Every woman’s worst nightmare, cellulite! Cellulite puts a real bummer on our self esteem, most women hate to undress around people and what’s worse is the summer season when you can’t hide under your winter clothes.

Why do we get cellulite on our bodies?

Cellulite is simply fat which accumulates against connective tissues in your skin. Unlucky for us, it mainly occurs among women appearing around our tummies, hips and thighs. I’m sure many of you have heard the expression ‘ earning your tiger stripes ‘.  Although many people use numerous oils to prevent or cure their cellulite there is no real way of removing it from ever happening. It is however suggested that a change in your diet and health can help tone your body and reduce it’s appearance.

Tips to Improve Cellulite Problems

1. Drink plenty of water
2. Restrict your diet to as low carbs as possible
3. Detox as often as you can – Clearing out liver is excellent to remove unwanted fat
4. Exercise regularly
5. Take up yoga or stretching classes in spare time
6. Consume or drink plenty of cranberries, broccoli and eggs
7. Take a drink of lemon juice in hot water every morning on an empty stomach
8. Say no to coffee, alcohol, fatty foods and soda!
9. Reduce stress
10. Get plenty of beauty sleep everynight

Take your Vitamins!

• Omega 3 – You will find this in fish oils
• Omega 6 – You will find this in black currant seeds
• Omega 9 – You will find this in olive oil

Exercise

As well as regularly participating in cardiovascular exercise weekly to lose body fat you will also need to start considering strength training your core muscles. Improving your lifestyle and diet will play a major part in improvement on the dreaded cellulite.

• Exercise a minimum of 30 minutes each day, this can involve : Running, cycling or even swimming.
• Work those abs : At some point you will have to face the fact that crunches have to be your best friend.

Women of all ages can fall prey to those frustrating cellulite bumps.

Though cellulite can pop up any time, it is true that cellulite does seem to appear out of nowhere and can get worse with age. Those strands of connective tissue thicken with age, and our skin gets thinner, making cellulite more noticeable.

Because fat is exceptionally soft, it doesn’t keep our skin taut like muscle does. It also takes up more space, so it bulges out. With the right exercise plan, you can reduce your cellulite and make your lower body look smoother and firmer.

The trick is working all your lower body muscles from every angle, reducing the underlying fat stores and replacing lost muscle tissue to give the area a taut, toned appearance throughout.

Side to Side

• Muscles worked: Quadriceps, abductors, adductors, hamstrings, and glutes

Equipment:

• Dumbbells. You can do this basic exercise without any weights. Just keep your hands on your hips. To make it more difficult, hold the dumbbells up at your shoulders while performing the exercise.

1. Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart with your toes pointed out about 45 degrees and your back flat and straight. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and rest them at your hips.

2. Take a giant step to the left and bend your left knee until your thigh is parallel to the floor, keeping your right leg extended. Do not allow your left knee to jut over your toes or your butt to dip below your knee. Pause, then return to the starting position and repeat the motion to the right side without resting.

All-Fours Kickback

• Muscles worked: Gluteal muscles

Equipment: 

• Dumbbells. When doing this exercise, remember not to arch or hunch your back. This will prevent you from putting stress on your back.  Do the exercise with a light dumbbell held behind the knee in the crook of your working leg.

1. Get down on your forearms and knees (similar to the hands-and-knees position, but you bend your arms and support your weight on your forearms instead of your hands). Keep your back straight and your head in line with your back so that your eyes are looking down.

2. Keeping your back straight and leg bent, slowly swing your right leg back and lift your right foot toward the ceiling until your thigh is parallel to the ground. Your foot should remain flexed throughout the exercise. Hold for 1 second, then return to the starting position. Do one set with your right leg, then switch and repeat with your left.

 

Squat and Side Lift

• Muscles worked:Glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, hip flexors, and abductors

Equipment:

• Dumbbells. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, with your hands on your hips, your elbows out to the sides, and your toes slightly pointed out. Remember to keep your head straight and your eyes facing forward. If you want to push yourself a bit, hold a light dumbbell in each hand as you do the moves.

1. Slowly bend at the knees and squat back as though moving your butt down toward an imaginary chair. Keep your back flat, and don’t allow your knees to jut over your toes. Stop when your thighs are just about parallel to the floor; don’t go any lower.

2. Pause, then straighten your legs, lifting your left leg off the floor and out to the side as you stand. Pause again, then return to the starting position. Repeat, lifting your right leg to the side this time. Alternate legs throughout the exercise.

 

One-Legged Lunge

• Muscles worked: Glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings

Equipment: 

• A sturdy chair or bench Since this is a bit of an advanced exercise, practice doing regular lunges to get comfortable with the movement before you start. To make this move even more challenging, hold dumbbells down at your sides.

1. Stand about 2 feet in front of a sturdy chair or bench with your back to it. Bend your left knee and extend your left leg behind you, putting the top of your left foot on the seat of the chair. Keep your back straight, your head aligned with your spine, and your eyes facing forward.

2. Slowly bend your right knee until it is parallel to the floor. Do not allow your right knee to jut over your toes. Pause, then rise back to the starting position. Do one set with your right leg, then switch and repeat with your left.