As you look in the mirror at yourself in a bikini, do you notice some unsightly skin on your thighs? Some describe the look as "orange peel" or "cottage cheese" for this dimply wrinkly look. Statistics show that cellulite affects 85 to 98 percent of the post-pubescent population of females, but with the following techniques, you can significantly reduce or even eliminate the cellulite from your body. Everyone responds differently and at variable rates to the following techniques, so explore the options as to which works best for you.
Identification and Cause
Cellulite is the general term for skin appearance that appears bumpy and "unattractive." It can show up on your thighs, buttocks, and abdomen in varying degrees, but it's not a skin condition. Cellulite is the result of having excess fat under the skin and little underlying muscle in the area. Your abdomen, buttocks, and thighs store the most fat and, since body fat does not come in a specific form, it can accumulate in clumps under the skin. Having a strong muscular foundation under the fat can help smooth out the fat deposits, but to eliminate cellulite, you should aim fto have a healthy body fat percentage too.
Exercise
Build up the muscles in your troubled areas with targeted strength training exercises. Don't fear bulking up your muscles, as one pound of muscle takes up less space than one pound of fat. Doing cardiovascular exercises will also help burn fat in the body, reducing the amount of fat that can accumulate. For strength training, perform squats, lunges, abdominal crunches, and balance it out with hamstring stretches to avoid your leg muscles from shortening. Low intensity cardio, such as fast-paced walking or rollerblading, will also help with trouble-spots and burn fat.
Diet
Reducing your fat intake will help minimize the accumulation of fat in your body so replace junk food and fast food with fresh healthy vegetables and fruits. By eating more meals in smaller portions, you can increase your metabolism and prevent excess calories from being stored as fat. At night, avoid eating two to three hours before bedtime, as your digestion will be slower, and there is a higher probability of the calories being converted into fat.
Massage
Massaging the areas of cellulite can help provide temporary decrease of dimpled appearance. Some claim that the massage helps to smooth out the appearance of the cellulite by distributing the fat more evenly under the skin surface. Many spas are offering this technique and, at times, may employ the use of rollers to penetrate deeper and provide a broader smoothing effect. The improved circulation will help puff up your skin and tissue so that the area appears supple and smooth. To do a self-massage, first warm up the area with a skin rub for about one minute. Gradually increase the pressure and move in small circular motions around the area. Knead the area and do gentle pinch-and-pull moves to further activate the area. Finally, finish the massage with long strokes for a smoothing and relaxing effect.
Alternatives
Drug stores are full of commercial creams and pills to help reduce cellulite; you might have tried some yourself. I recommend that you seek first to treat the underlying issue of excess fat and underdeveloped muscle tissue first before using creams and pills. If you want to add to your exercise and dietary changes for cellulite reduction, add some skin firming lotion to help hydrate and firm up the skin. Work in the lotion with your massages for double-duty treatment. A costly alternative is to have liposuction to remove the fat. You may notice a difference immediately, but if you do not make changes in exercise and diet, the cellulite may come back. Plus, procedures carry the risk of mistakes that can result into something more unattractive than cellulite.
Tags: under skin, also help, creams pills, eliminate cellulite, following techniques, strength training