This article looks at cellulite, the causes of cellulite, the exercises to get rid of cellulite on the thighs, and other remedies that can help this skin condition.
What is cellulite?
Cellulite is a common, harmless skin condition where the flesh on the thighs, hips, buttocks, and other body parts becomes lumpy and dimpled. Sometimes cellulite appears like cottage cheese or orange peel texture.
Cellulite is common in women compared to men. In fact, 80%-90% of women experience cellulite and most women develop this skin condition after puberty. This is because women’s fat is mostly stored in the thighs, hips, and buttocks which are the prominent areas for cellulite.
Gaining weight can make cellulite more noticeable. It can also come with aging when the skin loses its elasticity. Although cellulite is harmless, one may think that treatment is not necessary. But cellulite affects the appearance of your skin.
The good thing is that a healthy diet combined with cardio and strength training can reduce body fat and sculpt muscles to get rid of cellulite.
Exercises like the split squat, lateral lunge, squat jump, curtsy lunge, and Stability ball hamstring curl can help to reduce cellulite on your thighs.
What causes cellulite?
Cellulite is a result of an interaction between the connective tissue in the layer that lies below the skin surface and the layer of fat that is just below it. When the fat cells protrude into the skin layer, cellulite is set to appear.
The fat cells and connective tissue are arranged vertically in women, unlike in men where they are arranged in a criss-cross structure. This explains why women are more likely to have this skin condition than men.
Other factors that are linked to having a chance of cellulite include;
Genetic factors: Some of the skin conditions are hereditary. If your father, mother, or any of your ancestors struggled with this skin condition, you’re more likely to develop cellulite too.
Hormonal factors and age: hormones such as Oestrogen, insulin, thyroid hormones, and prolactin all take part in cellulite production. Aging also makes the skin less elastic, thinner, and more likely to sag. This exposes you to cellulite development.
Dietary and lifestyle factors: eating too much fat, carbohydrates, salt, and too little fiber exposes you to greater amounts of cellulite. Also, those who smoke, who drink too much alcohol, and those that exercise less are more likely to develop cellulite.
What exercises help to get rid of cellulite on the thighs?
Below are some of the exercises to get rid of cellulite on the thighs
1. Lateral lunge
Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms by your sides.
Take a big step with your right leg to the side, bending your left knee as you push your hips back.
Straighten your arms forward to balance your body while keeping the right leg straight.
Push off with your right foot to return to the starting position.
Perform 10-12 lunges on one side before switching to the other side.
2. Split squat
Begin in the standing position and take a long step forward as if performing a lunge. The heel of the back foot should be raised.
Keep the trunk straight and lower slowly until the back knee almost touches the floor. Then push back up.
Complete 12 reps, and then switch legs.
3. Squat jump
Start standing with feet hip-distance apart and your arms at your sides.
Bend your knees to lower into a squat position while keeping the spine straight, chest lifted up, knees behind the toes, and arms in front of your chest for balance.
Propel yourself into a jump, swinging your arms overhead to assist the movement.
Land softly and immediately return to the squat position and repeat.
Perform 3 sets of 10-15 reps.
4. Stability ball hamstring curl
Lie on your back with arms on the floor, palms facing down, and a stability ball underneath your calves and the heels.
Engage the glutes and move the hips upward off the floor so that the body forms a straight from the upper back to the feet.
Press your lower legs and feet into the ball for stability.
Using your hamstrings, pull your heels toward your butt until your feet are flat on the stability ball.
Extend the knees and lower the hips to return to the straight-body position.
Perform 3 sets of 12-15 reps.
5. Curtsy lunge
Stand upright with your feet hip-distance apart and arms at your sides.
Move your right foot clockwise to perform a semicircle. The right foot must cross behind your left foot while keeping the right toe tucked and hands clasped in your chest
In the above position, lunge down as deeply as possible. Hold your knee a few inches off the floor and pause for a few seconds.
After a brief pause, push through your left heel and come back to start.
Switch legs and repeat the same steps. This is one rep.
Complete 3 sets of 10 reps, resting one minute in between sets
For more leg exercises, here is a list of 12 leg workouts that can tone your thighs, glutes, and lower body to get rid of cellulite.
Related; How to do leg raises properly for a six-pack abs
How long does it take for cellulite to go away with exercise?
Most people think that getting rid of cellulite requires a lot of effort and time. But this is not true. If cellulite is handled with a healthy and proper regime, it can go away quickly without any efforts.
A combination of diet and exercise is the best way to get rid of cellulite. Exercise makes the body burn the extra fat, hence preventing your body from storing the fat which in most cases gives rise to a cellulite-prone skin.
According to different studies and researches, cellulite can take around 15-30 days to go away if treated in a proper way.
What foods fight off cellulite on the thighs?
While there are many strategies to get rid of cellulite, these strategies can be more effective when you kick out unhealthy foods from your diet and embrace cellulite bursting foods. As it turns out, certain nutrients worsen the appearance of cellulite skin even amidst measures to smooth it out.
Therefore, cutting back on unhealthy fats, sugar, and salt will make the cottage cheese or orange peel texture less apparent.
The foods to eat include;
1. Whole grains
Whole grains are rich fiber which helps your digestive system. With grains, toxins can be removed quickly before they form or increase cellulite. Whole grains also promote cardio-health and a good circulation system.
2. Oily fish
Oily fish such as sardines, mackerel, and salmon are high omega-3 fatty acids which keeps the skin strong and supple. These also fight inflammation and promote circulation.
3. Ginger
Eating ginger boosts blood flow and improves the appearance of cellulite. Ginger destroys toxins and makes the lymphatic system stronger and more efficient.
Here are more health benefits of ginger you may be missout.
4. Dark leafy greens
Dark greens like broccoli, kale, spinach, and more have an antioxidant called lutein which is a well-known anti-cellulite. These also boost your circulation
5. Bananas
These cut-down water retention, an important cause of “orange peel” skin, and their effect on the lymphatic system of eliminating toxins and other unwanted materials make them very important in this fight.
Wondering whether bananas are good for weight loss? Here is all you need to know about bananas for weight loss.
6. Berries
Berries have antioxidants that boost the lymphatic system by breaking down toxins that would have been deposited as cellulite. They also contain vitamin C which increases the collagen levels in your skin. This makes the skin strong, taut, and reduces cellulite.
7. Avocado
This is rich in Essential Fatty Acids that keep the skin strong, soft, and stretchy
Other natural remedies to get rid of cellulite
Apart from diet and exercise, other strategies to combat cellulite may include;
1. Lasers or radiofrequency (RF)
These blasts your skin with heat to give your bumps a smoother look. These don’t hurt much but are more expensive and one may need several visits
2. Massage
This stretches out cellulite dimples by improving lymphatic drainage and stretching the skin tissue. Massage creams also offer the same benefits
3. Dry brushing
This greatly helps to stimulate blood and lymph flow in the body.
4. Detox bath
A detox bath can relax the skin to remove the toxin build-up in skin and fat tissues that are responsible for cellulite.
5. Bioactive collagen peptides
These supplements may facilitate faster-wound healing and also reduce inflammation. They act as antioxidants, which can improve skin structure and reduce cellulite.
6. Drink more water
Drinking water keeps you hydrated all day and encourages circulation and lymphatic flow. All these help to eliminate cellulite.
We also have an article on drinking water for weight loss. You can get it here.
7. Weight loss
Losing excess body fat may reduce the appearance of cellulite in obesity and overweight people.
Read our article; “how to lose weight faster and naturally” to learn the different ways to maintain a healthy weight.
Bottom line
The best way to combat cellulite is through healthy eating and regular body exercise. This will burn the fat into energy instead of being stored under the skin. Therefore, following these exercise regimens along with other strategies will give you results in just a few months.
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