It’s estimated that 80 to 90 percent of women have cellulite somewhere on their bodies. And though cellulite can occur almost anywhere on the body, for most women, cellulite on places like your thighs and backside can lead to lots of insecurity– especially when it’s time to strip down to your bathing suit or birthday suit.
But what is cellulite, exactly? How do we get it? And most important of all, how do we get rid of it?!
Let’s start with a brief anatomy lesson to help tackle Question #1. And because I like pictures, here’s a pretty little illustration so you can have a nice visual while I explain.
So what we have above is an illustration of healthy, normal skin on the left, and unhealthy, cellulite-y skin on the right. And basically, what cellulite is, is simply enlarged fat deposits under the skin. Thing is, we all have fat cells in our skin – that’s a perfectly normal occurrence. But what isn’t a normal occurrence is when our fat cells become so huge that they literally start to push against the surrounding anatomical structures in our skin, such as our connective tissue, which then causes distortions in the shape of our skin, which then leads to the appearance of dimples and bumps on the skin – which then leads us to look in the mirror and gasp, “Oh my gosh – cellulite!”
Next question: How do you get cellulite?
As I mentioned earlier, cellulite is the result of fat cells that have gotten too fat. And this can happen due to one, or a combination of 3 main reasons: genetics, hormones, and diet/lifestyle.
Now as far as genetics, it’s going to be pretty cut and dry – if the women in your family have cellulite, you’ll be more likely to get it too. So obviously, there’s not much you can do about that. Now before you curl up into a ball and start to sob, keep in mind that cellulite is also caused by factors we can most certainly control – like our hormones and diet. And for the sake of this post I really want to hone in on the importance of diet and lifestyle, because this is where we’re really going to kick cellulite’s butt!
Here’s the takehome: People that don’t exercise regularly, who also eat junk foods that cause their fat cells to swell, and who also make poor lifestyle choices that cause their hormones to get out of whack, will be the most likely to develop cellulite – and will have the hardest time getting rid of cellulite.
Bottom line, your lifestyle and the quality of your diet will directly affect your hormones, and it will also directly affect the look of your skin.
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And now that we’ve got a very clear picture of what cellulite is and why we get it, it’s time to move onto the good stuff: 5 natural remedies to help cure cellulite! And as you can probably guess, the secret to all 5 of these remedies is the fact that they all help bring better balance to our hormones, diet and lifestyle, so we can get rid of unsightly cellulite now, and further avoid developing it again in the future.
1. Exercise to trim fat and build muscle tone
Since cellulite is in fact enlarged fat cells, one easy way to battle it is to simply burn more body fat by exercising. Now as far as exercise, you can really do anything you like. But, if you want to be a bit more strategic about how you exercise and thus get a better return on your investment, I suggest choosing workouts that both torch calories and build tone muscle – which will help reduce cellulite while also better enhancing the look of your skin due to the enhanced muscle definition underneath. Examples of such exercises include: jumping rope, HIIT (high intensity interval training), and strength training or weightlifting.
2. Cut back on sugar
As I mentioned earlier, diet will have a big impact on cellulite. And when it comes to diet there is one major thing to watch out for – sugar – and here’s why: Sugar is turned into fat, if you eat too much of it. So a diet high in sugar will cause your fat cells to get fatter, faster. Also, sugar can wreak havoc on your hormones – especially insulin, which just so happens to be your main fat storage hormone! So when striving to maintain a healthy diet, also make sure to watch your sugar intake – and the simplest way to do this is to read food labels.
3. Sprinkle a little flaxseed
I actually mentioned flaxseeds as a natural cellulite remedy once in an Instagram post, and not surprisingly, many of my followers vowed to start adding flaxseeds to everything they ate! And the reason why flaxseed are hailed as a natural cellulite remedy is because they help balance estrogen levels, which can influence cellulite production. Also, flaxseeds help stimulate collagen production in the skin, which will then help strengthen skin and reduce the appearance of cellulite.
4. Drink more H2O
Really, is there any way water doesn’t help our body? Now as far as cellulite, the explanation here is pretty simple: By drinking ample water each day you’ll help flush out toxins that can accumulate in your body’s fat cells, thus making cellulite less visible.
5. Get in some greens
Here’s another reason to love greens: fucoxanthin – which is a compound found in chlorophyll bearing green plants like spinach, kale and kelp. And what makes fucoxanthin so cool is its ability to help burn fat, which will then help reduce the appearance of cellulite! So the next time you’re whipping up a healthy meal – or even better – the next time you’re whipping up a Beauty&Body Protein Smoothie, be sure to add in a little kale, and maybe even some flaxseeds too. This way you’ll get the triple cellulite-busting benefits of flaxseeds to help build collagen, greens to help burn fat, plus a healthy dose of protein to help build beautiful muscle tone!
Do you currently struggle with cellulite? Do you have any other natural cellulite remedies you’d like to share? Let me now in the comments!
Peace, Love & Healthy Living! – Doc