Celluwhat?

Alright ladies, it's officially summertime! And since I know so many of you out there are dreading beach season, let's take a minute to talk about Cellulite.

What is cellulite?

Cellulite is a topographic skin change that is claimed to occur in most post-pubertal females. It presents as a modification of skin topography evident by skin dimpling and modularity that occurs mainly in women on the pelvic region, lower limbs, and abdomen and is caused by the herniation of subcutaneous fat within fibrous connective tissue, leading to a padded or "cottage cheese" like appearance.[wikipedia.com]



Nearly 95% of post-pubescent women are affected by cellulite. It's a condition most commonly found in women due to skin conditions and composition. It relates to aging, fat storage, diet, life's stress and exercise and is all a matter of timing. Any combination of those factors can allow fat to accumulate and fluids to develop, weakening the epidermis. The weakening of the skin causes fat to push to the surface causing the lumpy and "orange peel-like" appearance.

How can I treat it/prevent it?
Daily Exercise

Cellulite exercises, such as resistance training, can reduce as well as eliminate the presence of cellulite on your body. The key? Muscle. For every pound of muscle in your body, you'll burn an extra 50 calories a day. The combination of fat burning and toning exercises is a sure and quick way to get results.

Cardio

Fat burning and metabolism play an important role here. Think fast paced walking, jogging and swimming. The actual ideal cellulite exercises include the cardiovascular cellulite exercise. The more fat you burn, and the more fat you replace with muscle, the less cellulite you'll see. Cardio is also known to improve blood and lymphatic circulation. Plain and simple.

Anaerobic Workout

Instead of just turning into excess fat, this type of exercise will convert fat into actual muscle tissue. It's extremely important for women who have already acquired cellulite and are not actually overweight. Think strength and weight training.

Stay hydrated!


This is one of the simplest and best ways to fight any type of skin issue from acne to cellulite. The more hydrated you are, the plumper your cells will be -- improving the tone, texture and appearance of your skin.

Detox, Detox, Detox

Believe it or not, you can eat your way out of cellulite as well. Since hydration is such a key component, choose foods with lots of water in them like tomatoes to keep skin healthy and supple. Pick vitamin C packed items, such as colorful veggies, as the vitamin C is essential in preventing the breaking down of collagen. Keep your blood sugar stable with whole grains, such as brown rice and wheat bread, to keep those fat-storing insulin spikes to a minimum. Hit up the following foods the next time you're at the local grocery.


Cellulite-fighting foods shopping list

Apples
Brown rice
Celery
Cucumber
Grapes
Kiwifruit
Lettuce
Mangos
Oatmeal
Oranges
Papaya
Popcorn
Quinoa
Red bell peppers
Tomatoes
Watermelon





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