by Monica Neave
Cellulite is a nuisance for thin and overweight women alike and can be somewhat more difficult to tackle than losing weight. Although some believe that it is a special type of fat, "cellulite is simply normal fat that looks bumpy because it's pushing through the connective tissues that usually keeps it distributed evenly beneath your skin", says WebMD writer Michel Bloomquist. Genetics, age, pregnancy and hormone levels are among the causes that you have no control over. Some people are born with weaker tissue structures that collect fat deposits more easily. Others experience a weakening of tissue structures as they age. And some women produce high levels of estrogen (especially during pregnancy) that tend to break apart collagen tissue fibers allowing for fat to deposit in the form of cellulite.
The good news is that there are plenty of other factors that cause cellulite which you can control. Your body fat level is probably the most important one; the less fat that you have on your body the less fat there is to push through those connective tissues. So even if you are genetically predisposed to cellulite lowering your body fat will keep it to a minimum. Two other factors to consider are poor circulation and bad food choices, which tend to go hand in hand. Poor circulation damages tissue which results in blocked air and trapped toxins from too much processed foods or food allergies. The more you exercise and the better food choices you make the less chance you have of toxins contributing to your cellulite. One last thing to consider is sun exposure that ages your skin and contributes to the breakdown of collagen tissue.
There are numerous treatments for cellulite on the market including herbal treatments, creams, gels, exfoliants, endermology, body wraps, hormone or enzyme injections, and even electrical muscle stimulation but the rate of success is low and there aren’t any studies or research that prove any of this stuff really works. These treatments are also very pricey. But don’t despair, there are more effective ways to reduce cellulite.
Build Fat Burning Muscle
Building muscle changes your body composition and burns off fat stores faster than cardio or dieting alone. For every pound of muscle you burn an extra 50 calories a day even while you sleep. If you were to put on 5lb of muscle you could be burning an extra 250 calories a day even while you sit. This is a lot more than an hour of cardio, which only keeps your metabolism elevated for several hours. Building muscle also increases circulation and elasticity, which tightens your muscles and skin tissue from within. It’s still important to do cardio but your focus should be on strength training, especially the lower body. The best lower body cellulite busters include walking lunges with dumbbell, seated leg curls, leg press, and plie squats with a dumbbell.
Stay Away From Fat Free
Obviously a healthy diet is the best way to reduce body fat but fat free products are some of the worst foods for fat loss. These foods are highly processed and very unsatisfying so you tend to eat more of them and since they are loaded with sugar, trans fatty acids, and high in calories excess calories quickly get stored as fat. Another major problem with fat free foods is that the labeling is somewhat deceptive. "The FDA label laws state that if a food has less than one-half gram of fat in a serving, that food can be labeled fat-free. The FDA however, is a bit lax when it comes to regulating serving sizes. By using a serving size of .02-.04 grams a food manufacturer can actually label pure fat as fat free" explains fitness expert Phil Kaplan. If you are craving something have a small portion of the full fat portion and then get back on track with your healthy eating.
Good Fats Promote Fat Loss
This is right on track with the recommendation above. People have been brainwashed to believe that all fat is bad when in reality omega 3 and omega 6 fats found in olive oil, avocados, almonds, walnuts, and flaxseed oil, boost metabolism and unlock stored body fat. "Glucagon is a key hormone that enables your body to burn it’s stores of body fat. A diet rich in omega fats helps balance your insulin levels so that glucagon can be released to unlock your body’s fat storage banks and begin converting unwanted body fat into energy" writes weightloss expert Jorge Cruise. The fats that you should avoid include those found in margarine, fried foods, refined vegetable oils, full fat animal products, and processed foods that contain the words partially hydrogenated on the ingredients list.
Recommended Fat Loss Supplement
Super Flaxseed Oil 32fl oz
Boost Fiber Intake
According to Dr. Scott Conelly, author of Body Rx, and one of the hottest looking 50 year old doctors around, "When fiber is digested, it is fermented in the gut and converted iinto short-chain fatty acids, which can be burned for fuel. The burning of fatty acids from fiber sends a signal to your fat cells telling them to release fat, which your body uses for fuel. The fiber in food also creates a sensation of feeling full, so you feel more satisfied after eating it". Starting your morning with a good breakfast cereal like kashi good friends (8 grams of fiber) and half a cup of berries (4 grams of fiber) almost gets you half way to the recommended 25-30 grams of fiber a day. Keep in mind that most Americans only get around 5 grams a day so starting out your day with a high fiber meal increases your chances of getting to the recommended amount.
Think twice about spending your money on cellulite products that are not guaranteed to work and remember that a healthy diet and strength training is your ticket to fat loss and a cellulite free body."