, even with the most strict exercise regimen and diet. Unfortunately, there's no way to target this fat, especially when it's lingering in visible places such as your arms. You have your genetics to thank for this.
Directing your body to gain fat in a particular area is impossible, because your body has a set pattern for weight gain that's genetically determined. If your arms and legs seem disproportionately thin, fill them out with healthy muscle tissue, rather than fat.
Sometimes, excess fat around the belly is due to hormones. Hormones help regulate many bodily functions, including metabolism, stress, hunger, and sex drive. If a person has a deficiency in certain hormones, it may result in weight gain around the abdomen, which is known as a hormonal belly.
The PCOS belly involves the accumulation of visceral fat in the lower abdomen and typically feels firm to the touch. A PCOS belly is also characterized by a high waist-to-hip ratio of greater than 0.87 (apple body shape). However, some individuals may not experience any noticeable changes in their stomach.
Hormonal weight gain affects different areas in men and women. Men tend to gain excess weight in the abdominal area. However, premenopausal women add pounds around the hips and thighs. After menopause, women usually gain weight in the abdomen and develop a "menopausal belly."
While there isn't one magic food that will melt away belly fat, studies have reported certain foods have special belly-fat-burning benefits, such as avocado, artichokes, whole grains, kefir, green tea, eggs, peanuts and chickpeas.
While it's not possible to pick and choose which body parts will gain or lose weight, losing overall body fat will eventually lead to less arm fat. Combining this with strength training will help your arms appear leaner as you lose weight and gain muscle mass.
And when you focus too much on the arms, muscles don't get a chance to rest. “Rest and letting muscles cooperate is essential to muscle development, toning, growth and strength,” he added. “You have to remember it's your body, so your muscles will react differently to certain exercises …
Hormonal changes: Hormonal changes are often responsible for weight gain that contributes to your stubborn upper arm fat. Pregnancy and menopause are two major causes of hormone changes. Genetics: Some people are simply genetically predisposed to accumulate excess upper arm fat.
If you want your arms to appear slimmer, focus on tops that define and highlight your waist. Look for shirts with a low waistline and fitted silhouettes, such as wrap tops, to emphasize your natural curves. Avoid boxy styles which can make your arms look wider and draw attention away from the silhouette of your waist.
If reducing overall body fat, including belly fat, is your ultimate goal, aerobic exercises that increase your heart rate, such as walking, running or swimming, and aerobic exercise combined with strength training are the gold standards when it comes to exercise that supports weight loss.
You Might Be Eating Too Little
This phenomenon is called “starvation mode,” and while your body isn't actually starving, it will naturally hold onto whatever calories it receives in an effort to help you maintain your energy balance.
This type of fat storage can happen, even in a very healthy person if they're: Having too many easy-to-consume calories such as liquid calories like soda pop, juice, or pushing themselves with a hard bulk. Eating highly processed calories that take up little space in your stomach allowing someone to overeat.