Arm Flab Solutions

Q: I walk nearly every day, but my arms are flabby. What exercise can I do before, during or after my walk to firm up?

A: An upper arm can jiggle for two reasons: poor muscle tone in the triceps and biceps muscles, and extra fat that accumulates in the area.

No strengthening exercise will reduce the fat. For that you need to do more cardio. Since you already walk every day, you may need to walk faster or for a longer period to burn a few more calories to make the difference. (Walking works your legs, but the energy your body uses to fuel your walk is taken from all over your body, including your arms.) Over time, you may see your arms thin out. Of course, some people have a predisposition to store body fat in certain places and so it may be harder to lose.

If you simply want to tone up, moves that target the muscles and make them stronger can help. You can start by doing one to three sets of eight to 12 repetitions of two basic exercises. Use 3- to 10-pound dumbbells (start light, work your way up to heavier weights):

1. Do a biceps curl where you hold a dumbbell straight by your side and bend your elbow to slowly bring the weight up to your shoulder, then back down again.

2. Perform a triceps extension where you lie on your back and hold a dumbbell in both hands straight above your head so that your arms are vertical. Bend both elbows to lower the weight behind your head toward the floor (keep the elbows pointing up, not out). Then straighten the arms, pushing the weight back up toward the ceiling.

If you walk outside, you can drop down and do one set of eight to 12 pushups. (Start by doing two to four reps and working you way up to a full set if you are not used to doing them.) Do all strengthening moves three times a week and over two or three months you should see a noticeable difference in how firm you feel.

Whatever you do, do not walk with a pair of hand weights. The strengthening benefit you get from swinging light weights as you walk is minimal and you can actually strain your elbows and shoulders doing this.

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Martica is a Manhattan-based exercise physiologist and nutritionist and an award-winning fitness instructor. She has written for a variety of publications including Self , Health , Prevention , The New York Times and others. Martica is the author of seven books, including her latest, Cross-Training for Dummies . (Read her full bio.)