As women, we already worry enough about the effects of ageing, and how we’re going to cope when wrinkles inevitably begin to rear their ugly head. With so much to fret over already, we don’t need to be stressing over the possibility of unsightly ‘bingo wings’, too.
Not sure what I’m talking about? It’s the saggy skin between your elbow and shoulder, underneath your arm. You know, the skin that keeps flapping a few seconds after you’ve finished waving. Yeah, not something to look forward to. So I thought I’d head to the very top to discover how best to avoid this saggy skin syndrome. Straight to the totally firm-armed First Lady, Michelle Obama.
Talk about inspiration. This mum-of-two looks as though she’s a marathon sprinter. She’s fit and totally fabulous – and we’ve come up with a few ideas on how she may have dodged the dreaded ‘bingo wing’ look.
TRICK TO BANISH BINGO WINGS #1: stop fearing weights.
As women, we tend to leave the weights to the boys. No lady wants to have arms like Arnie, and surely those four kilogram weights will award you with mammoth muscles that will catapult you straight into the bodybuilding arena, right? Wrong. So very, very wrong. Keep in mind that as we get older, everything shifts a little south. You don’t want the skin under your arms to follow suit, trust me. Regular weightlifting with small weights will ensure your arms look more fit, less flabby and I swear you won’t score freakish Madonna-style muscles. Try horizontal arm raises in reps of 20 and you’ll begin to feel the burn!
TRICK TO BANISH BINGO WINGS #2: it’s not all about your legs.
To some of us, exercise comes in the form of running or walking, which is perfectly fine – sculpted legs are on the cards for you, yippee! But if you want Michelle Obama-style arms to match then you have to incorporate some arm-work into your workout, too. Try fast-paced walking with a two or three kilogram weight in each hand. Swing your arms while you walk to up the intensity.
TRICK TO BANISH BINGO WINGS #3: carry the shopping.
Next time you’re in need of a few groceries, either walk to the shops and carry the bags of shopping back with you, or if you live too far to walk, park at least two or three blocks away so that you’re forced to walk to the supermarket and then back to the car with your edible ‘weights’ in each hand. Hint: a firming body cream is always a useful ally on your mission for totally toned arms. We love Estée Lauder Body Performance Firming Body Crème for its ability to make body contours appear sleeker and firmer, and skin appear smoother and younger.
Would you like to have toned arms like Michelle Obama? What are your top tips for fitting exercise into your busy schedule?
More toning tips on bh:
– Cheat your way to a beach volleyball bum
– Can walking banish cellulite?
