If you’re like me, the word cellulite sends shivers down your spine. Cellulite is a disorder that primarily affects women’s bodies and is caused by a build-up of unhealthy toxins in the connective tissues and fat cells below the skin’s surface. While it can’t be cured entirely, specific exercises can help to reduce its appearance.
Cellulite is a collection of fatty deposits that can occur in different places in the body. It occurs when too much fat is in your diet, the skin is over-exposed to increased amounts of sunlight, or it is trapped under your skin by clothes. Cellulite may appear as bumps, dimples, or swellings and come in different colors, such as yellow, orange, or even green. Many women think that a few pounds of fat can develop into cellulite.
What Causes Cellulite?
Cellulite is caused by a build-up of unhealthy toxins in the connective tissues and fat cells below the skin’s surface. These toxins are created by overconsumption of fats, refined carbohydrates, and salt. This excess fat then becomes itchy; as a result, women often develop cellulite because of the pressure these toxins create against the connective tissue below the skin’s surface.
Cellulite is not necessarily inherited, but it can be because you would probably inherit their genes if your parents had cellulite. Genetics, however, is not the only factor involved in the appearance of cellulite. Factors such as hormones (especially estrogen), aging, diet, and weight gain can all contribute to it as well. Therefore, it’s essential to keep these factors in mind when preventing it from appearing on your body.
How can I prevent Cellulite?
While you can’t stop calories from turning into fat or stop your body from gaining weight due to aging and other factors, you do have a say in how these changes affect your appearance and overall health. Avoiding excess sodium, refined carbohydrates, and fats from the food you eat will help to prevent cellulite. Along with this, you should follow a healthy diet plan that includes lots of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and low glycemic carbohydrates. Walking is also a great way to remain physically active without putting on extra weight. If you must sit all day at work or in school, be sure to get up once an hour or so for some activity such as light walking or stretches.
Flush your system. Studies have shown that when you start expelling toxins from your body by flushing, the toxins accumulate in fat cells, causing cellulite to appear more prominently on the person’s body. Furthermore, there are many non-surgical methods that can help with cellulite. Exfoliating with scrub when you have cellulite will remove dead cells and reveal brighter, healthier skin underneath.
Aerobic exercise can help with cellulite because it improves the blood flow in the body. However, there are a couple of things you should bear in mind before starting an aerobic exercise program. Your aerobic activity should not be too long and intense, because this will cause your heart to work particularly hard and increase your risk of developing a heart attack. Instead, try walking to the gym or taking the stairs instead of trying out cardio equipment.
To prevent cellulite, it is essential to maintain a healthy diet and exercise regularly. Adopting a low-fat, high-fiber diet can help lower your body fat percentage, making it less likely to develop cellulite. Additionally, practicing exercises that target specific areas can also help prevent the buildup of cellulite, like the 12 simple exercises to lose thigh fat.
Risk Factors
There are several risk factors associated with cellulite. One of the most significant risk factors is genetics. According to studies, there is a 60% chance that someone who has cellulite also has it in their family. Furthermore, genetic predisposition to cellulite can be inherited through your mother’s side of the family as well as your father’s side. However, it is worth noting that for some people, genetics are not the only factor involved in the appearance of cellulite.
The second risk factor is hormones. The most common hormone responsible for cellulite is estrogen which can lead to increased fat storage around the thighs and butt. Women are most likely to develop cellulite after puberty, around age 14, or after menopause when estrogen levels are significantly lowered. For this reason, women are more likely than men to develop cellulite after puberty and during menopause.
Although cellulite affects most women during puberty and in their early twenties, it can occur in men too. However, this is a much less common occurrence. According to a study conducted by the University of Bergen, Norway, around two-thirds of men with cellulite had their first cellulite appearance after 40 years of age.
7 Exercises to Reduce Cellulite
People who exercise tend to have less cellulite than those who don’t and the difference in the amount of cellulite they have is noticeable.
Step up with a reverse lunge
Stand in a staggered stance, toes of your back foot flat on the floor and heel of your front foot up. Shift into a reverse lunge, bending your back knee until it almost touches the floor. Step forward at the same time with your front leg. Repeat for 30 seconds on each leg.
Preparation: Lie on the floor with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Place your hands under your buttocks and lift them off the floor, bringing them together to form a straight line with your shoulders and hips.
Movement: Keeping both knees bent, bend forward at the hips until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings. Return to the starting position and repeat. 60 seconds per leg.
Preparation: Start in a split squat position – right foot in line with left heel, left foot in line with the right heel.
Tip: Keep your knees from locking in place as you lunge, and make sure that the knee of the leading foot is always ahead of your toe.
Squat jacks
Gently rotate your knees out to the sides as you lunge forward, taking a long step with the lead leg. To repeat, step back to the starting position and repeat. 60 seconds per side.
Preparation: Start in a squat position with the heel of your rear foot on the floor and your front foot flat on the floor in front of you.
Movement: Slowly lower into a shallow squat and then forcefully drive through your heels – this is one repetition. Perform 3-5 sets of 15-30 reps. You can perform a reverse lunge simultaneously or pause midway to do a high knee lift for additional reps.
Try to do squat jacks to get rid of cellulite and strengthen your legs muscles. Check out exercises that help you jump higher and use them to boost your leg power and increase your stamina. These exercises are suitable for all levels, so anyone can easily follow along and benefit from them.
Squats on an aerobic step
Stand on the step facing forward. Take a comprehensive step forward with your rear foot and place it flat on the step. Lower into a squat position, keeping your knees in line with your toes. Push through your heels to return to the starting position.
Preparation: Start in a squat position with the heel of your rear foot on the floor and your front foot flat on the floor in front of you.
Movement: Slowly lower into a shallow squat and then forcefully drive through your heels – this is one repetition. Perform 3-5 sets of 15-30 reps. You can perform a reverse lunge simultaneously or pause midway to do a high knee lift for additional reps.
Preparation: Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart, shoulders back and chest up.
Jumping jacks
Jumping jacks are one of the best all-over fat-burning exercises. You can do them right in your driveway!
Step 1: Start in a standing position with your feet together and your hands at your sides.
Step 2: Step out to the side, keeping your feet together.
Step 3: Step to the side again and repeat.
Preparation: Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart, shoulders back and chest up.
Movement: Lift your left leg into the air while simultaneously lifting your right arm up to shoulder height and then return to starting position while simultaneously lifting the left arm and returning to starting position. Alternate legs for 30 seconds on each side – three sets of 30 reps.
Hill sprints
Perform “hill sprints” for 30 seconds to burn fat and tone the muscles in your legs and butt.
Start standing tall with your feet shoulder-width apart, shoulders back, and chest up.
Bend your knees slightly to help you climb up the hill as high as possible. On the way down, sprint for 30 seconds, then repeat once more, resting 20 seconds between sets.
Preparation: Start in a standing position with your feet together and hands at your sides. Lift both heels off the ground while simultaneously bringing your arms overhead. Perform three sets of 20 reps per leg.
Movement: Bring your left foot forward so you are in a split squat position, leading with your left heel. Then stand and jump as high as possible. Make sure to land softly, sinking back into your “athletic” (wider than shoulder) stance right away. Repeat for 40 seconds, rest 20 seconds, then repeat once more.
If you’re looking to get rid of cellulite, adding hill sprints to your routine can be effective. Hill sprinting involves running uphill as fast as you can for a short period of time, then walking back down and repeating. These sprints activate and engage multiple muscle groups in a short amount of time, which can promote fat burning and reduce the appearance of cellulite. Learn more about how to get rid of cellulite at Hood MWR.
Low to high lunge or reverse lunge with a twist.
Low lunge or reverse lunge to the right with the left arm reaching overhead. Then reverse lunge, left hand on rear foot, right hand on front foot. Repeat on the other side. Perform on both sides three times per side.
Preparation: Start in a standing position with your hands at your sides. Keep your back straight as you walk forward into a low lunge position, bending your knees at 90 degrees only and keeping them together.
Movement: Stand up as you unload your weight onto the balls of your feet and drive out of the lunge to reach for the overhead spot with both arms. Reverse lunges lead to better leg extension strength, so you’ll be able to perform more reps during each set.
Jump rope
You’ll burn more calories in less time when you hop on a jump rope and stay on it for at least 30 minutes. Just be sure to warm up and cool down first!
Using a jump rope will keep your legs going more extended, which is especially useful when you want to build muscle. Use the same steps as before. Perform for 20 seconds, rest 10 seconds, then repeat three times for a total of 30 minutes of jumping rope.
Position 1: Stand shoulder-width apart, feet firmly planted on the ground and your arms at your sides.
Position 2: Begin with one foot forward, then perform a jumping jig hop with that leg. Repeat three times for 30 seconds.
Position 3: Stand sideways to your partner so that you can see each other’s feet while you’re both hopping in place. Perform a row across each other’s feet like a giant jump rope, performing 30 seconds of jumps and jogging back to starting position on the other side as you travel.
Preparation: Start in an athletic stance with your feet shoulder-width apart, and knees slightly bent.
Movement: Jump, land lightly on your toes, jump again, land lightly on your toes. Lift arms and hands overhead as you jump.
Related: Best Shoes for Jumping Rope
Sleeping Position to Reduce Buttocks
Lying on your back is a great position for reducing the appearance of cellulite. When you have cellulite, your muscles can be weakened and can even form a layer below your skin. If you sleep on the back, the pressure from the muscles pushes downwards and reduces the appearance of cellulite.
Also, try to avoid sleeping on your stomach because this creates extra pressure in areas where you already have cellulite. Instead, place pillows under your knees to help reduce pressure. This position also prevents the reduction of blood flow, which can occur when you sleep on your stomach.
How to reduce buttocks faster?
The best method to reduce cellulite is to lose weight. Cellulite looks worse when you have extra weight because it has a different appearance from the rest of your skin. This is why people who lose weight often notice that their cellulite starts to disappear because a layer of fat helps cellulite look more visible.
High-intensity-interval-training (HIIT)
HIIT workout is perfect for burning fat, especially fat around your buttocks. High-intensity interval training means that you are actually exercising hard for just a few minutes, but then you need to slow down and recover for some time. So, you have to alternate between working out really hard and resting to give the muscles some rest. Therefore, during one training session, you can spend more time on the treadmill or on the StairMaster than you used to spend in the gym before doing HIIT.
You can aid the process by doing the following:
Massage your skin daily, especially after a shower or bath. This helps the circulation of blood and lymphatic fluid and keeps your skin smooth and hydrated.
Drink plenty of water to flush out toxins from your body. A glass of water when you wake up is a great way to kick-start urine production and helps flush out toxins. You can also drink water in between meals and at least eight glasses in a day that will help with fat loss.
Apply a cellulite cream after showering, which will help reduce the appearance of cellulite. If you have a cellulite cream that contains caffeine, you can apply it at night before going to bed. This will help your muscles relax and allow a smoother recovery process.
FAQs
Can exercise help with cellulite?
Not directly, but it can help you lose weight. Cellulite can form when excess fat rubs against the skin and forms dimples. Losing weight will help reduce or eliminate cellulite by eliminating fat.
How can you lose cellulite?
To get rid of cellulite, you need to reduce the amount of fat that collects under your skin. A combination of eating right and exercising may be all you need. By eating fewer calories and being more physically active, you may lose weight — and hopefully, the dimples will disappear.
If you are struggling to lose thigh fat and with the appearance of cellulite, the 8 Simple Steps Get Rid of Thigh Fat in the Inner Thigh article provides you with helpful tips to get rid of it. From healthy eating habits to targeted exercises, you can diminish the appearance of cellulite and tone your thighs.
Why do women get cellulite?
Cellulite is the result of a build-up of subcutaneous fat, or fat just below your skin. Hormone changes during puberty cause women to hold on to more fat in their hips, thighs, and buttocks than men do. This happens throughout adulthood for most women. It is especially noticeable after age 40 when body fat often increases around a woman’s abdomen too.
Can weight loss help with cellulite?
The body is more sensitive to the effect of body fat on cellulite than it is to weight loss. Lose a few pounds, and you’ll probably notice an improvement, possibly a dramatic reduction in the appearance or amounts of cellulite. Going down a couple of sizes at your clothing store can help expand hips and thighs and help minimize any problems caused by excess fat.
How does exercise help to lose weight and keep it off?
Exercise can help you lose weight and keep it off. It is one of the most effective ways to reduce your weight. Exercise also lowers the risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.
Regularly incorporating weight-burning exercises into your workout routine can aid in losing overall body weight and reducing chest fat. These exercises include push-ups, chest fly, and dumbbell pullovers. By building muscle and increasing your metabolism, your body will burn more calories throughout the day, even while at rest.
What is the best exercise for cellulite?
The best exercise for cellulite is the one that you enjoy and that you will continue to do. As a bonus, a combination of aerobic exercise and strength training will give you not only a more significant overall fitness level but also help to tone and strengthen your body. You won’t see results overnight, but with consistent effort, you’ll definitely see improvement over time.
What exercises can I do to reduce my cellulite?
If your goal is to reduce your cellulite, the most important thing to remember is that dieting alone will not be effective without regular exercise.
What are the benefits of cellulite exercises?
To get rid of “cellulite” or to tone up the body’s muscles, you have to be willing to exercise for some time regularly. If you want to lose weight, eat less and exercise more. But if you want to tone the body and get rid of cellulite without starving yourself, then you have to follow “cellulite exercises.” A woman often sees her thighs as a flaw that only appears in areas such as the hips and lower back. It is generally understood that these areas are most affected by fatty deposits when they are exercised.
