Cellulite is simply a fancy name for fat deposits under the skin. Most women are cursed with cellulites. The unsightly result of this fat storage is often a dimpled and bumpy appearance of cellulite on the hips, thighs, and buttocks. Tackling cellulite requires some perseverance in your exercise regimen and diet to see noticeable results.
Diet is everything
The mantra of eating well cannot be emphasized enough. If cellulite plagues your body, you need to focus first on a proper diet. Lean proteins, plenty of vegetables and fruits, and limiting fat intake is the only way to prevent adding to your fat stores.
A healthy diet works in conjunction with an appropriate exercise regimen to burn the excess fat from your body. Consume plenty of water to help hydrate your body and flush your system, every day, all day.
Why exercise?
Exercise stimulates circulation of fluids throughout the body that results in, you guessed it, more effective fat burning. The best exercise routine combines a cardio workout with target exercises for strength training. All exercise is beneficial for reducing cellulite. Remember that although you might not see immediate lessening in the dimpling of the skin, keep at it. You are burning fat and toning the muscles under the fat. Slow and steady wins the race and in this case, gets the best results.
Cardiovascular Exercise
Always begin every workout, even simple toning exercises, with a warm up. Warm ups prepare your body and heart for stimulation, warming up the muscles to make them more responsive to your workout.
Regular walking, jogging, swimming, or biking is an excellent way to ramp up the body to fight cellulite. Rhythmic and repetitive movement stimulates the muscles and challenges each muscle in sustained movement. Cardio workouts should be part of your regular exercise regimen so commit to exercising 3-5 times a week. The recipe is quite simple. Burn fat with regular exercise and you'll burn cellulite. And you'll prevent more cellulite from forming on your hips, thighs, and legs.
TARGET EXERCISES
Forward lunges
Stand with feet shoulder width apart, head facing forward and shoulders relaxed with hands at the sides. Take a step forward with one foot, firmly planting it on the floor as you bend your knee until your thigh is parallel to the floor. Straighten your bent leg and repeat the movement. Tuck in your tummy. Keep your back straight and your body relaxed. You should aim to complete 2-3 sets of 10 repetitions. If youneed to, work up to this level to see optimal results.
Side lunges-Stand with feet together.
Take a big step sideways, keeping your foot forward while bending your knee to 90 degrees so your thigh is parallel to the floor. Tense your butt and thigh muscles during this movement. Your weight should center squarely over your foot without leaning forward or backward. Straighten your leg and continue performing your repetitions. Remember to focus on proper posture as you complete 2-3 sets of 10 reps.
Step ups
All you need is the bottom stair and the will to do this challenging exercise. Grab the railing for balance. Focus on perfect posture with head facing forward, shoulders relaxed and aligned, and a straight back. Step up onto the step with your right foot, bringing the left foot up next to the right. Tighten your glutes and thigh muscles with the movement. Step back down to complete one full movement. Seems easy? Try performing this exercise for 5 minutes. Your cellulite will be a thing of the past!
Remember that your level of fitness is your own so do what you can do safely. Extreme muscle fatigue isn't your goal but rather an overall feeling of happy tiredness. Complete every workout with 10 minutes of cool down activities. After cool down, include some gentle stretching. Stretching lengthens muscles and increases flexibility.
