Let's talk CELLULITE!

Let’s talk CELLULITE! 

What is it?

Why do we have it? 

 What can we do about it?

It's important to point out that the dimply appearance we hate so much is perfectly normal, standard, and okay.

The body isn't "ruined" or "disgusting" for having cellulite. It's no big deal.

 It is important to get your information from a company that will not take advantage of your insecurities and make you spend money to get rid of these dimples."

Questions about cellulite come up all the time, and you must be well-informed about your options for reducing its appearance.

Women must be given the space to make their own decisions about their bodies with no shame or judgment either way. Just remember that we need to love our bodies because it's the only one we have got.

Cellulite affects the majority of women in the world, and because it's dimply appearance, women avoid wearing shorts or a swimsuit.

Women primarily suffer from cellulite? So what we can be done to make its appearance less?

These bumps appear after several changes in your skin's typical structure take place, coupled with poor circulation and changes in the fat cell itself.

If you have cellulite, you can reduce its appearance if you want to achieve a smoother look.

Genes play a huge role and explain why our kids' cute backsides look a lot like ours!

Normal, healthy, fatty tissue developments in the womb and continues until a child is 18 months old. It then picks up again in puberty.

Bad food choices and an excessive intake of calories keeps the body's fat cells in a constant state of growth. 

Fatty tissue close to the skin has two layers which are separated by a coating of fascia. The outer layer is called the areolar layer, which is formed by large fat cells arranged vertically. Blood vessels feeding the fat cells are fragile. The deeper layer is called the lamellar thickness, and the cells are fusiform, smaller and arranged horizontally. In women, this outer areolar layer is thicker, and the skin is covering it is usually thinner, which is the case right from birth.

The lamellar layer increases in thickness when a person gains weight due to the increase in fat cell volume — pressing against the outer, areolar layer, making it more pronounced.

 As you age, the volume of the areolar layer increases the skin look noticeably more dimply.

From puberty, women start their fight with thigh cellulite. A woman's femoral region is responsive to their hormones.

Estrogen kicks in and will increase the activity of thigh fat cells to anti-lipolytic alpha receptors, preventing fat breakdown and loss. It also stimulates an enzyme called lipoprotein lipase (LPL) responsible for massive growth. It is affecting the buttocks, abdomen and thighs.

Prolactin makes cellulite more visible because it increases water retention in the fatty tissue. So each fat cell look larger and lumpier.

The blood glucose-regulating hormone insulin affects the appearance of cellulite. Every time you eat or drink carbohydrates, the body releases insulin to manage the glucose in the bloodstream. Muscle cells make insulin and use it to invite circulating glucose into muscle cells to be burned to release energy or stored it as glycogen.

 Women who are not active, insulin builds up, and fatty acids are stored as triglycerides, and an increase in fat cells forces the fat to squeeze out, giving a bubble effect.

If women balance their diet with healthy carbohydrates, proteins and fats, it will reduce insulin build up. 

Having cellulite can be distressing for many women enticing them to spend money on creams and pills to reduce its appearance. There are no solutions that will make much of a difference if the necessary lifestyle changes through diet and exercise are not taken to make it less noticeable.

 We now know that reduced blood flow to these problem areas can be the culprit to an increased appearance of cellulite. Any activity you do will improve circulation and help reduce dimply thighs.

 Women need to do strength training and adapt to a fitness lifestyle consistently.

  

Strength training increases lean muscle mass. Muscle tissue is metabolically active, which means that it will boost your metabolism, which aids in lowering body fat by burning it up for energy.

Acquiring a lean muscular physique makes women look sleek, robust and shapely making fatty areas appear smaller and less pronounced.

To burn more fat by alternate upper and lower body exercises with high reps in circuit for several rounds coupled with heavy weight training to activate all your muscle fibers with a variety of loads, sets, reps and intensities to produce a high metabolic effect. 

The best solution against the appearance of cellulite is to decrease simple carbs, sodium, alcohol, and manufactured fats and preservatives in your food.

High-fiber carbohydrates from non-starchy vegetables provide the least amount of insulin. Some starchy veggies provide a bit more insulin, but their high fiber content decreases this effect. Fiber and drinking enough water aids will improve blood flow in your lower extremities.

On the other hand, added sugar used in some post-workout drinks shakes, and mixes absorbed by your body after a workout session. Muscles are ready to use insulin for muscle growth and repair instead of fat storage.

It is worth mentioning that microwavable convenience foods is packed with salt. As we know, salt leads to water retention and will not help improve the dimply skin.

 Alcohol has the same effect as insulin. You are storing fat, producing fat and preventing the body from using fat for energy. 

Limiting alcohol as much as possible will shrink your fat cells.

Avoid Saturated fats found in most boxed and packaged foods. They are a problem too, as your body will store these poor-quality fats instead of burning them for fuel, and will increase the inflammation levels in the body. Leading to more water retention and decreased fat breakdown. 

 Your diet should contain the following:

  • High-quality, whole-food proteins which are not full of preservatives, sodium, and excess sugar. 
  • An abundance of vegetables, legumes and raw whole grains to provide slow-digesting carbohydrates, fibre, antioxidants, and B-vitamins which are high supply of potassium to balance sodium in your food.
  • Eat Whole foods that are unusually high in unsaturated fats like avocados, egg yolks, fish, fish oil and krill oils, and olives and olive oil.

Don't buy products and elaborate diets that proclaim to wipe out cellulite forever!

The secret is to move every day and eating real food. It will have a positive and beneficial effect on your life too!

 It will improve your mood, enhance your energy levels and reduce the occurrence of chronic disease, which is something we can truly appreciate.