A Female “Problem”
Ever seen a man with cellulite? Well, our lovely orange peel dimples are pretty much exclusive to the female gender like other fun things, periods, labour and so 
on.
They’re due to the different way our fat cells are organised and to the lovely way nature helped us prepare for pregnancy by letting estrogen increase fat storage in women.
Neatly stacked in vertical chambers, our individual fat cells can be noticed more easily due to the fact that our outer skin is often also thinner, so little bulges are even more noticeable. And hormonal changes like pregnancy or menopause can turn peaches into oranges too.
Age, Diet, Lifestyle
But the difference between your skin and the woman next to you or your younger or slimmer self can still be dramatic. This can be due to a sudden increase or drop in weight which causes the cells to blow up like balloons and deflate in not such a pretty fashion. Also and especially if you’ve recently lost weight, your waste removal processes may not be running optimally.
And more good news: as you get older, your waste removal process generally becomes less efficient and your skin thins even more and loses elasticity due to various factors such as excessive sun exposure, bad diet, weight fluctuations, hormonal changes and that will make any existing cellulite look worse.
You may think so how do I look like Elle, The Body, then? Well, truth be told, a lot of celebrities also have age marks, cellulite, grey hairs etc. They are just perfected for the cameras and their photos retouched to within an inch of their lives.
So fear not, some cellulite is simply the female way of stacking fat cells. But from there, you can change and improve a whole lot. From the inside and outside. Just steer clear of miracle pills. Improvement takes slow steady progress and practice. You don’t get a body like Elle in a week and you sure as hell won’t get a huge improvement in your cellulite either. Be realistic.
Inside
If you’ve recently lost a lot of weight and increased your exercise volume a lot, you need to give your body a waste removal boost. Try a detox to see how much smoother and more velvety your skin will become (here are some ways to help clean out your kidneys and liver). Generally, a well-balanced diet rich in greens and balanced with protein, some wholegrains and as little inflammation causing foods as possible (they put a strain on your system) are best.
Also, watch your blood sugar and sodium levels, make sure you hydrate well and avoid anything acidic.
Help de-stress your system by adding simple breathing and/or exercise routines to your day. Stress is a major factor in causing your body to function sub-optimally.
Outside
Reducing your overall body fat and increasing your muscle tone will make your cellulite less noticeable and mind body exercises will help you with the stress levels.
Try our Pilates or yoga exercises if you are new to exercise. Go for a short walk to help you get your cardiovascular system working and perhaps try our skipping exercises if you are up for a more vigorous workout. Ideally, you’d be aiming for 20 to 60 minutes of exercise three times a week or more. (But two is a good starting point, too!)
Mix up your sessions so you lower your risk of becoming demotivated or getting stuck in a rut. Cardio, weights, Pilates and yoga – the list goes on.
If you can, add in exercises that tone the specific area you’re looking to improve. So that could be our side leg series, abdominal exercises or the cross reach to tighten up your behind. Also try the exercises in the 28 Day Diet & Exercise Plan – they are easy for any mum to do and fit into your life – no gym required!
