How Long Does It Take to Get Slim Arms?

The amount of time it takes to get slim arms depends on the amount of overall weight you need to lose. Although you can't spot-reduce your arms, you can participate in aerobic exercise to lose weight all over, including on your arms. When you combine your cardio workouts with arm-toning exercises, you can develop the slim, toned arms you desire.

To lose weight, you must create a 3,500-calorie deficit. This can be achieved through cardiovascular exercise, diet or a combination of both. A safe rate of weight loss is 1 to 2 pounds per week, and losing at this rate will help you keep the weight off for the long-run. By creating a deficit of 500 to 1,000 calories per day, you can lose 1 to 2 pounds all over, which will help you slim down your arms. If you only need to lose 5 pounds total, you can get slim arms and a slender body in two and a half to five weeks. To figure out how long it will take for you to get slim arms, you just need to divide the total amount of weight you need to lose by one or two, depending on whether you plan to lose 1 or 2 pounds per week.

Cardiovascular exercise will play a big role in your weight-loss plan, as well as in helping you get slim arms. Plan to burn 500 calories per day if you want to lose 1 pound weekly through exercise. Aerobic exercises such as tennis, swimming and rowing will engage your arm muscles and help you burn about 500 calories per hour. Other cardio exercises you can perform for the same calorie burn are jogging and biking. If you'd rather do more moderate exercises, such as brisk walking, you can burn 250 calories per hour or 500 in two hours.

Strength-training exercises won't help you lose fat, but they will help you build muscles and get sleeker-looking arms. Plan on doing strength-training exercises two to three times per week, for 15 or 20 minutes each session. You can use free weights, such as kettlebells or dumbbells, or just use your own body weight. Effective arm exercises include biceps curls, triceps kickbacks, shoulder presses, dumbbell rows and arm raises.

Reducing your daily caloric intake and eating a healthy diet can also help you reach your goal of less weight and slimmer arms. Trim 250 to 500 calories per day from your intake to lose an additional 1/2 to 1 pound each week. Simple changes such as swapping water for cola and mustard for mayonnaise can help you cut about 250 calories easily. Consume lean proteins, whole grains, fresh produce and nonfat milk to maintain energy for exercising and daily activities. Drink at least eight glasses of water per day to feel full and keep yourself hydrated. Before you get started on working toward slimmer arms as part of your weight-loss goal, get the OK from your doctor.