By Daniella Lindsey

Cellulite is fat.

Fat stuffed into cells on the thighs, buttocks and abdomen.

And to get rid of fat you have to use it up. Use it up in the form of energy to muscle.

So you need to target muscle groups that will bring this fat into the blood stream and then to the muscle groups most ideal for fat burning.

Acres of bumps and dimples won't look good this summer when you want to wear shorts or light clothes.

But you can reduce that cottage cheese look quickly and easily.

A bit of background.

(Feel free to skip this bit if you just want to get on with Cellulite Reduction)

Mainly in women, cellulite is a word that was “created” in Europe in the 1920’s and crossed over into English around the 1960’s and has been used ever since to push all sorts of creams and potions into a multi-million dollar market.

It refers to the fat cells around the upper thighs and buttocks that creates those embarrassing bumps and bulges that are so hard to get rid of, but there are cellulite treatments.

(The image above shows fibrous strands that connects the skin to muscle with the enlarging fat cells stuck in between.)

The connective tissue in a woman’s body is extremely flexible and as fat cells enlarge they often swell up towards the skin surface. When we reach maturity we do not gain any more fat cells, they just enlarge so any bumps or bulges also enlarge.

Just beneath the layers of skin, the epidermis and dermis, the human body has three layers of fat and in the subcutaneous layer is where cellulite (just more and more fat) develops.

This subcutaneous layer differs from other layers in that its fatty parts are built as chambers by linked tissue.

And as the cells are normal fat cells, none of those special cellulite creams, cloths, mitts or gimmick devices are really going to do any good because you don’t remove body fat with a lotion.

These increase in size of these fatty cells is closely linked with hormonal changes in women during puberty, pregnancy and menopause as a woman’s hormones regulate blood flow, fat and connective tissue.

The chambers that make up the subcutaneous layer of fat are large upright or vertical construction cells that store fat and are larger in a woman than similar cells in a male thus reducing a male’s exposure to possible cellulite style fat deposits and related conditions.

A correct diet and proper exercise will often reduce these fatty cells - but not always and as we age there is a loss in thickness in skin and thickening of connective tissue, increasing the bloated, bulging appearance of the areas around thighs, abdomen and buttocks.

 Jump straight to Joey Atlas' Cellulite Cure 

So that's the technical bit done; now on to removing fat.

The first stages of getting rid of cellulite:
   • A healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and fiber
   • Staying hydrated with plenty of water
   • Regular exercise to keep muscles toned and bones strong
   • Maintaining a healthy weight
   • Not smoking

Massage, and by that I mean deep muscle massage, will give short term symptom relief but the fat won't go away that easily.

Add some muscle tone to the massage treatments and you’ll definitely improve your appearance.

Another treatment for cellulite is Lipodissolve.

Lipodissolve is a procedure where a natural enzyme Phosphatidylcoline (PPC) is injected into areas of fat cells to dissolve the fat, reduce the size of the cells and the dissolved fat is then flushed from the body naturally.

Then there's Mesotherapy.

Again a series of injections into the fat cell area but this time its a mixture of herbs and vitamins.

No, I haven't tried these two. I'm not all that keen on lots of injections but these two procedures are becoming more popular. Fat can be removed and cell size reduced by more painless ways than by my becoming a pin cushion.

It all comes down to...

The best and least painless way to get rid of Cellulite is exercise.

And the older you get, the more exercise you need since your metabolic rate slows and fat stays put.

Start any cellulite removal routine with light weights and be prepared to stick with it until you see improvement. That should only take 2 or 3 weeks before you notice some encouraging signs.

Aim for exercises that stretch and tighten the flat abdomen muscles such as sit-ups while on an exercise ball. Don't try too many of these at first as you are going to know you have been working out even if you only start with 2 or 3.

Next, lie on your stomach with your hands under your groin and lift your shoulders and legs up off the floor. Hold in the lifted position and spread your legs wide apart, then bring them together and lower your body back to the floor.

Start with 5 repetitions on first attempt moving on up to 15 or more as you get stronger muscle. You'll be pleasantly surprised what this routine will do for the buttocks and backs of your thighs.

It takes a few weeks to get into the habit of exercise but after a while you'll actually look forward to getting down on the floor and into your routine.

All those little endorphins kick in and off you go.

Stress levels will fall as you workout (that's another big plus that you won't get from rubbing on some lotion) and you’ll feel like you’re missing something on days that get too busy and you have to forego exercising.

Remember to stretch after you finish to reduce muscle ache later.

Exercises that stretch the muscles and skin surface will be a massive fat remover.

You won't build too much muscle, even if you're a larger build, but as this increasing muscle requires more calories than fat, so more muscle is going to burn more calories and do it faster.

Especially on your legs.

Genetics are going to play a big part in whether you suffer a little or a lot from cellulite.

Body fat is a necessary part of a healthy body and all you can do is keep it under control as much as possible by watching your lifestyle.

There are special routines targeted to get at cellulite and destroy it. Simple but effective.

The routine that I follow is by Joey Atlas. I've looked at others but this one works for me.

Here is a simple set of exercises by Joey for strengthening your stomach muscles. Repeat these a over a few days and watch your belly flab start to disappear as belly and thighs begin to shape up.

• 1 - Lying face up, hand down at your side. Bring your legs up, knees slightly bent with the bottom of your feet toward the ceiling. This is your start position. While keeping the abdominals pulled in (contracted), slowly lower your right leg, until the heel touches the ground, and then raise it back up. Do this fifteen times. Then switch legs.
  
  
• 2 - Lying face up with knees bent, feet off the floor. Arms are extended as if reaching toward the sky if you were standing (reach above your head). As you breathe out, slowly bring your knees toward you by contracting your abdominals (pulling inward), lifting your butt and lower back off the mat, if possible. Then breathe in as you return to the start position.
  
  
• 3 - Lying face up with knees bent, heels on the ground and toes pointing up. Lift your butt off the ground to engage the core muscles. Now, here is where the fun starts. Lift one foot off the floor, extending that leg until it is straight, bring it back to the start position (heel on ground) and then do the same with the other leg. Keep alternating until you do a total of twenty, ten on each side.

  If this exercise sequence is too easy, go through it again and see how you do. If it was too challenging, decrease the number of repetitions to about five and do this every other day. Gradually increase the repetitions as your core gets stronger.

  Continue on to more about Joey Atlas

If getting rid of your cellulite is slow going, you can at least disguise it to some extent if you have to get into that short dress.

A good tan will cover a multitude of sins and hide a lot of those bumps but stay away from sun-lamps and tanning beds.

They can be fatal.

Instead, get a good, light brown tan simply by applying it to the skin and be ready to show off a healthy look in minutes rather than days.

• It's called Idol Tan and it looks great.

  Not a substitute for good, hard work;but a very effective method of concealment. 

   "Click on the image to find out more."

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