How to Get Rid of Cellulite

Many women of all ages have cellulite on their legs, stomach or buttocks. Cellulite occurs when fat cells bulge through the skin’s outer layer, creating a dimpled, rutted appearance. Read on to learn how to get rid of cellulite with lifestyle changes, exercises and skincare products.

What is Cellulite?

Cellulite is a condition in which the skin appears to have areas with underlying fat deposits, giving it a dimpled, lumpy appearance. It is most noticeable on the buttocks and thighs, and usually occurs after puberty.

Cellulite is also known as adiposis edematosa, dermopanniculosis deformans, status protrusus cutis, and gynoid lipodystrophy in the medical field and as orange peel syndrome, cottage cheese skin, hail damage, and the mattress phenomenon in colloquial language.

Cellulite is often classified using three grades:

Grade 1 cellulite sees no clinical symptoms, but a microscopic examination of cells from the area detects underlying anatomical changes.
Grade 2 cellulite requires the skin to show pallor (pastiness), be lower temperature, and have decreased elasticity, in addition to anatomical changes noted by microscopic examinations.
Grade 3 cellulite has visible roughness of the skin (like an orange peel) along with all grade 2 signs.

Although cellulite can affect both sexes, it is much more common in females, mainly because they are more likely to have particular types of fat and connective tissue.

What Causes Cellulite?

The causes of cellulite are not well understood, but there are several theories that have been put forth as explanations. Among these are:

Hormonal factors. Hormones likely play an important role in cellulite development. Many believe estrogen, insulin, noradrenaline, thyroid hormones, and prolactin are part of the cellulite production process.
Genetics. Certain genes are required for cellulite development. Genes may predispose an individual to particular characteristics associated with cellulite, such as gender, race, slow metabolism, distribution of fat just underneath the skin, and circulatory insufficiency.
Diet. People who eat too much fat, carbohydrates, or salt and too little fiber are likely to have greater amounts of cellulite.

How to Eat to Get Rid of Cellulite

Eat fruits and vegetables. A diet filled with healthy fruits and vegetables will help you keep your weight down, reducing the appearance of cellulite. Fruits and vegetables also have a high water content, so they help keep you hydrated, too.

Have a spinach smoothie for breakfast. Blend a cup of almond milk, a cup of spinach, half a banana and a kiwi or handful of strawberries. This high-powered breakfast will keep your energy level high, and it’s a great way to get a serving of vegetables at breakfast.
Eat plenty of raw vegetables. Raw salad greens, broccoli, carrots and other vegetables are packed with nutrients, antioxidants and water. If you make them the mainstay of your diet you’ll see a difference in the amount of cellulite you have.

Drink plenty of water. Hydrating your body keeps your skin cells looking fresh and renewed, which can reduce the appearance of cellulite. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to make sure your system is getting all the water it needs.

Start drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning, before you have your morning coffee or tea.
Carry a bottle of water with you as you go about your day. Remember to refill it often.

Avoid foods that lead to more cellulite. Foods that cause you to gain weight and retain water increase the amount of cellulite you have. Avoid the following foods to prevent more cellulite from appearing:

Fried foods like french fries, fried chicken, and onion rings.
Packaged snacks like corn chips, potato chips, cheese puffs, and pretzels.
Foods high in salt, like canned soup or dips and dressings, cause you to retain water.
Foods high in sugar, like candy, baked goods, and soda, cause you to gain weight.
Alcohol, especially when it’s paired with a sugary mixer like soda or cranberry juice, can cause you to gain weight and retain water.

Eat healthy fats. Cellulite is caused by the fat just under the skin, but if your skin is toned and healthy, the cellulite won’t be as noticeable. Foods like olives, nuts, avocados, fish and olive oil contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for healthy skin.

Exercises to Get Rid of Cellulite

There are some natural ways to lessen the appearance of cellulite. Try these easy to learn cellulite exercises at home or find classes at your gym that target these specific problem areas. If you keep at these cellulite exercises every week 3 times a week, you will have a tighter toned body in no time.

Around-the-clock lunges. With your hands on your hips, lunge forward with your right foot to the 12 o’clock position. Return to standing position, then lunge to the right to the 3 o’clock position. Return to standing position, then lunge backward to the 6 o’clock position. Then lunge to the side, reaching your right leg to the 8 or 9 o’clock position. Switch legs and repeat.

Muscles worked: Glutes, hamstrings, quads, inner and outer thighs.
Reps: 3 sets of 15.

Goblet squats. Hold something heavy to your chest and squat. The object should be heavier than your kid, purse, or dog.

Muscles worked: Glutes, hamstrings, quads, inner and outer thighs.
Reps: 3 sets of 20.

Single-leg Romanian deadlifts. From a standing position, hold a 5- to 20-pound weight in your left hand while keeping your left leg off the ground. Keeping your back and knee straight, reach down to your right foot. Your left leg should automatically go back. Stand back up and repeat.

Muscles Worked: Hamstrings.
Reps: 3 sets of 20.

Burpees. Burpees are one of the ultimate calorie-burning, full-body exercises. The jump, squat, and pushup combo always does the job.

Muscles Worked: Full body.
Reps: 3 sets of 15.

Single-leg supine hip extension. Lie on your back with your arms out to the side, right knee bent, and left leg straight. Raise the left leg a few inches off the floor. Lift it until it’s in line with your right thigh and raise your hips upward, forming a straight line from the shoulders to the knees. Pause, then lower to starting position. Do one set, then switch legs and repeat.

Muscles worked: Glutes.
Reps: 3 sets of 15.

Do high intensity exercises. Pairing weight training with exercises that get your heart pumping leads to the production of lean muscle mass, which will cause your thighs and buttocks to look smoother over time. Try the following exercises after doing a light warmup:

Do outdoor sprints. Measure out a distance of 1/4 mile on your street or at a nearby park. Sprint that distance, take a 20-second break, sprint it again, and repeat for a total of 4 sprints. As you improve, add more sprints to your workout.
Sprint on your treadmill. If you work out indoors, use a faster setting on your treadmill to sprint for about 3 minutes. Increase the speed as you improve over time.
Do bike sprints. Using either your bicycle or a stationary bike, ride as fast as you can uphill for for a few minutes.

Incorporate weight training. Weight training, unlike cardio exercises, tones the muscles under your skin and causes it to look more taught. This can greatly reduce the appearance of cellulite.

Buy free weights and perform exercises meant to tone your thighs, buttocks, and abs. If you have cellulite on your arms, perform arm exercises as well.
Join a gym and work with a trainer to increase the amount of weight you lift over time. Contrary to common belief, lifting heavier weights fewer times, rather than doing a lot of reps with lighter weights, is better for building muscle.

Stretch those muscles. Stretching is a very good way to get rid of cellulite. There are a number of simple and easy stretching cellulite exercises that would help you lose thigh fat just in a matter of days. Whether it be your inner thighs or the hip region, cellulite would no longer be a problem. One good option for stretching the thighs and calves is swimming. Also it is a complete workout for the body.

Skincare Products to Get Rid of Cellulite

Use a spray tan product. You can reduce the appearance of cellulite by making the color of your skin look more even. Choose a spray tan product just a shade or two darker than your skin. Make sure to apply it evenly over your legs, not just in the areas where you have cellulite.

Improve your skin tone. Taking measures to make your skin look tight and healthy doesn’t actually get rid of cellulite, but it can go a long way toward temporarily reducing its appearance. Try the following techniques:

Bathe in lukewarm or cool water, rather than hot. Cool water tightens your skin and makes it look more toned.
Moisturize your skin with a product that contains caffeine. Buy a cream or lotion that contains at least 5 percent caffeine, which is said to improve skin tone and decrease the appearance of cellulite.
Use another topical product designed to reduce the appearance of cellulite. There are many creams and lotions on the market designed specifically for this purpose.

Start dry brushing your skin. Dry brushing improves your circulation and helps your skin get rid of toxins, reducing the appearance of cellulite. Buy a body brush made with natural fibers and make dry brushing a part of your morning routine.

Make sure your skin and the brush are both dry before beginning.
Starting at your feet, brush upward toward your heart. Concentrate on areas with a lot of cellulite, like your thighs and buttocks. Brush your arms form your hands to your shoulders. Brush your stomach in a clockwise circular motion and your arms in an upward motion. All brushing movements should be made towards your heart to encourage the return of blood and lymphatic flow.
Take a shower after brushing to wash away the dead skin cells and toxins that have risen to the surface.

Treatments for Cellulite

Go for a body shaping treatment. These use lasers, massage rollers and radio frequency energy to break down the fat deposits. They also stimulate the production of collegen in your skin, which leads to a tighter, more toned appearance.

Try an injectable. This treatment involves injecting a formula of vitamins and minerals into the skin to make it look more even. The solution breaks down the fat deposits just below the skin’s surface.

Avoid liposuction and other fat removal surgery. These may help you lose weight, but they can actually increase the appearance of cellulite by making the tissue under the skin more uneven.

Mesotherapy. Mesotherapy is a therapy originally developed in Europe to relieve pain of inflammatory skin conditions. It involves injecting substances such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and enzymes into the tissue just beneath the skin. Mesotherapy may break down fat and bring a slight improvement in the appearance of cellulite. But it also carries risks, which include swelling, infection, and irregular contours.

Massage and spa treatments. Massage and other spa treatments may have a temporary effect on the dimpling appearance of skin. But they do not remove cellulite. Any effect is short-lived and probably due to the removal of excess fluid.

TIPS

Using coffee scrubs twice a week can improve circulation and being consistent with exercise reduce signs of cellulite. Also foods rich in vitamin C, Whole Grains, Fiber or fruits and veggies help you get rid of bad toxins in your body.
Crossing your legs hinders proper circulation, and may promote cellulite.
Regular treatment may not completely get rid of cellulite, but it will help reduce its appearance.

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