If you’ve ever felt self-conscious in a tank top, this may be a goal for you—and you’re not alone. Even the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover model previously acknowledged to being so self-conscious about her armpit fat that she underwent liposuction to address it!
Plastic surgery is obviously not an option for most people, but that doesn’t mean you’re out of options if you’re self-conscious about your armpit fat.
“There are three factors to getting rid of armpit fat: targeted exercises, a balanced diet, and overall fat loss,” says Blink Fitness certified personal trainer. “It is critical to recognize that you cannot eliminate fat from a specific location of your body. You may, however, tone and build your muscles to shape your look.”
Discover precisely how to do so.
What Is the Cause of Armpit Fat?
According to ISSA Master certified personal trainer with Crunch Fitness, there are several reasons of armpit fat, and you should consult with your doctor to see what’s causing yours before beginning an exercise routine to get rid of it. These causes, according to Merenini, can include:
Being overweight increases the likelihood of fat accumulation in the armpit area. If you are sedentary after ingesting calories, your body will accumulate fat because wasted calories are turned to fat.
Infected lymph nodes can produce swelling in the underarm, which can lead to fat buildup in the region.
If your genes decide that you have underarm fat depositions, you are more prone to accumulate fat in the armpit region.
A hormonal imbalance can also create armpit fat. Swelling can be caused by fluctuating progesterone and estrogen levels in your body, which is a recognized cause of extra underarm fat.
According to Lifetime Fitness instructor, two other highly prevalent reasons of armpit fat that are actually really easy to address but often neglected are wearing a bra or top that is too tight for your body and having bad posture.
“Tops or bras that are too tight can cause the skin between the breasts and armpits to spill out,” Dr. Kopach warns. “Standing up straight may also help reduce the appearance of extra armpit skin if you have a forward-rolling shoulder posture.”
The Best Exercise for Losing Armpit Fat
If you know what’s causing your armpit fat and want to get rid of it, it’s probably easier than you think. The best workout for getting rid of armpit fat, according to trainers, involves no equipment and can be done practically anywhere: pushups!
“Pushups target multiple muscles, including the underarms, shoulders, and chest,” explains Dr. Kopach. “You can also build upper body strength and endurance with this exercise.”
Other Ways to Reduce Armpit Fat
Aside from pushups, numerous additional workouts can help tone your armpits.
“Armpit fat accumulation can be reduced by adopting a healthy lifestyle and an effective weight-training routine,” Merenini recommends. “People with more muscle burn more calories, even when they are resting.”
You may divide the amount of time you spend working out.
“I would recommend a full body workout three days a week,” Chelsea Pier Fitness trainer explains. “You can also split the workouts into two days, doing chest and back one day and biceps and triceps the next.”
Garcia advises the following moves:
Arm movements
“Making circles for 30 seconds to one minute engages both your shoulders and upper back muscles,” adds Garcia.
Rows bent over
According to Garcia, “this targets the upper back and shoulder muscles.”
Dips in the triceps
“These work the muscles in the back of your arms, which can help reduce armpit fat,” explains Garcia. More trainer-approved strategies to tone your triceps may be found here.
And, of course, get a nice bra fitted. It can make a huge difference right away!