Archives 2013

Do These Dumbbell Chest Exercises to Get the Toned Buff Chest You’ve Always Wanted

People are creatures of habit that find comfort in doing rituals. All of us stick to at least one thing that we repeatedly do because we’re used to it. For example, when we want to develop our chest muscles, our first instinct would probably be to do bench presses and then barbell lifts. But there’s another more targeted way, and that’s through dumbbell chest exercises, in particular, those that target the chest.

Dumbbells give you the advantage of motion, flexibility, and of course a more symmetrical sculpted chest – since you’ll be using both of your arms, with the power coming from your chest to really level out the weights that you are lifting.

For beginners who have not yet mastered the proper posture of using a barbell, the exertion could force their bodies to contort without them noticing. This could be risky and could end up with you getting injured.

After we’re done with this article you should have fully understood the advantages of doing dumbbell workouts and will be better prepared to start reaping the rewards.

Tips that MUST be Followed When Doing Dumbbell Chest Exercises

Let’s start off by making sure that you understand that more weights does not necessarily mean more mass. Of course, we know that lifting heavier is better, but let’s not forget that lifting heavier weights without mastering the proper form is like baking a cake without knowing what the ingredients are.

Don’t listen to your ego, it’s not a numbers competition. You can bench less than your friend and yet have a sexier and a better looking sculpted chest.

Maintaining Proper Form While Doing Dumbbell Chest Exercises is Key

That’s right, proper form is the key. You can lift as much as you can, but without proper form, you’d just be wasting your time. Always remember to watch out if the other half of your body is giving way.

Get the power from muscle that’s targeted specifically by the workout that you are doing, and use only muscles, that’s secondarily targeted, for support.

Always keep your back on a natural “arch” so that you have a slight gap between the bench and your back, avoiding injury and unnecessary usage of power from other parts of your body.

We want to concentrate on the chest. Keep your core or the “abs/midsection” always tight to support your spine. This can be neglected often, especially by beginners. Keep in mind that we don’t want unnecessary back aches after a strenuous dumbbell workout.

Spotter or No Spotter With Dumbbell Chest Exercises?

Most of the exercises recommended here can be done without a spotter, but it doesn’t mean that you wouldn’t need one. It’s an entirely personal choice. When you have a friend available, it’s better to have him around to break the weights for you than you breaking your shoulders.

Let’s not get too excited about starting our routines by just pulling up the dumbbells straight away. You could risk injury just by doing this. Instead, gently place each dumbbell on the leg closest to it, and then do a leg lift to bring the dumbbells up.

If you should be on a lying position, start off by going on a sitting position, put the dumbbells on your legs, then gently go down on your back holding the dumbbells in sync, coming from your legs, as you lie down.

Make every rep count on a controlled slow pace. Feel the burn on each rep that you do. Going bouncy and fast on reps defeats the whole purpose; you’d be wasting precious energy and not get the effect you want. It also makes you prone to injury. So…feel the burn, go slow, and squeeze it.

Doing the Dumbbell Chest Exercises:

Here are some great dumbbell chest exercises from out Dumbbell Exercise Series that would give you excellent chest mass gain results while having fun at the same time. Check out the sample exercise videos for a quick demonstration of doing dumbbell chest exercises.

Dumbbell bench press – an excellent (or even better) alternative to doing barbell bench press. For beginners to advanced body builders, this exercise develops your chest primarily with secondary effects on the triceps and shoulder muscles. The advantages of doing dumbbell bench press (also known as dumbbell chest press) are more symmetrical chest development with less chance of risk injury due to the fact that you are not holding a fixed bar meaning you have more control and motion. Since you have more motion, you’ll achieve maximum chest development, which is after all what you’re after. This one doesn’t require a spotter, so you need to be the one to give yourself all the motivation you need.

Incline dumbbell press – this is a great dumbbell chest workout variation that specifically targets the upper chest muscles, with targeted secondary muscles as well (front delts and triceps). In order to fully execute this workout, your body must have more muscle fibers to keep the weights balanced. Most people do this exercise but never fully get its maximum benefits, because they do not know how to do it in optimal form.

Incline dumbbell flys – targets the muscles of the clavicular head of the pectoralis major or in layman’s term the “upper chest.” This is a great exercise to do if you want to add Juggernaut-esque mass on your upper chest. Much looooved by the pros, and enjoyed by the beginners. To fully obtain maximum result, this exercise should be done early on, as this is usually used as a pre-exhausting exercise. Why? For one simple reason only, you work out your chest until failure before affecting any other secondary muscle groups (triceps, deltoids) that you would need in other exercises – giving you the most benefit from your overall workout regime.

Dumbbell flys – primarily develops the chest without the assistance of the triceps muscles. This can be done using various angles such as: decline, incline, or using a stabilizer ball. Dumbbell flys focus on the chest and shoulders, yes; but it also strengthens muscles in your back, as well as your triceps. Keep your arms straight and don’t forget to only use your chest power for this exercise to avoid injury and get maximum results.

Decline dumbbell press – probably the most underused chest exercise in the history of bodybuilding. You won’t believe how underrated it is even though full usage of this will give your chest the best sharp cut look going down and carves up to complete the separation of your abs to your chest. This rounds up your chest giving it that fuller and muscular thickness look. It targets the lower pectorals primarily and gives a great deal of stress right on the middle and upper chest as well. Very good for beginners, and once the form has been mastered, enormous chest gains await. Give a decline dumbbell press a chance and you’ll see very noticeable changes in the development of your chest.

Possible Selective Exercises with Dumbbells

There are lots of different chest exercises that you can do, but as for selectively choosing workouts, there are only about 5 that you can put your focus on, and only 2 of these that you can do using dumbbells. You may modify the workouts using dumbbells, but the results would not be the same.

Here are the workouts that you can selectively choose to enhance your upper torso.

• Dumbbells Press
• Dumbbells Fly
• Straight Road on a Flat Bench
• Straight Road on an Angle Bench
• Butterfly Machine

All of the exercises mentioned above would give you the shape and fitness you’ve always wanted. It’s going to be slow at first, but you’ll notice the difference when the pace starts to pick up.

Stomach in, Chest out!

When you complete our recommended dumbbell chest exercises, it’s natural for muscle fatigue to set in. There’s a trade-off however, to all that weariness and that’s when you see yourself developing the cuts that you admire in others.

Just imagine, if thinking about getting a sculpted body already leaves you feeling great, then what more could completing a whole set of chest-targeted dumbbell program do for you?

You’ve done proper form, soon you’ll be perfecting it, opening the opportunity to lift heavier weights and gaining more chest muscle mass. Your sculpted chest will be the symbol of your dominance, your alpha male tag, next to your arms and core. In no time the ladies will be staring at your beautifully sculpted upper torso physique and may be inclined to want to touch it.

They won’t be able to keep their gaze away from you, amazed at the wonderful creature that just passed them by, and guys will be staring at you too, envious at your nicely developed muscles.

Growing more and more confident each day, attracting the ladies, and being happier with the way you look are just some of the many rewards that you can reap from a dumbbell chest workout.

We hope that you’ve enjoyed this article and received value from reading it. In the last article we covered dumbbell back exercises, so now move on from the dumbbell chest exercises to the next article. There we can further talk about how you can develop your legs doing dumbbell leg exercises to turn you into a lean and mean machine, so keep on reading!

Previously, we’ve talked about how dumbbell arm exercises can benefit you and even your loved ones by setting the stage for gaining more health, more strength, and even providing opportunities for saving some serious cash.

Today, we’ll discuss dumbbell back exercises as part of our dumbbell workout program and prove how doing these exercises are a great way to level up your muscle building plan.

By the end of this article series, we’ll have covered enough material showcasing the best dumbbell exercise program for building muscle mass that the world has ever seen.

Seriously!

Words to the Wise About Muscle Building in General

Since we are now on the “how to do it” phase of our master plan, it’s time to distribute these cautionary words of wisdom related to muscle building:

1. Maintain good posture. Always. This is a must, especially since you are not using gym machines that stay in place. A wrong move could be cause for injury, so make sure your posture is correct when you start your dumbbell workout. This also applies when you are placing your dumbbells on the floor and lifting them again during your dumbbell exercises.
2. Always get a “clean bill of health” clearance first before starting on any workout routine, including your dumbbell workout. Remember this thought: workout in haste, repent in leisure.
3. Do not cheat. Remember that dumbbell exercises do not build up muscles in isolation. There are step-by-step instructions given in the videos for you to follow and get the most out of your dumbbell workout.. If you cheat, you may finish your set more quickly, but you’ll only be fooling yourself.
4. Consult with a bodybuilding expert or trainer on whether or not it would be best to use fixed weight dumbbells or adjustable weight dumbbells in your case. The choice will be based on several factors such as your cash flow (fixed weights are more expensive) and your overall body condition. If you’re a beginner, it may be to your best interest to go with adjustable weight dumbbells. They require more input from you in terms of adjustments, but at least you will be able to control more easily just how much you will lift.

Doing Dumbbell Back Exercises:

Here are our recommended dumbbell back exercises, with details about why these are great to do for your muscle building program, along with some sample dumbbell workout videos to demonstrate how these back exercises are done:

• Dumbbell pullover – a dumbbell pullover requires a pair of dumbbells and an exercise bench to lean on. A pullover is great for conditioning the lower chest or the lower pecs, the lats, the rear deltoids or rear shoulders, the middle of the back, the upper shoulder, the rear of the neck, the front shoulders, the upper chest, and the inner forearm. Does your job require the repetitive use of your arms from shoulder, to forearm, to wrist? Writers, some types of athletes such as tennis players, and painters often get afflicted with painful shoulders, forearms, or wrists. This would be a great exercise for them.

• Dumbbell shrugs – dumbbell shrugs are perfect for the upper shoulders, the upper back and the lower back. Requires no other equipment aside from the dumbbells. Must be done on an even surface, standing up.

• Dumbbell upright row – the main target of a dumbbell upright row are the side shoulders. The synergists or the muscles helping in the conditioning of the main target are the front shoulders, the rotatory cuff, the upper and outer forearms, the biceps, the middle of the back, the serratus magnus (boxer’s muscle), and the rotator cuff. The stabilizers, or the muscles that help maintain posture for this exercise are the upper shoulder and the rear neck.

• Dumbbell rows – dumbbell rows are also known as dumbbell bent-over rows. This exercise targets the back as a whole. Muscles called to support this target are the upper and middle back, the lats, the back outer helper or little lats, the rear shoulder, rotatory cuff, biceps, the upper-outer forearm, and the lower pecs. Stabilizers are the front and back of the arms (biceps and triceps). This requires the use of an exercise bench.

• Dumbbell side bends – dumbbell side bends are perfect for dancers (yes, there are male dancers), gymnasts (ditto), and others who require a whole lot of balance, flexibility and agility in their line of work (think construction people who work up high balancing steel bars). The main target of this exercise are the obliques (upper hips, sides of waist). Synergists for this exercise include the deep lower back and the hip. The stabilizers are the upper and back shoulders, and the hips.

You can get the full set of 52 different dumbbell exercises when you subscribe to the My Fitness Nut Newsletter at the top of the home page.

Can These Dumbbell Back Exercises Be Selectively Done?

Of course you have a free hand in determining whether or not you will do the dumbbell back exercises as a group, or selectively only. However, when training is being done not only for body conditioning, but also for developing muscles according to plan, then it is highly recommended that the exercises be done as a group.

That means, you progress from one exercise—and perfect it—before going on to the next.

If you’ll review the given dumbbell exercises, you’ll see that although they may sometimes target only one specific group of muscles, the overall effect is spread out through several muscle groups.

Specifically, for these dumbbell back exercises, you’ll notice that while it is the back that is the main target, you also get to work on your shoulders, arms, wrists, and even your waist and hips. How’s that for hitting many birds with one stone?

Being Zen About Your Dumbbell Exercises

At this point, you may get the impression that muscle building is all about work, and you may not immediately see where the fun begins in a dumbbell workout. That’s par for the course, particularly if this is your first time at attempting to get fit and healthy.

The reality is – and you can ask any bodybuilder about this – it’s really only “work” at the very start. As you progress from dumbbell arm exercises to dumbbell back exercises and so on, the “work” part of what you are doing eventually gets eclipsed by the sheer joy of knowing that you are actively doing something to sculpt your body to the way that it should be.

When you work on your arms through a dumbbell workout,  there’s a major reason behind it, and no, it has nothing to do with wanting to be able to lift objects that are absolutely heavy – although, of course, that comes as a very agreeable side-effect to having muscular arms.

Dumbbell arm exercises can give that to you.

No argument about that.

But the thing is, for most guys, arm workouts are done to look more attractive. Becoming strong is secondary. That’s because well-developed arms speak of power and strength, endurance and reliability.

Think of long haul truck drivers and lumberjacks. Don’t their muscular arms make you feel that their having physically taxing jobs is more than compensated for by gaining the kind of physique that some of them have?

Now, look at your own arms.

What comes to mind when you see them?

Well, the great news is, you don’t have to drive around cross-country hauling an 18 wheeler. Nor do you have to be like Paul Bunyan swinging your axe all around the country to get the kind of arms that you want! These dumbbell arm exercises can help you achieve your arm development goals right in your own home.

Well-developed forearms make women regard men as competent and knight-ish. It’s a no-brainer. Guys who have muscular arms can defend women more easily when she is under attack. Guys with muscular arms can help women move heavy objects around more easily. To hunt, work, provide, take care of; It’s in our human genes and more capable is more desirable without question.

Wait. Does this mean that a dumbbell workout is only good for men?

Of course not. Dumbbell exercises, in particular dumbbell arm exercises, are also important to women, because no woman in her right mind enjoys having arms that are flabby and… jiggly.

Flabby, jiggling arms are a turn-off. They make the owner of those arms look old and uncaring about how she looks. When a woman does not care about how she looks, what are the chances that other people will care?

Women who don’t have flabby arms, or “bat-wings” as they are sometimes called, are seen as more desirable by most men. The reason being that flab on the arms, jiggling this way and that, can remind men of older women that are off-limits to them in terms of romantic intimacy… you know, like their mother, or their aunts. (Let’s not go there, okay?)

Of course, nothing great happens overnight (unless you win the lotto, which is another story), so you would need to really put in some dedication into your dumbbell workout. But it will be worth it, you’ll see. More chances for men or women hooking up with hotties – can someone really be foolish enough to pass those up?

Focusing on the Arms

Why should you focus on your arms? Here are several very practical reasons:

1. Our arms are designed in such a way as to be utilitarian. They don’t just hang around like some limp appendages. Arms are used for lifting, for carrying, for moving things about, for writing, for painting, for using technology… the list can go on and on. Therefore, the stronger and more developed your arms are, the more efficient they will be in carrying out such activities.
2. When you develop your arms, say through a variety of dumbbell exercises, such as dumbbell curls, dumbbell bicep exercises, or a dumbbell hammer curl, you actually prepare your upper body or trunk to get chiseled. This is because you can’t do any serious weight lifting or even ab crunching if you have weak and undeveloped arms to begin with.
3. Doing a dumbbell workout is very, very helpful to boosting your confidence, such that you can go on to perform harder tasks related to bodybuilding. No one turns into a weightlifter overnight. You need to start with simpler, lighter things. Seated dumbbell curls, dumbbell tricep exercises, and dumbbell kickbacks, among other dumbbell exercises, can lead the way towards lifting heavier weights, once your arm muscles have gotten used to the initial lifting stages. In short, lift something not so heavy at the start, then progress on to bigger and grander things.

Doing the Dumbbell Arm Exercises

Let me go ahead and point out to you which parts of the body would benefit from certain dumbbell arm exercises:

• Dumbbell curls – these are great for developing the biceps or upper arm, the lower arm, and the upper and outer forearm. They are also beneficial to the front shoulders or deltoids, the upper shoulders, the upper back, the rear of the neck, the inner forearm, and the wrist flexors.

Example of Dumbbell Curls:

• Incline dumbbell curl – also known as the dumbbell incline curl, this exercise targets the front of the arms or the biceps. Affected muscles include the lower biceps or sides of the arms, the upper and outer forearm, the front shoulders, the inner forearm and the hand flexors. Doing this exercise repeatedly can give you a strong grip.

Example of Incline Dumbbell Curls:

• Dumbbell hammer curl – this targets the upper-outer forearm. Muscles that are developed secondarily include the lower biceps, the front of the arms, the front of the shoulders, the upper shoulders, the upper back, the rear of the neck, the inner forearm, the hand flexors, and the outer or back forearms.

Example of Dumbbell Hammer Curls:

• Dumbbell kickbacks – these target the triceps. Perfect for ladies who want to do away with the jiggling Jell-O at the back of their arms. Also developed are the rear shoulders, the middle and outer back, the upper back, the middle back, the outer forearm, and the wrist flexors.

Example of Dumbbell Kickbacks:

With the exercise videos which are part of this article, you will find step by step directions on the best method and style for performing the dumbbell arm exercises, and these include specific instructions for chiseling your arms through dumbbell bicep exercises and dumbbell tricep exercises (aka tricep dumbbell exercises).

Conditioning the Body and the Mind With Dumbbell Arm Exercises

The good thing about doing arm workouts is that you not only condition your arms and the rest of your body, you also condition the way you think, which is actually more important.

Working out lets the mind see things from a different perspective. When you start working out, even if it’s only your arms at first, your mind will tell you to avoid eating the pig-out foods that you may have been fond of (sweets, fried foods, junk food, etc.) because it is counter-productive to what you are trying to achieve.

That’s why when you do dumbbell exercises to tone your arms, or build more muscle mass, you also learn to gradually develop an abiding fondness for exercise. That means, you won’t be backing off at the thought of doing cardio workouts, or lifting heavier weights, or even doing calisthenics because you have already experienced the benefits that come from doing something as simple as dumbbell arm exercises.

In the next article I’ll be discussing Dumbbell Back Exercises so keep on reading!

Remember, you can always go to MyFitnessNut.com (top of the page), subscribe to the My Fitness Nut Newsletter and get the full set of “follow-along” dumbbell workout videos. Included are the dumbbell arm exercises videos mentioned earlier so there’s no cost to help you get your arms in the best shape of your life.

Ready for a Complete Set of Dumbbell Workout Exercises That Will Make You Look Good and Feel Great?

Are you being shallow when you think hard about how much work you need to do to keep your body in good shape?

Well, maybe you’re not. Not from a practical point of view anyway.

Being shallow is when you spend a fortune on unnecessary plastic surgery, on body tanning and spa works, on having your hair permed or straightened or whatever, but never once paying attention to the condition of your body.

Yes, it happens.

Use a Dumbbell Workout Routine to Shape Up Your Looks

But what’s all the fuss about looking good, anyway? Why is it important for people to look good?

People don’t strive to be attractive, or to look physically fit out of a misplaced sense of narcissism. I mean, come on. Who looks at the mirror and admires himself or herself the whole day? Even if you are a great fan of “selfies,” you can’t possibly be spending all your time just admiring yourself because there are so many other things to do!

So, again, what’s behind this “need” to have a good looking body, that stems from an overall need to look fit and attractive?

Energetic and Enjoying Life

There are those who will say that beauty is simply skin-deep, and that it’s the inner you that matters.

And that’s true. After all, people age, youth fades, and the urge to just relax at the beach and drink piña coladas while watching the surf go in and out does hit sometime, late in life.

But that’s the key – “late in life.” When you are in the prime of your life, you don’t want to slink away to be tired before your time. You want to be energetic, you want to enjoy life, you want to have the benefits of being attractive anytime, anywhere.

Here are some great benefits to looking good by being physically fit:

1. You get access to higher income – I kid you not. This is a fact. According to the highly esteemed Wall Street Journal, people who are attractive can not only make interviewers regard them pleasantly, they are also the ones who get hired much quicker, and they are the ones who can produce the biggest sales.

On top of that, Daniel Hamermesh, Professor of Economics at the University of Texas in Austin, goes on to say that based on his research, “attractive people are likely to earn an average of 3% to 4% more than a person with below-average looks.”

Earning more in these tough economic times is a great incentive to embark on a “get fit, get muscular, remove flab and jiggle” program, which is what a dumbbell workout can do for you.

2. You become an inspiration to your spouse or significant other who may be a couch potato, a tub of lard, or a beanpole — Whether or not you met your partner already in that condition is not the issue here. The issue, as ever, is – are either of you satisfied with the way things stand? Unless either of you has a flabby stomach or pencil-stick legs fetish, I’d say maybe not.

3. You get to save some serious cash from disability, life, and health insurance — You can use that cash for something else, like maybe a deposit towards a new car or just as additional savings.

4. And let’s not forget our friends, the feel-good hormones and neurotransmitters — Serotonin, dopamine, adrenaline, and endorphins – can’t say enough good things about these guys that get released every time we work out. When you are working hard to get buff, you won’t need to get an artificial high from cigarettes, alcohol, or other substances because the feel-good hormones and neurotransmitter can make you feel more awesome and happier than ever before.

So, if you want to begin a total transformation and lead a healthy life, get rid of depression, stay focused, and be strong – start your dumbbell workout now.

Remember, start from little things and move up and onward. A structured dumbbell workout today, like the one we will provide you, can lead to better health and more strength in the future.

Take some time to browse the MyFitnessNut.com website and specifically the section on Dumbbells. When you subscribe to the My Fitness Nut Newsletter (form at top of home page) we’ll even give you a complete collection of 52 Dumbbell Exercises and dumbbell workout routines that you can start using and learning from right away.

Through the following set of dumbbell exercise articles, we hope to help you achieve a fit and developed body. To help you get the most out of doing your dumbbell exercise routine you will find separate sections outlining each muscle group that you’ll want to concentrate on for a total dumbbell workout.

The best way to start your dumbbell workout program is to read the articles (below) and watch the videos (above) for each section that’s related to the article you just read. When you’re certain about what to do and your ability to do it, begin your dumbbell workout routine.

• Dumbbell Arm Exercises
• Dumbbell Back Exercises
• Dumbbell Chest Exercises
• Dumbbell Leg Exercises
• Dumbbell Shoulder Exercises

Go ahead and browse through these articles so that you’ll be equipped with the knowledge to perform these dumbbell workout exercises in the most effective way possible.

Here’s to better health and a trimmer YOU!

The more important question we should be asking is if you want to spend your time dry brushing your skin daily for months and seeing minimal results. Dry brushing has barely any effects on cellulite. Any visible change is very minimal and lasts for a day, if even that.

Before we go into the theory behind dry brushing, we must understand what cellulite is. It is fat. Nothing more than normal, plain ‘ol fat! This is the same fat that is found on any other part of your body. Cellulite is NOT a unique type of fat.

The only reason it appears different is due to the fact that the fat appears in clumps and in parts of your body where the skin is thinner and less porous. This is usually the skin on your thighs and butt. The difference is only in appearance. The fat is still the same.

Most women experience having cellulite. That’s because most women do not do resistance training on their legs, thighs and butt for the most part. These areas are not toned, low on lean muscle and store fat easily. Even slim women store fat in these areas and the only way to remove that fat is with a healthy diet and exercise.

Can You Remove Cellulite by Dry Brushing?

No! It’s ridiculous that people make claims that brushing your skin will remove cellulite.

The theory behind dry brushing is that brushing your skin will aid the lymph system to remove toxins from the body. A better way to do this will be a hard 20 minute cardio workout that leaves you gasping.

There is no evidence to show that removing toxins will remove cellulite. It is true that fat cells contain toxins but the best way to clear these toxins will be to adopt a clean, healthy diet and use exercise to burn off the excess fat stores. You cannot brush them away.

Even the websites or sources promoting dry brushing will advise you to adopt a healthy diet and exercise and brush your body daily for 6 days a week. You have to follow up this brushing habit for at least a month before you see any visible change.

Even then, most people report no change at all.

A few women have reported minor changes but the cellulite returned within a day. The fact is the cellulite never left. It was there all along. Maybe the constant brushing made the skin swell up with blood and caused the skin to tighten. When the skin tightens, the fat is pushed below. Miraculously the cellulite seems to have ‘disappeared’. Once the swelling subsides, the cellulite returns to its rippled dimply glory.

Dry Brushing Does Have a Place in Your Routine

Yes, but it should be something you do if you have the time. The most effective way to get rid of cellulite is to eat right and exercise hard. Dry brushing can complement this by energizing the skin and improving the skin moisture. And even the minimal toxin removing benefits will improve your health too.

Dry brushing is not a solution to cellulite. It’s just one of those extras you do to make you feel better psychologically. Once your diet and exercise regimen is in place, then you may go ahead and do the dry brushing if it makes you feel happy

This is an excellent question that many women ask. Unfortunately, most of them receive the wrong answers. In this article, we’ll examine if a detox cleanse is really necessary for you to banish that awful cellulite from your body.

First, we need to look at what detox cleanses claim to be. There are several detox cleanse products on the market that make bold claims to flush out the toxins in your body.

Some of these products even claim to have ‘liver flushing’ capabilities. The general idea given is that the body is full of toxins and other harmful substances and these cleanses will remove them.

Are Detox Cleanse Marketers Lying to You?

Next, we need to understand what cellulite is. We must know what it really is. The detox cleanse manufacturers will have you believing that cellulite clumps are actually pockets of toxins in the body.

They’ll say that these pockets of fat are hardened fat that cannot be removed through normal methods. So, you’ll need to resort to cleanses to get to the bottom of the problem.

The only problem here is the lies and misleading information surrounding cellulite.

Cellulite is fat. Nothing more, nothing less. It is NOT pockets of toxins or trapped particles beneath that can’t be removed. It is just normal fat and the same rules apply when dealing with cellulite as you would normal fat.

While a detox cleanse can have other benefits for your body, the removal of cellulite is not one of them.

You may be wondering why cellulite looks so different if it is just normal fat. Shouldn’t it be smooth and thick rather than clumpy, dimpled and ugly to look at? To understand why cellulite looks this way will require having an understanding of your anatomy.

There are several bands of tissue that connect our skin to the muscles beneath it. These bands are known as septae. For women, these fibrous bands are connected in a vertical, perpendicular manner. For men, the bands are connected in a cross hatched manner.

This is the main reason why men commonly do not have cellulite.

The perpendicular bands create spaces that are used by the body to store fat. There is very limited space with the male’s cross hatched pattern. Women definitely have it tougher in this area. Once the fat spaces are filled out and carry on getting bigger, the fat will push up against the skin. The clumpy appearance is due to the fact that the fibrous bands are between the fat stores.

So why does cellulite only appear on the thighs, butt and legs? The answer to this lies in the fact that for the majority of women, the skin is thinner there. Men have thicker skin than women in this area and thicker skin masks it.

How to Deal With Cellulite When a Detox Cleanse is Not an Option

In order to deal with cellulite, we need to deal with the body fat percentage of our bodies. The more fat you have in your body, the more cellulite you will have. Heredity and luck may mean that some women have fewer tendencies to have cellulite than others but nevertheless, the same principle holds true.

So, in order to lose this fat, you will need to adopt a healthy clean diet and exercise program to eradicate the fat stores. No detox cleanse can achieve this. There is no detox product on the market to remove cellulite that is effective. If you wish, you may go on a short 3 day detox plan and then follow up with a healthy diet and exercise program. That would be the best way to go about getting rid of cellulite.

This is a difficult question to answer because there are several costs. There is money, there is effort and time. In this article, we will examine the financial aspect of cellulite removal which will differ depending on what course of treatment you chose to adopt.

Women as a whole spend millions of dollars a year on cellulite treatments. These can range from cellulite creams, massages, surgical procedures, special supplements, etc.

This is a huge cash cow for many companies as they compete for the dollars and their marketing messages can be deceiving. Advertising, testimonials, ‘proof’ are all used to convince women that their special products will work wonders.

So, if you decide to purchase cellulite creams, your costs will be lower than that of someone who decides to go for Endermologie cellulite treatment which is a kind of ‘special’ massage.

There is no Exact Cost for Cellulite Removal.

It varies from woman to woman depending on their means and budget. The question is how much do you want to spend on treatments that rarely produce any long lasting effects?

What most anti-cellulite product companies will not tell you is that there is no product on the market that effectively gets rid of cellulite. Not a single one. This is because cellulite is fat. It’s fat in the body that just looks different because of the tissue structures in the body.

Nevertheless, it’s just fat.

There is no cream or massage on this planet that can get rid of fat. What’s more, the only way to remove fat from your body is to exercise and eat right. You need to create a caloric deficit and your body will start burning fat and the cellulite will disappear. This is neither glamorous, romantic nor easy. It involves sacrifice and hard work.

That’s exactly why it will work.

The true cost of cellulite removal is not just the dollars you spend on products that don’t work…

It’s the time that you have wasted on trying out these products. The disappointment you will experience when you see no results. You may even have low self-esteem or hate your body and this is a very real cost that nobody seems to want to talk about.

Cellulite Removal is the Same as Fat Removal

Cellulite is nothing more than fat. That’s it. It is such a simple concept that most people just don’t get.

Ignore the talk about lymphatic drainage, toxins, damaged fat, poor blood circulation, etc. Fat is fat. It can be burned off if you know what you are doing. If you are in a constant state of caloric deficit and exercise regularly, your body will definitely tap into your cellulite fat and burn it off just like any body fat.

Have faith in your body. It’s a miracle and it will do what is best for you as long as you do right by it. It will find the cellulite and burn it when it needs energy and it’s up to you to use the energy to make this happen.

The Key to Cellulite Removal

There is no such thing as damaged fat or trapped toxins that cause cellulite. Your body will detoxify itself. That’s what your liver does. It does a better job than any detox cleanse product on the market. The key to cellulite removal is to burn more calories each day than you consume; this will burn the fat known as cellulite.

So, go about it the healthy way. Save your money. Do not waste it on the creams or other supposedly ‘scientific’ discoveries that are expensive. The old fashioned method is the only effective way to proven and sustainable cellulite removal. Exercise and eat right and you’ll be able to get yourself there.

This is a very interesting topic. Can yoga get rid of cellulite? Some people say that yoga works wonders and others say that other than slight health benefits, they saw no visible reduction in their cellulite.

So Who’s Right About Getting Rid of Cellulite?

This is another one of those questions where both parties are right.

What? Both parties? Really?

Yes. Before we examine why, first you need to understand what cellulite is.

Let’s look at what Wikipedia says about what it is:

Cellulite (also known as adiposis edematosa, dermopanniculosis deformans, status protrusus cutis, gynoid lipodystrophy, and orange peel syndrome) is the herniation of subcutaneous fat within fibrous connective tissue that manifests topographically as skin dimpling and nodularity, often on the pelvic region (specifically the buttocks), lower limbs, and abdomen. Cellulite occurs in most postpubescent females and rarely in males.

In simple terms, cellulite is fat. That’s it. Fat. F-A-T.

Most women are shocked when they hear that cellulite is nothing more than stores of fat. They often exclaim that it can’t be fat because it looks so clumpy, lumpy or dimpled. Normal fat is just smooth and rounded.

That’s wrong thinking.

The reason that cellulite appears the way it does is because of the connective tissues beneath the skin of a woman. In a woman, the connective tissues from the muscles to the skin are perpendicular. This creates pockets or spaces for fat to be stored.

Men do not have this problem because their connective tissues are connected in a cross hatched manner. Men have it good in this department.

To worsen the situation, women have thinner skin so any subcutaneous fat becomes much more visible when it pushes up against the skin. As a woman ages, her skin gets thinner and less supple.

That’s a double whammy because now the cellulite becomes much more visible. This is why older women complain of cellulite more.

Get Rid of Cellulite by Getting Rid of Fat

The only way to reduce the appearance of cellulite is to reduce the fat stores in the body, be on a healthy diet and take care of your skin by consuming collagen supplements and applying moisturizing lotions to your skin.

Women see cellulite on their thighs and butt because the skin there is thinner. Different women may see cellulite in different places. It all depends on how thin the skin is on the body. Regardless of location, the principle is the same.

When you lose the fat, you’ll lose the cellulite.

So is Yoga Effective to Get Rid of Cellulite?

If your body fat percentage is not too high, yoga may help you burn more calories and you may lose some body fat. When this happens, your fat stores drop and the cellulite may be less visible or not even exist at all.

If you are overweight or obese, it may take you a long, long time to burn off all the excess fat with yoga because yoga is not a high impact exercise. In this case, it may not be very effective in the short run but over a period of time, yoga can get you there. So, depending on the person, the answer is a yes for everyone even though it may take much more time for some.

I’d highly recommend that yoga just be one component in a varied training regimen. You want to hard cardio workouts that will get your heart pumping and your body in fat burning mode. You want resistance training especially for your lower body. Squats, lunges, dead-lifts, scissor kicks, etc. will tone the muscles in your legs and butt. You will also accelerate fat burning in these areas.

That is how you lose cellulite. Yoga is a means to an end and not an end in itself without a considerable amount of time invested.

This is the question that women ask when they think they have tried everything to rid themselves off cellulite and all attempts have failed. In most cases, hundreds or even thousands of dollars were spent on creams, massages, supplements, etc. and despite all these attempts, the cellulite still remains.

This is due to the fact that almost all the cellulite removal products on the market just do not work. Most women do not realize that cellulite is just fat. The dimpled, orange-peel appearance makes it seem that cellulite is different from normal fat.

In reality, cellulite is just plain old fat. When fat gets stored and squeezed out between the stiff bands of tissue that connect the muscles to the skin, the fat appears to be dimpled and clumpy. Nevertheless, it is just fat.

The Right Time to Consider a Cellulite Laser Treatment

The best way to remove the cellulite will be to embark on a healthy diet and lots of exercise to bring your body fat percentage down. This is the most effective way to remove it, bar none.

However, some women, due to genetics or other issues still have persistent cellulite even if they have brought their body fat percentage down. In these rare cases, they may consider doing a laser treatment.

Laser treatments are one of those rare cellulite treatments that actually work. However, it involves surgical procedures and the cost can be exorbitant. You will need to decide for you if your budget allows it and you really want to go with an invasive procedure like this.

How a Cellulite Laser Treatment Works

Laser treatments for cellulite work by melting the fat deposits away. The procedure itself takes about 90 minutes while the patient is under local anesthesia and it goes something like this:

The cellulite areas are disinfected before the actual surgery… Tiny incisions are made on the skin where the cellulite is visible… A very thin and fine metal tube with an attached laser is inserted into these incisions… The laser then emits heat to dissolve the fats and thereby reducing all unsightly bulges that give the cottage cheese appearance.

The heat will also stimulate collagen formation in the next 6 to 12 months. This will make the skin look healthier and supple.

During the laser treatment, it is common for fluid and fat to seep out of the incisions. These are wiped away. It’s not a big issue and just shows that the treatment is actually effective. Many women who have gone for laser treatment swear by its effectiveness and say that the effects are permanent.

To Do a Cellulite Laser Treatment or Not

If you have followed a healthy diet, exercised your butt off and brought your body fat percentage down to about 15 percent, and you’re still seeing cellulite on your thighs and legs, you may first wish to evaluate how you feel about a surgical procedure.

Are you willing to put up with it or does the cellulite bother you so much that it is affecting the way you live?

If you are unhappy with the way you feel, then by all means you can give a laser treatment a try if you think that it is a fit for you. The cost may be an obstacle but if you really want it, you will find a way to get it. Instead of wasting money on creams and massages, you can save up for a laser treatment which has the potential to end your problem on a more permanent basis.

There are several cellulite creams available on the market. You may have seen advertisements for these creams on late night infomercials or on ads at your local health store. The anti-cellulite product industry is a 12 million dollar a year industry.

A Huge Chunk of Money is Spent on Cellulite Cream Alone

These creams are marketed very professionally. There are testimonials from satisfied users who in many cases have been financially compensated for their “honest reviews.”

The ads will promise the world and guarantee to deliver results in a short time but of course, the fine print will usually state that results are not typical and may vary from individual to individual.

What Does One Cellulite Cream Have in Common With the Other?

The only thing that all cellulite creams share in common is their ineffectiveness and inability to produce long lasting results. Most cellulite creams make the skin swell a little and become tauter.

When this happens, the appearance of the cellulite diminishes because the skin is tighter. However, the effects of the cream will subside and the cellulite will return. So, will the woman’s disappointment.

Trade-in Your Cellulite Cream for Something That Works

The best way to get rid of cellulite is with a healthy diet and exercise. You will need to reduce your body fat percentage. If you can do this, your cellulite will to a large extent disappear.

Once you get your diet and training in place, your body will start burning off cellulite. Now you may wish to use cellulite cream to hasten the process. The best way to do this will be to make your own cream at home.

It will be a lot cheaper in the long run and is just as effective.

The cream will be beneficial if it gives you the psychological advantage. Many women feel better just by applying the cream. If it makes you feel better doing it, go for it.

The application and massaging will also improve blood circulation to the cellulite prone areas. That is a good thing. The crux of the matter is that the cream is just to supplement a proper eating and training regimen.

Make Your Own Cellulite Cream

After scouring the internet, the following creams were discovered to be the best that you can make at home. You may wish to give them a try.

1. Essential Oil Cellulite Cream

This good-smelling lotion not only pleases your sense of smell; the essential oils used are reputed to help tighten skin and reduce cellulite’s lumpy appearance.

* 1 cup unscented body lotion

* 1 tablespoon witch hazel (available at drug stores and large retailers in the pharmacy or first aid section)

* 3 to 5 drops each of the following essential oils: juniper, rosemary, cypress and grapefruit

First, mix the essential oils with the witch hazel by shaking or swirling. Then add the lotion and stir or shake vigorously. Use this lotion after you shower and before bedtime, working it into the skin with a circular, massaging motion.

2. Coffee Scrub

Caffeine is one of the main ingredients used in a lot of commercial cellulite creams. Using coffee grounds you can apply this caffeine to the skin, and also the abrasive/exfoliating action of the grounds can help increase circulation and skin tone. Here is how to make a coffee scrub for cellulite.

* 1 cup used coffee grounds (some sources say you can use the ground coffee fresh, without making coffee with it first. Presumably, this would have more caffeine but may seem more wasteful)

* 1/4 cup sweet almond oil

Mix these two ingredients and apply to wet, warm skin in small circles, massaging well. You can “wrap” the area with plastic wrap and then a towel, leaving the coffee scrub in place for about ten minutes before rinsing. Make sure you have a strainer over your shower drain so it doesn’t get clogged with coffee grounds!

3. Fruit Cream

The presence of acids such as tartaric and citric acid in fruits may help reduce the appearance of cellulite. This recipe also uses sugar, which can act like an exfoliant to increase circulation and tone up skin.

* 1 tablespoon sweet almond oil

* 3 tablespoons sugar

* 1/2 cup pureed fresh strawberries

Apply this cellulite cream as you would the one made from coffee grounds. It could also be used under a cellulite wrap.

That’s basically it. Use the cellulite cream separately or alternate if you wish, along with a good diet and train hard using a good exercise workout routine. You will see results, save money and be happy with your end results if you just keep after it.