Summer has come to a close. The kids are back in school, you have a little more time back to yourself and you’re in the mood for a day of retail therapy; shopping.
You’re in your favorite store, in the dressing room with your favorite heels on, you’ve picked the perfect “Little Black Dress”, you hair is freshly done, your make is on point, the fluorescent lights are creating the spot light to hit you in all your glory and you hear Yoncé’s song “I woke up like this” in your ears. You drop your clothing, look up in the mirror and you hear your theme music come to a scratching halt like a scratch on a record and the horror music like the theme song to “Jason” or “Halloween” is buzzing through the dressing room in stereo.
You gasp for air and your hands slap the sides of your thighs and there, the cellulite chronicles sit with rolling hills, dimples and lumps. That is the fatal moment you realize, cellulite has made its new home on your thighs.
Yes, this moment was me standing in a mirror back in October 2013 before I was sick and tired enough to do something about that horrifying image I was staring at. How many times had I made the excuses for the woman staring back at me in the mirror? And what was I going to do about getting rid of the nightmare chronicles? I was going to do my research and find out what in the world is cellulite?
What Is Cellulite?
Cellulite is fat cells that have bulged into the skin’s middle layer, where they pull on connective tissue to create an unattractive, dimpled skin.
NOTHING could be done to get rid of cellulite or at least that’s what cosmetic companies and plastic surgeons want us to believe. But is that a myth or the truth?
Lifestyle Changes That Help Get Rid of Cellulite
Avoid toxins like excessive alcohol and cigarettes, which put a burden on your body’s lymphatic system. This is one of the most important things you can do for your overall health, AND it helps get rid of cellulite.
Avoid junk food, diet soda, processed foods, artificial colors and flavors, and saturated fats such as butter, milk/dairy products and animal fats. Limit sugar and salt, which aggravate fluid retention.
Drink a lot of water, up to 1 gallon a day to hydrate your body and flush out toxins. Don’t underestimate how important this step is.
Aerobic Exercise is the Most Effective Way to get Rid of Cellulite?
While aerobic exercise may help diminish the appearance of cellulite simply because you are active and fit, it is actually much more helpful to participate in strength training in addition to your aerobic activity. If you lift weights in addition to doing cardio workouts, you are much more likely to lose extra weight and tone your muscles. This will give the appearance of less cellulite.
What Won’t Get Rid of Cellulite?
- Wearing inflatable plastic shorts around the house. They just make you uncomfortable and sweaty.
- Getting traditional liposuction won’t get rid of cellulite. In fact, it might make the problem more noticeable
Liposuction is not the way to go if you want to get rid of cellulite.
Removing fat from areas that have extra flab can change the distribution of the fat, making the skin look even more uneven and the cellulite appear worse. Do a little googling before you even consider going this route.
- Body wraps promise to reduce the diameter of your thigh by one inch by compressing the tissue. They’re a good choice for a big night out, but they don’t get rid of cellulite.
- Playing the victim, blaming it on genetics or making excuses for a busy life schedule that prevents you from being aware of how to make lifestyle changes.
- Using detox footpads. The moisture itself turns them dark, not toxins leaving your body.
While there is no way to “cure” cellulite, there are a few things that may help to lessen its appearance. The first line of defense is to lose weight and exercise– the more muscle you have underneath the cellulite, the smoother the affected area will look. Doing weight lifting and toning exercise in addition to your regular workout will help more than aerobic exercise alone. Try adding at least 10 minutes of strength-training a few times a week to your regular cardio, and work up from there. You could see visible results in a matter of months.
Give yourself time to do 100% of your best efforts before you do anything you’ll late regret just for being lazy or looking for the quick fix.