You’ve done it! You’ve finally lost all those extra pounds and gotten down to a healthy weight. As a Brain Warrior*, you should feel great about yourself, and I applaud you! But when you high-5 your friends, are you noticing any annoying flab flapping on the back of your arms? Don’t get frustrated. There’s a lot Brain Warriors can do to tighten and tone your arms.
Choose Foods To Get Fit
Although some extra skin may remain after significant weight loss, the ability to create more lean muscle (or retain what you have), can be influenced greatly by the ratio of proteins, healthy fats, and carbohydrates you’re eating. I recommend a 70-30 ratio—70% plant and 30% protein. If you’re not doing so already, focus on making sure you’re consuming an adequate amount of high-quality protein, which is determined by your weight, age, and activity level. Eating some protein with every meal and snack should be a priority.
Think About When You Eat
What you eat is important, but when you eat matters too. For women, having a combo snack that includes protein and carbohydrate 1-2 hours after a workout can help with muscle building. A protein smoothie—like my Mango Smoothie—can give you the protein and carbs your body needs.
Know Your History
The ability to have more toned arms depends in part on your history of exercising, genetics, and previous muscle mass. For example, if you have been lean and toned earlier in your life, there is a higher likelihood that your body will “return” to something closer to that state versus someone who has not.
Focus on Functional Fitness
Consider working with a trainer or coach who takes a more functional approach to fitness. This means working on your whole body to improve tone, strength, posture, and balance as opposed to simply lifting weights as an isolated activity. Some great ways to do this include Pilates, Barre method, ballet, or yoga. These types of activities can be highly effective in transforming the shape of your body as they improve posture, balance, and strength.
Share your weight-loss story on my Facebook page so other Warriors can learn from your success. For more fitness tips, check out my website and get more detailed information on eating for optimal brain and body health in The Omni Diet. It’s 21% off when you use the promo code TANA21.
