Cellulite is fat. It is formed in the same way that fat is formed. Don’t let the dimpled, bumpy appearance fool you. It is still fat. Just like all fat, it is the result of consuming more calories than required and not exercising enough to burn off that excess consumption.
The question is…
Why Does Cellulite Look So Darn Awful?
If it was just normal fat, it should be smooth and thick. Not clumpy and bumpy like cottage cheese.
So what happened?
The answer lies in the structure of the tissue. Below the skin there is a layer of tissue that is fibrous and it connects the skin to the muscles beneath it.
Women have bands of tissue called septae that are connected vertically and perpendicularly. Similar to little columns. This creates pockets or chambers for fat storage that have always been important for survival and child bearing.
Men do not face this problem because their tissues are connected diagonally and in a crisscrossed manner. There is minimal space for fat storage with this arrangement.
Cellulite Appears Worse with Thin Skin
The thickness of the skin is another key factor for the visibility of cellulite. The thinner the skin, the more visible the cellulite will be. Women have skin that is much thinner than men. So, that makes things worse because their cellulite is more visible.
To a certain extent, cellulite is hereditary. Some women have thinner skin on their thighs and buttocks. This makes their cellulite more visible than women who naturally have thicker skin. Other women store fat on their bodies more easily. So, their higher body fat percentage makes them more prone to having cellulite.
Nevertheless, the majority of women have it and this can be easily avoided if they just stopped and paid closer attention to what they ate. Women love indulging in chocolates, ice-cream and other sweet foods. They feel happier and better when they eat such foods. What they do not realize is that these foods have a high GI index.
That means they cause spikes in the blood sugar level. This leads to increased fat storage and fast weight gain. They then get depressed and this leads to more binge eating to feel better and so the vicious cycle repeats itself and before they know it, they have lots of cellulite on their thighs and butt.
Could this have been avoided? Yes.
The Same as Fat, Muscle Burns Cellulite
Cellulite cannot form in a body that has a low and steady body fat percentage. A body that has a higher percentage of lean muscle mass will also develop this fat less readily. Muscle burns more calories. So, the more lean muscle a woman has, the lower her chances of getting that dimply appearance.
It is highly recommended that women engage in resistance training to increase muscle mass and tone. By doing squats, lunges, planks, dead-lifts, etc. women will develop stronger muscles in the core and lower body. Since women are more prone to developing cellulite in the lower body, by working the muscles in this area, this fatty formation can be prevented.
To summarize, cellulite is just fat. It can be removed the same way fat is removed. With a healthy diet, lots of exercise and some good old skin toner and moisturizer to keep your skin supple and elastic. Collagen supplements would be great too for improving the elasticity of the skin.
You can get some great exercise and fat loss tips when you subscribe to the My Fitness Nut Newsletter at the top right of http://MyFitnessNut.com and you get more information on cellulite reduction there as well.
