Contents:
- Why does cellulite occur?
- 3 ways to fight cellulite
- 6 exercises to get rid of cellulite at home
- 5 exercises against cellulite in the gym
Orange peel skin in itself does not pose a health hazard, but for many women it is an aesthetic problem, a cause of complexes and taboos in clothing. To make cellulite less noticeable, you can follow several rules, which we will discuss in this article.
What is cellulite?
First of all, cellulite is not a disease. The term rather describes the fatty tissue underneath your skin that is typically found in your legs and butt.
But why is it mostly only women who fight cellulite? Because they have thinner skin compared to men. Fat cells and collagen fibers intertwine in a mesh-like structure in the human subcutaneous cell. These fibers are parallel in women, making their tissue less stable. Therefore, fat cells can appear on the surface, passing between collagen fibers. And this is what we perceive as uneven skin or “orange peel.” However, men can also show signs of cellulite when they suffer from a lack of androgens, the male sex hormones.
Why is this area a problem?
This is explained by the peculiarities of hormonal levels in women. “The deposition of fat in the thigh area is influenced by the hormone estrogen,” comments Lada Zadonskaya, a personal trainer at the Territory Fitness club chain. - It increases the number of alpha-2a receptors on fat cells, most of which are in the lower abdomen and thighs.
Estrogen also tends to reduce the activity of LPL, an enzyme called lipoprotein lipase, in subcutaneous fat, one of whose functions is to break down fats.” The situation is worsened by the fact that cellulite often appears in the same area. “These are structural changes, stagnation in the subcutaneous layer, leading to disruption of microcirculation and lymphatic outflow,” writes Natalya Davydova, author of the book “#Press the body: build happiness with your own hands.” — Cellulite is gender biased and attacks primarily the weaker sex. This is because our adipose tissue is evenly distributed throughout the body and it has room to spread out.”
How does this happen? “In normal skin, adipocytes (fat cells) of a standard size “live”, grouped in “fat lobules,” and these, in turn, are connected to the circulatory system, through which lipids enter the blood and nourish the body’s tissues,” explains Natalya Davydova. — Adipocytes transform fats from food-derived sugars into calories and satisfy the body’s natural needs. But suddenly a malfunction occurs: new adipocytes appear, and old ones increase in size and need additional nutrition. As a result, adipocytes cease to properly perform their functions, working for the saturation center. This leads to the accumulation of fats, weakening of capillaries and the occurrence of edema. Normal blood and lymph circulation is disrupted due to insufficient nutrition of local tissues. The skin takes on a swollen appearance - this is the first symptom of cellulite. Next, adipocytes begin to group into nodes, provoking tissue fibrosis. This is the stage of the appearance of the “orange skin effect”. As the nodes increase, fibrous tissue thickens and hardens, the surface of the skin becomes uneven, as if covered with tubercles. This is the stage of advanced cellulite.”
Therefore, just doing exercises to lose weight on your thighs and legs will not be enough: you must also adhere to a balanced diet. You can create it using our service.
Reasons for appearance
So, who or what is to blame for uneven skin on the butt and legs, besides the already mentioned weak connective tissue?
- Genetic predisposition: Unfortunately, if your mom has cellulite, then you are more likely to get it too...
- Hormones: Do you notice cellulite increasing before your period? This may be due to changes in hormonal balance. Plus, did you know that birth control pills can also contribute to cellulite on your thighs and buttocks?
- Unhealthy lifestyle: alcohol, cigarettes or stress have a negative effect on the body. Unhealthy foods also contribute to cellulite, as excess body fat is often deposited in “affect zones.”
Diet Tips to Reduce Cellulite
A healthy, balanced diet is not only good for losing a few pounds, but also for peeling off that orange peel. In fact, eating right benefits your entire body. Enlarged fat cells in the thighs and buttocks not only irritate, but also compress blood vessels. As a result, circulation throughout the body is reduced, your metabolism slows, and lymphatic drainage is impaired. This, in turn, makes the skin less tight and elastic, and unpleasant grooves and pits in the skin become even more noticeable. So what should we do? Speed up your metabolism! Say no to fast food, as well as fatty foods, alcohol and sugar. All of them are cellulite's best friends and contribute to its prosperity. In addition, all of them can lead to excess weight.
How to eat to get rid of cellulite:
1. Lots of liquid. Drink enough fluids (water or unsweetened tea) throughout the day. It helps the body transport vital nutrients into cells and eliminate waste.
2. Low sodium diet. Did you know that foods rich in salt cause fluid retention in body tissues? The swollen tissue makes your orange peel look even more visible.
3. Foods rich in potassium. Consume foods such as apricots, bananas, potatoes, ginger and artichokes. They have one thing in common: they contain a lot of potassium. This essential mineral helps in transporting oxygen and nutrients into your cells. In addition, potassium also helps remove waste from your body while cells are repaired and renewed.
Also, nuts that are high in vitamin E are great for your skin. But keep in mind that nuts are high in fat, which can also contribute to weight gain. A handful a day is enough.
4. Vitamin C: Bell peppers and kiwis are rich in vitamin C, which promotes collagen production in your body. And collagen itself is responsible for smooth and even skin.
Main rule:
Avoid crash diets! Rapid weight loss (and gain) can contribute to cellulite. In addition, on such diets you also lose muscle, which leads to more noticeable cellulite.
How to lose weight in thighs as quickly as possible?
Everyone who is losing weight dreams of losing weight in their thighs quickly and without much effort on their part. Nobody wants to learn how to eat right, how to deal with their problems and complexes. But here’s the problem - even if the legs become the desired volume, the person will not feel joy, it will seem to him that nothing has changed. After all, the problem is in the head.
Therefore, you should not look for unique methods and miracle pills; it is better to be patient and enlist the support of specialists.
How to lose weight in your thighs in a week?
Not a single diet, even the most cruel one in the world, will help you get rid of extra pounds that have accumulated over many years in a week. Due to dietary restrictions, fluid leaves the body and muscle fiber is lost. But all this will be restored as quickly as it went away, after the end of the week-long hunger strike.
Young teenage girls especially often suffer from the idea of losing weight in a week. The crisis of these years makes them feel unnecessary, clumsy, not who they are. And the solution to the problem in this case remains with the parents - not to ignore the child’s suffering, but to refer him for comprehensive treatment to a weight loss clinic.
Lose weight in thighs in a month
If you adhere to reasonable dietary restrictions for a month, you will notice a general improvement in your well-being, lightness, and self-confidence. Although the number on the scale may remain virtually unchanged. This approach is considered the most correct, since weight loss occurs smoothly, evenly, without harm to the body.
And strict diets for a month must be abandoned once and for all. All this is fraught with much more serious physiological and psychological problems.
When there is absolutely no time
The only thing you can do before an important event is to take care of your skin. Take a hot bath, cleanse the skin with a scrub, do a massage - all this will improve the condition of the epidermis and visually it will seem that your legs have become a little slimmer.
The best solution is not to let the situation get to the point where there is no time left for weight loss. If a person notices such habits as eating socially, systematically overeating, stress eating, or not controlling portion sizes, you should immediately contact a specialist at a weight loss clinic. It is easier to treat problems as they arise. Having a large number of extra pounds, you need to be patient and enlist the support of specialists.
Tips for doing the exercises correctly
Now that we've talked about your number one ally in your fight against cellulite, it's time to step up. Literally. If you really want to lose weight and/or tone your body and get rid of cellulite, you need to move. Strengthen the muscles of your buttocks and legs to reduce fat cells in these areas and tighten connective tissue.
Squats, lunges, or HIIT training all strengthen your legs and basically your entire body. Additionally, these exercises will boost your metabolism. Bodyweight training is also very effective if you want to work multiple muscle groups at the same time. For those looking to burn fat, try Tabata workouts, interval training, or jump rope!
Video about means and methods of combating cellulite: exercises, nutrition, scrubs
All these exercises for cellulite on the legs and butt can be performed at home!
And here's the last tip:
Have you ever heard of fascia training or using a roller? Fascia is what holds muscle connective tissue in your body. After an intense workout or a lot of squats, your muscles need time to recover. It's good that you can help them! Try a special roller to increase muscle regeneration.
Top 5 exercises to do at home
Warm-up
At this stage, you need to do cardio, but the choice of what exercises to do is up to you.
You walk at a moderate pace or ride a bike. Climbing stairs also works well.
After two minutes, increase the intensity. Make sure you start to get a little out of breath. Then lower the intensity and cool down for a few minutes.
This warm-up will prepare you for exercises that will quickly get rid of cellulite on your butt and thighs.
Now is the time for strength training.
Do at least 15 repetitions of each of the following exercises to remove cellulite from your body. Make sure you do 3 sets per day for faster results.
Be sure to work slowly and efficiently.
Squats with dumbbells
One of the fastest exercises to get rid of cellulite on the thighs and butt, and is considered a classic.
- Hold one dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing inward. Be sure to keep your back straight.
- Bend both your knees and hips as if you were about to sit in a chair. Make sure your knees don't go over your toes.
- Stand up slowly and continue repeating until you have completed the required amount.
Lunges
Another popular anti-cellulite exercise is lunges.
- Stand up straight with your legs straight and dumbbells in your hands on both sides.
- Take a long step with your left foot.
- Slowly lower your right knee towards the floor. Your knees should always be at a 90 degree angle. Keep your back straight.
- Lean on your left leg and return to the starting position.
- Repeat the same with the other leg.
Stepping up with dumbbells
This effective exercise is taken from aerobics.
- Stand on a step and hold both dumbbells next to you.
- Leave your left leg on the steppe and lower your right leg back. Don't touch the floor with your right foot. Then pick it up again, but don't put it on the step.
- Complete the set and then switch legs.
Plie squats with alternating heel raises
Technique:
- Place your feet 1 meter apart. Fingers should point outward.
- Lower yourself down until your thighs are almost parallel to the floor.
- Push back up to return to the starting position.
- Then do the same movement, lifting your right heel as you lower.
- Repeat the move, but this time lift your left heel.
- That's one rep!
Bulgarian split squats
This is perhaps one of the hardest exercises.
- Place your left foot forward on the floor and place your right foot on the bench. Keep your left knee bent 90 degrees and lower your right knee to the ground.
- Go back. Maintain balance by engaging your core muscles.
Hitch
Finally, do proper stretching to avoid sore muscles the next day. Every time you exercise, your muscles should be stretched for greater flexibility.
Do a couple of basic stretches such as:
- Quadriceps stretching;
- Lying buttock stretch;
- 4 figure for stretching;
- Stretch - butterfly.
Make sure you perform each exercise for about 20 seconds.
If you skip this step, you may not be able to train well next time. Don't neglect this step because it is very important to improve your training results.
Gluteal muscles: large
“Even ugly buttocks do not interfere with a person’s movement. We could do without the main muscle in this area – the gluteus maximus – says Makarova. “It is responsible for the correct vertical posture when walking
, but the human body is designed in such a way that its weakness or absence is compensated by other muscles.”
True, in this case the load will be taken on by the muscles of the lumbar back, which can be injured from overexertion. So the habit of keeping the gluteus maximus muscle toned is a good way to avoid back pain
. The gluteus maximus muscle extends the thigh at the hip joint, but the range of this movement is very small - only 5-10 degrees. The main exercises that help strengthen the gluteal muscle are hip extensions.
Anti-cellulite cream: is it necessary?
After completing the exercises, you can apply anti-cellulite cream to speed up the process.
Cellulite creams can be found everywhere, be it online or offline. Be sure to choose a popular and proven brand that actually works.
Applying an anti-cellulite cream after this workout helps speed up the recovery process and remove unsightly traces of cellulite.
Remember that cellulite did not appear overnight, and in the same way you will get rid of it in a day. Be patient and the results will be visible very quickly.
Exercises for legs and buttocks with dumbbells to get rid of cellulite
You can do whatever you want: watch sports videos, do exercises or gymnastics, work out in the gym, but until you understand the causes of cellulite, there will be no success. "It's really just fat that happens to clump together instead of in layers," says Wayne Westcott, Ph.D., a professor of exercise science at Quincy College who has done extensive research on both cellulite and cellulite exercise. “Various factors—genetics, hormones, and poor circulation—affect the amount of cellulite,” says Westcott.
Since cellulite tends to accumulate on the buttocks and legs, your strategy for combating it should be to train your lower body hard, focusing on repetitions. “This tactic attacks that cellulite fat, building muscle underneath and burning calories, basically. It also distributes excess oil into layers, making your skin look smoother,” says Westcott.
How it works: Do two sets of each exercise for the indicated number of reps. If you complete all the reps and still don't feel a burning sensation in your muscles, then do five more (on each side, if necessary). Limit rest to 15 seconds between sets. You can do this workout three days a week, and the process of reducing cellulite will not take long.
Take two sets of dumbbells, one heavier set (6-9 kg) and one set of light dumbbells (3-5 kg).
Total time: up to 30 minutes
You will need: free weights
Side lunge with dumbbells
Stand straight with your feet together, holding one heavier dumbbell vertically at one end with both hands at chest height. Bend your elbows at your sides. Keeping your left leg straight, step your right leg as far to the side as possible, bending your knee and dropping your hips deeply [shown]. Return to the starting position. Do 20 reps. Switch sides
- Approaches: 2
- Reps: 20
Reverse lunge with dumbbells
Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold one light dumbbell in each hand. Keeping your hips and shoulders tight, step your left leg back and across from your right leg, bending your knees 90 degrees [shown]. Return to the starting position. Switch sides.
- Approaches: 2
- Reps: 20
Plie squat with dumbbells
Stand with your legs wide apart, holding one heavy dumbbell vertically at one end with both hands at chest height, elbows bent at your sides. Squat down, pushing your knees out to the sides [shown]. Return to the starting position.
- Approaches: 2
- Reps: 20
Gluteal bridge
Lie on your back on the floor, knees bent, feet firmly on the floor. Hold one heavy dumbbell horizontally on your thighs with both hands. Raise your hips, bring your knees in, and hold this position for 3 seconds [shown]. Return to the starting position.
- Approaches: 2
- Reps: 20
Dumbbell hip raise
Lie on the floor on your left side, with your left forearm at 90 degrees to the floor, your legs connected and lying on top of each other, and a light dumbbell resting on your right leg. Raise your right leg and hold it for 3 seconds [shown]. Do 20 reps. Switch sides.
- Approaches: 2
- Reps: 20
Single leg deadlift with dumbbell
Stand shoulder-width apart, holding one light weight in each hand, palms facing your body and weights touching your hips. Raise your left leg a couple of centimeters off the floor. Lower yourself down, moving the dumbbells down your legs until your body forms a T [shown]. Return to the starting position. Do 15 reps. Switch sides.
- Approaches: 2
- Reps: 20
Also try effective ways to remove cellulite and try the most effective recipes.
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Warming up or warming up
Exercises for weight loss begin with warming up the muscles:
- you need to stand up straight and pull your hands up - if there is a feeling of warmth, then everything is done correctly;
- then run on the spot for several minutes;
- followed by warming up the core muscles: from a straight position, with hands on the waist, bend forward and to the sides.
The total time for warming up does not exceed 5-10 minutes. Warming up helps prevent accidental injuries while performing the complex.
