It's complicated.
Here, she explains how to tackle this.
What To Eat
First, if you’re trying to shed pounds in general, you should aim to
take in fewer calories than you’re expending overall (not just via
exercise). This varies on an individual level, but you can use an app
like MyFitnessPal to
keep track of your cal input and calculate your basal metabolic rate
(the calories you burn if you literally do nothing but breathe) here.
Then, of the calories you are taking in, group them according to
macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and fat, says Simmons. (Hit the reset button—and burn fat like crazy with The Body Clock Diet!)
RELATED: 5 Signs Your Hormones Are Making You Gain Belly Fat
She suggests allotting about half of
your daily calories to carbohydrates, such as whole-grain pasta and
veggies like potatoes, corn, and peas. Another 20 to 30 percent should
be made up of protein-rich foods such as chicken, eggs, spinach, and
beans. And the remaining 20 to 30 percent goes towards fat—yes, fat. Opt
for healthy sources, such as nuts and olive oil, says Simmons. And
don’t overdo it on that avocado: One gram of fat contains nine calories,
more than carbs and proteins at four cals per gram.
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What To Do At The Gym
The best workout to burn fat is strength-training. (You probably
guessed that, huh?) “Increasing muscle mass is going to help increase
your metabolism,” says Simmons. That means you'll be burning more
calories overall. Focus on working the largest and most powerful muscle
groups to burn the most calories possible. Those muscles include your
glutes and quads. You can work those powerhouses with moves like squats,
lunges, chest press, and rows. She recommends working one of those
groups per day.
RELATED: 5 Ways to Eliminate Back Fat
When it comes to your armpits, the two groups to focus on are your
chest and back. For your chest, try moves like pullups, chinups, and
cable pulldowns. For your back: bench press, chest fly, pushups, and
shoulder press. Simmons recommends waiting a day or two before working
your chest and/or back again so your muscles have time to repair and
rebuild.
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And don’t be afraid to lift heavy. Simmons says the best way to burn
fat and get your heart rate up is lifting a heavier weight for a
moderate amount of reps. Her strategy: Choose a weight that you can only
complete eight to 12 reps with proper form. If you can’t maintain form,
it’s too heavy. If you’re losing count of the reps you can do with a
weight, it’s probably too light.
And if you’re thinking, “what about cardio?” Simmons says it’s best
if you choose high-intensity cardio exercises like interval training or
bootcamp classes, rather than running on a treadmill at the same pace
for 30 minutes.
The bottom line: You can't spot reduce your armpit fat, but you can
work towards getting fitter overall, which could have an effect on that
area.
