How to Get rid of Upper Body Fat

You need to apply several different methods to get rid of upper body fat. You have to do cardio to burn fat. Train your chest, arms and back to develop more defined muscles, and get rid of excess fat on your back. Eating healthy will help you avoid wasting effort in the gym.

Table of Contents

Use cardio to burn fat

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Go for a run if you can’t get to the gym. Jogging is a great cardio exercise if you don’t have a bike or rowing machine but want an effective workout. Practice running for 20-30 minutes each time, 3 times a week. It doesn’t matter if you run fast or slow, as long as you run faster than walking speed. ^{[1] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to Source}

Running is a high-impact cardio exercise, so if you have foot or knee problems, choose another exercise.

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Cycling is a low-impact exercise. Cycling provides the same effect as running, but with less impact on the legs. You can ride on a stationary bike, or ride a real bike outdoors. Cycle 3 times a week, 30-45 minutes each time. ^{[2] X Trusted Source Nature Go to Source}

If you find cycling too easy, increase the resistance of the bike or stationary bike.

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Go swimming for a full body workout. Swimming works the muscles all over the body and also burns a lot of fat. You can use the basic freestyle, or combine different strokes – butterfly, breaststroke, and backstroke. The duration of each swim depends on your health, but initially you should swim 20-30 minutes / time, 3 times a week. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

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Walking is a low-impact exercise. This is a great cardio exercise if you have an injury or don’t have enough endurance for a more intense workout. Walk for 20-45 minutes each time, 2-3 times a week. You can go for a walk outdoors, on the treadmill, or on the walk in the gym. ^{[4] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

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Choose 1-2 favorite cardio exercises per week. You should do cardio 2-3 times per week, 20-30 minutes per day. You can do the same cardio every day or change it up after each session. ^{[5] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to Source}

For example, if you do cardio on Mondays and Wednesdays, you could walk on both days, or walk one day and swim one day.

Exercises for chest and arms

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Lie on a bench with a pair of dumbbells to work your chest muscles. Lie on your back on a couch or on a flat surface. Hold two dumbbells at chest level, keeping palms facing each other and shoulder width apart. Rotate the arm so that the palm is facing out, and the forearm and upper arm form a 90-degree angle. Exhale as you use your chest muscles to push the two dumbbells up. Straighten your arms completely and breathe for one second. Slowly lower the weights down as you inhale. ^{[6] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to Source}

Do 3 reps, 8-10 reps each time.
To determine how much weight to use, find the heaviest weight you can lift for 1 rep. Then calculate the weight of the single set equal to 60-70% of the heaviest weight. For example, if the heaviest weight you can lift in one stroke is 4.5kg, you should use a set of 2.5kg dumbbells.
When you start to feel like there’s no resistance to your current weight, recheck your heaviest weight and adjust the dumbbell set accordingly.

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Do one-handed shoulder push-ups to develop triceps. Stand with your feet slightly wider than your shoulders. Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Bring a dumbbell up to shoulder level and palms facing out – this is the starting position. Exhale and push the dumbbells up until your arms are fully extended. Pause for a second and then lower the weight back down. Do 8-10 reps then switch to the other hand. Repeat 3 times. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

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Rowing upright dumbbells to tone your back. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing thighs. Keep your back straight and arms slightly bent at elbows. Lift the dumbbells up to your shoulders while exhaling, keeping the dumbbells as close to your body as possible. Keep your elbows resting on your forearms while lifting the weights, and lift the dumbbells as close to your chin as possible. Hold the dumbbells for a second and then inhale while slowly lowering the dumbbells back down. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Repeat 3 times with 10-12 beats/time.

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Uphill push-ups. Stand in front of a bench or an inclined surface. Place your hands on a chair or flat surface, hands slightly wider than shoulder width. Step your feet back so that your body is straight and your arms are flat on a flat surface. Keep your body straight and slowly lower yourself to the edge of a chair or flat surface. Then push back up until your arms are straight. ^{[9] X Research Source}

Repeat three times, 8-15 beats each time.

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Stretch the back biceps. Lie on your back on a couch or on a flat surface. Hold a set of dumbbells in front of you, arms forming a 90-degree angle to the bench and body. Close your elbows and palms facing each other. Inhale, keep the upper arm stationary and lower the dumbbell to the ear by bending the arm at the elbow. When lowering the dumbbell to your ears, use your back biceps to lift the dumbbell upwards while exhaling. ^{[10] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

Repeat three times, 6-8 beats each time.

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Choose 2-3 of these exercises for each workout. You don’t have to do all of these exercises in every workout. Instead, choose 2-3 exercises to do on chest and arm days.

Exercise for back muscles

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Practice pull-ups. Grip the bar with your palms facing out, the distance between your hands slightly narrower than your shoulders. Your arms should be straight above you and your torso as straight as possible. Exhale as you pull your body up until your head is level with the bar. Hold this position by squeezing your biceps slightly, and exhale as you slowly lower your body to the starting position. ^{[11] X Research Source}

If you don’t have the strength to do this move on your own, ask someone else to hold your leg for support.
Repeat 5 times, 2-3 times each time.

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Rowing dumbbells to work the back and arms. Place your right knee on the bench and bend at the waist until your upper body is parallel to the floor, then place your right hand on the chair. Use your left hand to lift a single dumbbell off the floor and hold the dumbbell with your palm facing your body, arms straight, and back straight. Exhale as you slowly lift the dumbbells, bending your arms at the elbows and keeping your upper arms close to your body. Squeeze your back muscles as you lift the weights up to your chest. Inhale as you lower the weight back to the floor. ^{[12] X Research Source}

Repeat the movement 3 times, 8-10 times / time for each side of the body.

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Sitting bent over dumbbells. Sit on the edge of a bench with your feet close together and place two dumbbells slightly behind your legs. Bend at the waist, keeping your back straight and palms facing each other, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Keep your arms slightly bent at the elbows and exhale as you swing the dumbbells to your sides until your arms are parallel to the floor. Hold the dumbbells in this position for 1 second and then slowly lower the dumbbells while inhaling. ^{[13] X Research Source}

Repeat 3 times, 6-8 beats each time.

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Choose 2 or 3 exercises to add to your workout. To make your back muscles more defined and burn fat, you should diversify the way you train your back muscles. Combining these 2-3 back exercises can help you achieve your goals.

Follow a healthy diet

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Eat three well-balanced meals a day to lose belly fat. Eating three well-balanced meals a day can help reduce body fat. Each meal should have a mix of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and lean protein. ^{[14] X Research Source}

For example, a well-balanced dinner might include grilled chicken breast, stewed vegetables, and brown rice.

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Stop drinking soda. Even diet soda can increase fat around the belly. Eliminate soda, whether regular soda or diet soda, and replace it with flavored water. If you miss the bubbling sound of soda, use carbonated mineral water. ^{[15] X Research Source}

You should also eliminate energy drinks from your diet. They usually contain a lot of sugar. You can drink unsweetened energy drinks if you like, but be sure to check the nutrition facts to make sure there’s no sugar.

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Eat more fiber to get rid of back fat. Fiber will keep you full for longer and reduce cravings for junk food. Empty calories in junk food often cause fat to accumulate in the back, so eating more fiber can actually reduce back fat. Replace regular breads and pastas with whole-wheat varieties, and add nuts to your diet. ^{[16] X Harvard Medical Schop Trusted Source Go to Source}

For example, you can replace white pasta with whole wheat pasta and still have your favorite pasta dishes.

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Stop eating sugar. If you eat too much sugar, your body will produce more insulin and store more fat. Stay away from candy and junk foods that are high in sugar. Be sure to check the nutrition facts of your favorite foods – even low-sugar varieties have more sugar than you think. Each serving should contain only 0-2 grams of sugar. ^{[17] X Research Source}

If you’re having trouble eliminating sugar from your diet, start replacing high-sugar foods with low-sugar foods. For example, you can use a natural sugar substitute like Truvia when making your coffee. You can also replace your favorite candy with a sugar-free one.

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Control portion sizes. If you do not pay attention to the amount of food in each meal, the choice of food will not make much sense. You can reduce the amount of food by using smaller plates, measuring snacks in advance, and using measuring cups to measure servings. ^{[18] X Trusted Source National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Go to source}

If you’re using a smaller plate, make sure at least half the plate is full of vegetables.
Use small bags to portion out snacks. For example, if you buy a large bag of low-calorie popcorn, divide that large bag into several smaller bags. That way you won’t be able to eat the whole big bag!
Use a measuring cup to measure each serving. If you’re making recipes by serving size, measure with a measuring cup. You’ll know what the serving size looks like.

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Don’t eat after dinner. If you eat too close to bedtime, your body doesn’t have a chance to burn calories and prevent your body from storing fat. After having dinner, you should not eat for the rest of the evening. If you feel hungry, drink water or tea. ^{[19] X Research Source}

If you must eat between dinner and bedtime, eat low-calorie foods like vegetables.

Warning

Before starting a serious exercise regimen, you should talk to your doctor.

Steps

Use cardio to burn fat

Exercises for chest and arms

Exercise for back muscles

Follow a healthy diet

Warning

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