Ugh. Gross. Seriously? REALLY?! COME ON!
It’s that time of year again! We put on our bikinis and stare blankly at ourselves in the mirror. Although we are young, confidence, intelligent and beautiful inside and out, we may a little tiny thing that’s called cellulite. Not everyone who has cellulite, but for those of us that do (yes! Even I have it) we can feel uncomfortable or self-conscious in our bikini bods. So, this blog is dedicated to talking about WHY we have cellulite, WHAT it is and HOW to get rid of it or reduce its appearance. The NEXT BLOG will talk about how to be CONFIDENT in your own skin, no matter what your body shape or size. We are who we are and
What is cellulite?
Cellulite is the deposit of subcutaneous fat (fat underneath your skin) that pushes through the connective tissues (fibrous tissues underneath your skin) and creates lumpy, cottage-cheese or orange-peel looking skin.
Why do I have cellulite?
Cellulite develops in both women and men, usually after puberty. It can develop for a number of reasons, including:
- Gender (women are more likely to have it then men)
- Age (over the age of onset of puberty)
- Thickness of your skin
- Changes in hormone levels (such as estrogen)
- Poor circulation
- Water retention
- And an increase in toxins within your body (due to changes in your lymphatic system)
How do I get rid of cellulite?
Unfortunately, there is no quick fix for cellulite. Think of it this way. If I said 'I would like to gain 3 pounds of cellulite in one week" would I be able to do it? Nope, probably not. So why do we expect it to be easy to get rid of cellulite?
- Go to your doctor and speak to them about your cellulite and if you are okay to participate in physical activity.
- Change up your eating behaviours. Choose fresh fruits and vegetables over chips, popcorn and other high-fatty foods.
- Drink more water and ditch the soda. You can cut excess calories this way, especially cut out excess sodium, which may be why you are retaining water.
- Increase your cardio exercise. Move continuously for 30 minutes, 4 to 7 times a week.
- Add in strength training into your workout routine, aim for 3-4 times a week. Add these exercises to your routine (start with just your body weight and then add in weights when you are more comfortable):
- Squats 3 sets of 10
- Plie 3 sets of 10
- Forward lunges 3 sets of 10
- Side leg raises 2 sets of 10 on each leg
- Side lunges 3 sets of 10
Stay tuned to www.YouTube.com/RachhFit for more strength training exercises to combat cellulite.
How can I reduce the appearance of cellulite?
Some salons and spas offer special treatments to reduce the look of cellulite. But! You don't have to spend SO much money. You can actually do these types of treatments at home and on your own.
Here's a great link that will tell you about the benefits of using essential oils and massage to reduce the appearance of cellulite and help de-stress at the end of the day. I'm going to give this method a try and blog about how it goes.
What to remember:
Cellulite is natural and occurs in most women and some men. We cannot get rid of it early. We must change our diet and select healthier options and drink more water. To decrease subcutaneous fat, we must increase the amount of cardio we do each week. We must add in strength training to our workout routines. We can reduce the look of cellulite through massage and the use of essential oils.
Regardless if we have cellulite or not. We are all beautiful, confident and oh so sassy!!
xoxo T
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