Cellulite. It’s the one word that the majority of women cringe when they hear it and work on eliminating throughout their entire lives. The pesky dimpling or orange peel skin look usually starts appearing around puberty for about 80 to 90 percent of women. Why? Primarily, it is caused by an uneven distribution of muscle, connective tissue and fat. However there are other reasons such as age, genetics and lifestyle. Some of us are “lucky” and only have a mild case of it, while in others it can be quite extensive, causing us to be self-conscious, especially around bikini season.
While cellulite is almost impossible to get rid of permanently there are invasive and non-invasive treatments that will reduce the appearance. I personally prefer non-invasive treatments and have found the following to be helpful.
- Exercise – Less fat means less cellulite. Cardio is important, but muscle burns more calories than just a cardio workout. Doing weights not only burns more calories, it provides that “toned” look we all desire.
- Hydration – Water is vital to our well-being. It helps our skin’s elasticity, decreases our appetite and water-rich foods tend to be lower in calories than dense foods.
- Massage – Quick circular massage movements help speed up circulation and increase firmness in the skin.
- Brushing – This ties in to massage and increasing the circulation around the problem areas. Dry and or wet brushing not only removes dead skin cells for a softer skin but it also increases circulation around the pesky areas.
- Reduce Stress – Stress wreaks a havoc on so many different levels. One is it produces cortisol, which holds on to fat and cellulite. Working on living a stress free lifestyle may not only help reduce the pesky problem, but may also create more happiness overall.
- Wraps – Coffee, paprika and seaweed wraps all help reduce the appearance of cellulite. Several treatments are required to notice a difference. Not only do they tend to reduce a few inches, but they also leave the skin soft. My current favorite wrap is coffee!
Unfortunately, there is not one solution that helps whisk cellulite away. But with a healthy lifestyle and self-care it can get us ready for the warm summer weather!
