Banish the bingo wings now
The dreaded bingo wings seem to creep up from nowhere and stick around for much longer than we would like, so what can we do to shift them?
Work those triceps
PT Hollie Miles at Pure Gym says the key to combating bingo wings starts with getting your triceps working:
“Try using a chair or box step to do tricep dips and commit to doing a short session of these every morning or evening. If you struggle to motivate yourself to do these at home, then try ‘Pure Pump’ at Pure Gym , a full body resistance workout which will include a tricep track.
Spinning is also good because although this predominately targets the legs, holding onto the handle bars activates the triceps as well.”
Eat only the ‘good’ fats!
Making sure that your diet includes certain key nutrients can go a long way towards targeting stubborn fat that can gather in the upper arms. Diana Green, nutritionist at REVIVAL bootcamp says:
“A calcium-rich diet is associated with higher rates of fat oxidation and the acceleration of fat loss. Foods which contain dairy can help to convert fat stores into useable energy. Try to incorporate low fat yoghurts, cottage cheese, tofu, sardines with bones and fortified non-diary milks like soya, rice and oat into your diet. Foods with ‘good fats’ like avocados are also great.”
Resistance is key
If you want to go one step further than push-ups, Scott Storey, Personal Trainer at the Reebok Sports Club , says a great way to help tighten and firm the triceps is heavy loaded resistance training:
“Triceps respond well to stress and a great exercise is the ‘lying close grip bench press’. If you don't have a barbell and weights then the push-up is a secondary exercise to use.”
Lie on a flat bench with your feet planted firmly on the ground. Lift the bar from the rack or pins with your arms shoulder width apart and your elbows only slightly flared out. Lower the bar slowly to your chest and then press to lockout. Repeat 8 times and then rest. This exercise will also hit your shoulders and your chest to a degree. Try to do 5 sets and use a spotter or gym professional to help you if you feel unsure about setting up the exercise. Remember, safety and performance are the same thing.
Get scrubbing…
Ensure that your arms are kept healthy and well moisturised. Regular body brushing will help to remove dead skin and increase circulation. NIP+FAB’s Upper Arm Fix is also a celebrity favourite, as it claims to help tone and soften the upper arms.
Shift the stubborn fat…for good
Certain areas of the body are predisposed to store fat and, for a lot of us, the upper arms are one of these areas. VASER lipo is a minimally invasive treatment which removes fat and improves the overall shape and contouring of the body.
For celebs like Maria Fowler, Made in Chelsea’s Binky and Jennifer Metcalfe, VASER is a procedure which has helped to target stubborn areas of the body which could not be helped by diet and exercise alone. Dr Mike Comins at The Private Clinic on Harley Street says:
“VASER is a specialist procedure which can target specific areas of the body, including the arms. The treatment removes unwanted fat to reveal a more toned, slender appearance. It goes one step further than traditional liposuction in that it sculpts and shapes around the muscle to improve and enhance definition.”
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