Creams have limited effect but I’ve proved to myself that massage and exercise and the right diet does improve skin texture and can reduce the so called ‘orange-peel’ effect.
Like most girl’s I know I have this damn stuff on the back of my thighs and have tried quite a few big name and small name products to deal with it – to no avail. This is an area fraught with sham potions that will do very little apart from empty your purse rather quickly.
Women fear the word and everything associated with it, especially when it comes to the summer. But the sordit truth is that it’s just one of those things we women have to put up with.
In fact about 80% of women have it, so don’t feel victimised! After covering up throughout the winter and spring, it’s time to get the summer wardrobe out and that means more skin on show!
So – how to reduce cellulite – the million dollar question. Is it possible? The short answer is yes. But I’m not, in this post going to name the products I’ve tried that frankly were hopeless. Watch this space, as they say for more news about that.
I’m going to walk you through what cellulite actually is, how we can work to improve its appearance and reduce it in our bodies.
What is cellulite?
Cellulite is fatty deposits beneath the skin that give a lumpy or grainy appearance to the skin’s surface, especially on the thighs or buttocks but also on the lower tummy.
To reduce cellulite we need to work on our diet, skincare and exercise. It’s best to take this three-pronged approach to get the best results.
Food and diet
Your diet has a big influence on the level of cellulite that can build up in your body.
A poor diet dominated by unhealthy processed foods will add toxins to the body. Toxins are held in the fatty deposits (to limit the amount of exposure to vital organs), and so we need to eat foods that will help clear out the bad stuff and flush it out of our systems.
If your diet has been poor for many years, it is important to gradually build up the introduction of fresh food (mainly vegetables). The alkaline qualities of these foods will draw the acidic toxins out of body tissue and into the natural ‘waste disposal’ systems of the body. If you do this too quickly the body may not cope with the level of toxins and may end up re-storing it again.
Skincare
Dry, under-nourished skin can emphasise the appearance of cellulite.
Keep skin hydrated from the inside by drinking plenty of water each day. Choose a good natural oil like coconut oil to nourish the skin from the outside, inject moisture and improve texture. If you use a cream, ensure it has natural ingredients and it is not made from a chemical base as this will just add more toxicity to the body.
Try taking a few minutes to apply your body moisturiser so you get the benefit of massaging the skin. This helps increase blood circulation.
Use a body brush to buff the skin, especially in the affected area(s). Always brush using circular movements in the direction of the heart. This is a wonderful practice to stimulate circulation and can be used all over the body. Doing this a few times per week will make a difference to the skin’s smoothness and the motion will exfoliate the dead cells away.
Exercise
You can reduce cellulite massively with the correct exercise. It’s important to note that it’s not just about getting all hot and sweaty running on the treadmill, it’s about building muscle definition all over your body too.
Cardio exercise
The great thing about cardio exercise is that it will get your circulation pumping and help you sweat out toxins from the body. With increased circulation more blood is sent to the upper layers of the skin, helping to improve look and firmness. Doing this a few times per week will help you to start to transform the appearance of and reduce cellulite.
Do a class at your local gym that is fast and high-intensity, go for a run or a swim, do some boxing, skipping or cycling, whatever gets you smiling, and your heart rate up!
Resistance exercise
It’s best not to neglect the muscle side of things although lots of people do, but it’s easy to get started. Working your muscles to add definition and increased tone will help to smooth out the skin and reduce cellulite.
Top exercises to target those cellulite areas
Squats – great to work the bum and thighs. This exercise can be done in the gym or, at home using a chair. You can use your body weight or hold additional weight to up your work rate.
Squats
Lunges – work your legs from all angles in the gym, park or home with forward, lateral (side to side) and reverse lunges. Apply weight/resistance if you want.
Forward lunge
Reverse lift – great for the glutes (bum) and can be done anywhere.
Reverse lift
Lying glute lift – Squeeze those glutes ladies… at home or in the gym.
Lying glute lift
So, if you really want to know how to reduce cellulite and get results, then attack it from the three fronts:
1. 1. Food – Eat clean, fresh, unprocessed food.
1. 2. Skincare – Look after your skin without using chemicals and keep hydrated with water.
1. 3. Exercise – work your butt off….or in this case the cellulite!
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