Allan Donnelly

Show the world that you're fit and healthy by revealing your arms this spring. Figure competitor Jessica Paxson-Putnam shows you how

BIRTHDATE March 7, 1983
BIRTHPLACE Centerville, Ohio
CURRENT RESIDENCE Knoxville, Tennessee
HEIGHT 5'4 1.2"
WEIGHT 125 pounds
OCCUPATION Professional figure
competitor, personal trainer
CONTEST HIGHLIGHTS 2006: Pittsburgh Pro, 1st;
New York Pro, 3rd
TO CONTACT jessfit.com

THERE ARE NUMEROUS REASONS WHY PEOPLE choose to get, or stay, in shape. As much as you'd like believe that self-motivation is the reason you go to gym, let's face it: That isn't always the case. Sometimes you're downright scared—that you'll gain weight or your health will suffer, for example. And that fear can an extremely motivating force. But other times it's to show the world that you're fit and healthy and not fearful in the least. And the most prominent sign of strength well-defined arms. So—what do yours look like?

"A lot of women worry about having flabby arms," remarks IFBB figure professional Jessica Paxson-Putnam. "When they wave their arms, they don't want them to jiggle. First and foremost, I tell people they have to lose weight all over; you can't spot-reduce."

She should know, since she deals with such concerns on a daily basis as a personal trainer in Knoxville, Tennessee. And while eating a healthy diet and doing the right amount of cardio play just as important a role, regular weight training can go a long way in preventing that flabby-arm problem.

"One of the many benefits of weight training for women is fat loss," Jessica explains. "Lifting weights will help burn away some of that excess fat, and you'll see the more defined, toned arms you want to see."

This doesn't mean you have to be in the gym training arms every day, either. Jessica, who married up-and-coming amateur bodybuilder Peter Putnam last September, is in the gym five days a week, training a different bodypart each day. In other words, most of the time she devotes only about 45 minutes a week to training her arms.