Tag weight loss

Desserts don’t have to be loaded with calories (and fat) to taste great. There are many low calories recipes that won’t add to your waistline, but still taste great. These two desserts recipes are just a sampling of how recipes can be altered to make them healthy, yet still taste great:

Low Calorie Mandel Bread

How modified:

• vegetable oil replaced with canola oil
• sugar reduced by one-fourth
• dark chocolate chips substituted for semisweet ones
• one-third of all-purpose flour replaced with white whole wheat flour

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup white whole-wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup dark-chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a large cookie sheet with cooking spray and set aside. Together mix granulated sugar and oil in a large bowl; fold in eggs and vanilla until well mixed. In a separate bowl, combine flours and baking powder. Add flour/baking powder combination to egg mixture, along with chocolate chips and mix well. Form the dough on the cookie sheet into three 9-inch-long logs; flatten each to 2 inches wide.
2. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 30 minutes. Angle cut into 1/2-inch thick slices. Arrange slices on cookie sheet and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until browned. Place on a wire rack to cool.

Healthy Low Calorie Savings:

• Cut 22 calories and 2 g carbohydrate; added 1 g fiber.
• New nutrition facts per slice: 123 calories, 1g protein, 15g carbohydrate, 8g fat (2g saturated), 1g fiber
• Makes 36 slices

Low Calorie Snickerdoodle Cookies

How Modified:

• Replaced half of flour with white whole-wheat flour
• Reduced butter by half; added yogurt as butter substitute
• Reduced sugar by one-fourth

Ingredients:

• 1 cup natural, plain low-fat yogurt
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups white whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 8 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix together flours, cream of tartar and baking soda. In a separate bowl, mix butter and yogurt 30 seconds; add 1 cup granulated sugar. Beat until combined; scrape sides of bowl occasionally. Fold in eggs and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour mixture. Divide the dough in half. Wrap and chill dough for 2 hours, or until easy to handle.
2. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly spray cookie sheets with cooking spray. Mix together 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and the cinnamon in a small bowl. Roll dough into 1-inch small balls and roll the balls in the sugar mixture. Place balls about 1 inch apart on cookie sheets. Flatten balls slightly, if desired.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned. Remove and cool on wire racks.

Healthy Low Calorie Savings:

• Cut 22 calories, 2g carbohydrate, and 2g saturated fat; added 1g protein, 0.5g fiber.
• New nutrition facts per cookie: 70 calories, 1g protein, 11g carbohydrate, 2g fat (1g saturated), 0.5g fiber
• Makes 48 cookies

By using healthy substitutes, such as white whole wheat flour in place of regular flour, yogurt in place of butter, and reducing the sugar in your recipes, you can turn your calorie-laden desserts into something healthy, and more than likely your family will not notice the difference. Next, we’ll take a look at some hidden calorie traps but go ahead and experiment and see how you can rehab your recipes to make them into low calorie deserts.

HIIT Success Tip #1 – Start Slowly

If you’ve never worked out at a high intensity before, then take it slowly.  You can either lengthen the rest time between intervals or you can begin with only one HIIT workout per week. As your fitness improves, you can decrease the rest time.

HIIT Success Tip #2 – Pay Attention to Your Body

In general, experts recommend around three HIIT workouts per week. Consider taking a “three days on two days off” approach. This approach allows you to rest just about the time that delayed onset muscle soreness kicks in.

If you notice that you’re not recovering quickly and muscle soreness has you struggling to get out of bed or in significant pain, cut back on the HIIT workouts. Also realize that some weeks are just better than others. You might have a week where you’re on fire and having great workouts with little soreness.

The next week you may be able to barely finish your second workout. This is a sign from your body to ease up. Pay attention to it. HIIT won’t do you any good if you’re injured, and pushing too hard or too fast can absolutely result in injury.

HIIT Success Tip #3 – Know What to Expect and Be Prepared

HIIT will leave you breathless and flat on your back on the floor. You’ll sweat, a lot. You may feel like you just can’t continue. This is why a heart rate monitor is a good idea. It’ll let you know if you’re in the zone.

If your heart rate is over your maximum heart rate or creeping close, you know to pull back a bit. Conversely, if you’re only at 50% of your max then you know you’re capable of more.

HIIT Success Tip #4 – Mix it Up

Interval training can become boring. If you’re doing the same workout every single time, you’ll lose motivation. With a loss of motivation comes a loss of intensity. To stay engaged and enthusiastic, keep your HIIT program varied. You might look to a personal trainer or a cross fit blog to provide workout ideas.

HIIT Success Tip #5 – Measure the Results

It can be difficult to know just how much you’re gaining from HIIT. Consider not only taking a before and after photograph, but also track your fitness improvements.

Did you run a 200 in the fastest time yet? Did you manage to achieve 100 squats in your squat Tabata? By tracking your workouts and your results, you’ll be able to watch your fitness improve and the weight come off.

HIIT Success Tip #6 – Listen to Music

Intense intervals are exhausting. You may need all of the encouragement you can get. Motivating music is often effective to not only make you feel more energized, it also tends to distract just enough that you’re not focused solely on the discomfort you’re feeling.

HIIT Success Tip #7 – Workout with a Friend

Finally, consider starting a HIIT workout with a friend. You can keep an eye on each other’s form, compete with each other, and help one another say motivated.

High Intensity Interval Training Can Get You over a Fitness Plateau

High Intensity Interval Training is a proven way to improve both your anaerobic and aerobic fueling systems. If you’re looking to overcome a fitness plateau and want to achieve a new personal record HIIT can be the single most important change to your existing program. You’ll burn more fat, lose weight quickly, and improve your fitness; and you’ll accomplish all of this while spending less time working out. How cool is that?

Want to Know Why and How HIIT Works?

Chances are your fitness program is primarily cardiovascular. You may walk, run, row, dance or bike. Perhaps you spend most of your time on an elliptical machine, spin bike, or stair stepper.

If you integrate a bit of strength training into your current fitness program then you may have a very well rounded program. And yet you are likely not getting the weight loss and fitness goals you desire. You’re putting in the time and the work but not enjoying the results you truly want.

HIIT can be the game changer, the difference maker, and the solution you’ve been searching for. Here we’ll show you how HIIT works and why it really does produce faster weight loss and fitness results in less time. But don’t take our word for it; let’s take a look at the research and the reason why High Intensity Interval Training is so effective.

Dramatic Fat Burning Results

HIIT has been shown to promote Human Growth Hormone release. This wonderful hormone is a natural one that your body produces. However, as you age the amount of growth hormone decreases. After all, you’re not growing anymore. If you exercise and your muscles and tissues need repair, then HGH is released to help your body repair itself.

When released, HGH also boosts metabolism, burns fat and facilitates muscle building. It also changes the way your body uses and converts energy. Your body does this because it knows you need fuel to repair your muscles and tissues.

The Journal of Obesity reported on a study that showed significant fat burning results after 12 weeks of HIIT. The study focused on young overweight male. They were randomly assigned to a control group or a HIIT group. The HIIT group spent 20 minutes exercising three times a week for 12 weeks.

The majority of the 20 minutes was rest and recovery – between short bursts of intense exercise. And by intense exercise it means that you’re getting up to 95% of your maximum heart rate. The results may surprise you.

The study participants had a reduction of total fat mass that averaged 4.5 pounds. They reduced their visceral fat, the fat under your skin, by 17%. They also showed marked aerobic improvements and their aerobic power increased by 15%.

Some other studies, particularly one published in the journal, Cell Metabolism, seem to indicate that HIIT changes your DNA expression; specifically the genes that are involved in fat metabolism. The study indicates that when you use HIIT as part of your training program, your body automatically turns on the genes that increase your production of lipolytic enzymes, aka fat busting enzymes.

How HIIT Works for Insulin Sensitivity

Diabetes occurs when the insulin receptors become desensitized. It can happen when a person has a diet that is often high in glucose, sugar. The presence of glucose triggers the pancreas to release insulin. However, after a prolonged period of this constant signaling to release insulin, your body begins to shut down those insulin receptors.

When this happens, fat storage is increased because the glucose cannot be processed correctly. So a person with a diet that is often high in sugar – like most Americans – begins to gain weight and take steps toward pre-diabetes and Type 2 diabetes.

HIIT has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity. It makes those insulin receptors work again so your body processes glucose effectively. You don’t store fat, you burn it.

One study looked at volunteers with diagnosed Type 2 diabetes. They performed one interval training session and saw improved blood sugar regulation for the next 24 hours. Other studies have shown that middle-aged adults who are fit but inactive were able to enjoy improvements in their insulin sensitivity and blood sugar regulation after just two weeks of interval training.

Increased weight loss, fat burning, and insulin sensitivity are all spectacular results. However, you may already be at your target weight and not at risk for Type 2 Diabetes. So what are the benefits for you? Can you get better, faster, and stronger with HIIT? You bet you can.

Aerobic Capacity, Endurance, and Strength

High Intensity Interval Training has shown that it provides improved health and fitness for all. A team of Canadian researchers tested a wide variety of men and women at various stages of health – from healthy to fighting cardiovascular disease. The participants performed cycling intervals. All patients showed significant improvements in their health and fitness.

Surprisingly, the cardiac patients showed great improvements and the intense exercise didn’t cause problems for any of the patients.

According to a 2011 study presented at the American College of Sports Medicine, just 2 weeks of high-intensity intervals improves your aerobic capacity as much as six to eight weeks of endurance training – Shape Magazine

If you’re training for a race or you want to get over a fitness plateau then HIIT may be the ideal program for you. One study found that after eight weeks of doing HIIT workouts, participants could exercise twice as long as they could before the study, while maintaining the same pace.

We’ve already mentioned a few of the compelling benefits for integrating HIIT into your current fitness program. Namely, they’re:

• HIIT burns a ton of calories
• More efficient, and shorter, workouts
• Enjoy faster results
• Boost metabolism
• Increased fat burning

However, there are other benefits we’ve yet to discuss. They include:

• You don’t need any equipment to participate in HIIT.
• It’s applicable to just about any workout. From running to weight lifting, you can add HIIT to your program and enjoy results.
• You continue burning calories and fat long after your workout is over.
• It’s seriously challenging, so you won’t get bored.
• It’s quite fun and easy to add to your weekly routine.

So you’ve read the data and you know the facts. You know that if you want to burn fat and get in shape fast then High Intensity Intervals are for you. But how do you get started? Let’s take a look at “Getting Started with High Intensity Interval Training” next and take a look at a few sample HIIT fitness plans.

Here’s 4 Tips to Help You Avoid the “Inevitable” Holiday Weight Gain

The holidays are a time of massive indulgence for many of us. In fact, even those who have managed to stick to healthy diet and exercise programs all year long often fall off the wagon at the end of the year.

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying some extra food and drink at this time of year. In fact, studies show that following stricter diets actually makes things harder in the long run. However, it’s important not to go completely overboard; otherwise you’ll undo all of your good work and make the start of the new year that much harder!

Avoid or Minimize Holiday Weight Gain

Here are 4 tips that won’t take away all of your fun, but that will mean you’ll feel a lot better about your health once the holiday weight gain season is over.

1) Watch What You Drink Over the Holiday’s

All those extra parties are a big source of calories. Not just because of the food, but because of all the alcohol they usually involve! Drinks can contain way more calories than you might realize – especially cocktails and creamy liqueurs. Try to limit your alcohol intake if possible. We know it’s hard at this time of year! If it’s too hard, try drinking spirits (without sugary mixers!) and wine instead.

2) Avoid Holiday Weight Gain by Balancing Your Calories Day to Day

If you’re going out for a big Christmas meal or party in the evening, balance this out by eating fewer calories earlier on in the day. Now this does NOT mean that you should starve yourself or skip entire meals before parties – doing this can actually lead to overeating when you do eat. Instead, eat lighter meals full of fruits, vegetables and fiber that’ll help you feel fuller before the party.

3) Plan Your “Busy Holiday’s” Workout Schedule In Advance

Many of us find that our schedule is all over the place during the holidays, so it’s harder to stick to a routine. Making sure you manage to work out regularly does come down to routine, and it’s easy to let yourself skip your workouts when you’re so busy. Don’t fall off the wagon!

Instead, try to plan things in advance. If you have time off work, let yourself have those lazy lie ins on some days, but make sure to plan which days you’ll be getting up to workout. And, if your gym closes over the holidays, either put together a home workout schedule for yourself or re-arrange your workout days for when the gym is open.

The Holiday Season may be a good time to take up a workout routine that can produce good results in as little as 20 minutes just three to four times a week such as Kettlebells.

 4) Get Enough Sleep Over the Holiday Season!

Your social calendar is probably a lot fuller at this time of year. Be careful not to sacrifice your sleep in order to keep up with anything! Studies have shown that a lack of sleep can contribute to weight gain. It’ll affect how hungry you feel, and it’ll also make it easier to give into cravings when you’re tired. So socialize and party hard, but rest hard too!

If you’ve ever wondered whether practicing yoga can effectively make you lose weight, now is the perfect time to find out.

Although losing weight is not easy for everyone, with the right kind of attitude and discipline, it becomes less of an ordeal and more of a pleasant reality that can be acquired.Using yoga for weight loss can provide you with the discipline you need to succeed.

How Yoga Can Promote Weight Loss

1. Stimulates the Liver

Your liver has many essential functions, chief of which is to process nutrients from food that you eat. Other functions include the removal of toxins from your body, bile production, and protein building. Certain activities, such as drinking alcohol, can overload the liver. Infections can also make the liver lose its health and function poorly.

Yoga is an extremely powerful cleansing agent and detoxifier; it helps to purify your blood, and hasten fat processing by stimulating the liver. Having a healthy liver is greatly instrumental your body’s removal of unhealthy fats more easily, instead of storing them in your body.

2. Improves Heart Rate

People jog or run for a long time to get their heart rates up, believing that this makes their goal of losing weight more achievable. Research, however, has shown that this is a misconception, and is not a very good way to lose weight at all. It actually stresses the nervous system to the point of creating greater exhaustion, leading to adrenal fatigue.

For better weight loss, your heart rate should be change in intervals, and raising the heart rate should happen in very short bursts – raising it, dropping down, and getting it up all over again. Yoga can make this form of “interval training” possible.

At this point, you can check out the videos to be able to do a round of poses such as “Low Runners Lunge” or the “High Lunge.” Do this for some time and for a few rounds you will feel that your heart rate is at its optimal level, without the exhausted feeling that could get from jogging or running.

3. Develops Strength

Moving your body for shortening or lengthening the muscles will help you lose weight. Muscles are active tissues that consume fat for energy. When you build your muscles, your stored fats get used for energy. That is why strength work is very good for losing weight.

Towards this end, doing yoga for weight loss by practicing proper arm balancing positions are great because the poses engage a lot of your muscles, not just the arms or shoulders, but also your abdominal muscles, your core, and your legs.

In essence, yoga can give a full body workout, depending on your selection of the poses that you hold. Proper breathing is also key to burning more energy as you assume the poses, and that, in turn, helps to remove fats from your body.

Other Yoga for Weight Loss Benefits Include:

• Activating the internal heat in the nervous system
  Cleansing the colon
• Creating the right amount of pH levels
• Maintaining the right balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system
• Activating the thyroid gland

In the next article we’ll cover doing “Yoga Stretches” to get your blood flowing. If you have not done so already, be sure to subscribe to the MyFitnessNut.com Newsletter so that you can get access to the Hatha Yoga Video demonstrations and get started doing yoga for weight loss right away.

This is a question that many women have on their mind. There is no shortage of anti-cellulite products and services on the market. Cellulite creams, special gadgets which use light therapy, cellulite massages, lymphatic drainage, anti-cellulite pills, etc. This is an industry that sees women spending over 12 million yearly.

With so many products, women are often at a loss as to which way to go about removing their cellulite? Should I try the latest ‘scientific breakthrough’ cream or will the new gadget with the UV light work for me? What about the special collagen pills that will make it disappear in 30 days?

Choices, choices and more choices…

So Which Cellulite Treatment Would Be Right For You?

Honestly, it doesn’t matter which cellulite treatment you decide to choose because they all share one thing in common. They are all ineffective and just a waste of your hard earned money. The truth is that there is absolutely no cream or massage or treatment that will remove it.

The exception to the above statement is laser therapy which is highly effective. However, the cost may make it prohibitive to many women. So, other than laser treatment, is there really no way to treat cellulite?

There is another way but it’s not so easy.

However, if you choose to adopt this method, your whole life will improve and your cellulite will diminish greatly. This method takes time, patience, sacrifice, sweat and in some cases tears. Yet, it is the only way that guarantees visible results that last a long time.

Are you ready to embark on this challenging method?

If you are, then read on…

Cellulite is Not a Unique Condition or Problem

The method is to reduce your body fat percentage. Contrary to popular belief, cellulite is not a unique condition or strange problem that arises because of poor circulation or other health problems; it’s just fat.

Fat that looks different from normal because it is squeezed through hard fibrous tissues beneath your skin. This is perfectly normal and nothing to be alarmed about.

There are pockets of fat stores beneath your skin and once these fat stores are filled, the fat will squeeze outwards and push up against the skin. This is what causes the dimply, orange peel appearance that so many women detest.

Deal With a Cellulite Treatment Like You Would Any Fat Treatment

Since it really is just fat, you can deal with it just like you would normal fat. You can burn it off with a combination of exercise and healthy eating. Measure your body fat percentage and try and bring it down to 15 to 20 percent. This is different from the weight on your scale.

Body fat percentage is your body’s composition taking into account lean muscle mass, etc. Slim women may show signs of cellulite because their body fat composition is high.

This is known as “skinny fat.”

You want to be lean, healthy and toned. Watch your diet closely. Engage in cardio exercises at least 4 times a week for about 20 to 30 minutes. Get your heart pumping and make it an intense session. Throw in some resistance training on other days focusing on your lower body to really work those thighs and butt muscles.

In time to come, your body would have burnt off these fat stores and your lean muscle mass would have increased. Your thighs and legs will be toned and beautiful. Cellulite will barely be visible. This is the best cellulite treatment for any woman to choose because it works, but it does require work to get the job done.

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.

Cellulite has a very bad reputation and a lot of nicknames to go with it. “Lumpy”, “bumpy”, “dimply”, “cottage cheese”, “orange rinds”, etc. are all terms used to describe the appearance of skin that has cellulite beneath it. The anti-cellulite industry is a multimillion dollar industry because women are desperate to get rid of their bumpy-lumpy dimples.

There are miracle creams, laser treatments, and books on dealing with cellulite, special diets, massage therapy and many other ways that purportedly treat cellulite effectively.

Most of these methods are ineffective, do not have any lasting effects and are just a drain on the wallet and emotions. Disappointment and regret often follow when women put their faith in these scams and poor products.

In this article, we’ll examine if anti-cellulite diets work. These apply to pills, and special diets formulated for women specifically addressing the cellulite issue. Before we go any further, the answer is neither a yes nor a no. It lies somewhere in between.

Anti-Cellulite Diets – No Different Than an Anti-Fat Diet

The first point to note about cellulite is this – it is fat. Cellulite is nothing more than fat pushing up against your skin. These fat pockets push up against the connective tissues beneath your thin skin and that causes the dimpled and bumpy appearance. Men do not normally have cellulite because their skin is thicker and more porous. The tissues beneath their skin are also connected differently.

Since cellulite is nothing more than fat, exercise and a healthy diet will get rid of cellulite easily and very effectively. It may be argued that slim women show signs of cellulite too. This is a fallacy. Many slim women have a high body fat percentage and low lean muscle mass. They are what are known as “skinny fat” in the fitness industry.

A woman who does her cardio and resistance training aimed at the thighs, legs and buttocks will have toned muscles in those areas. Once that happens they have lower chances of gaining fat in those areas. Less fat means less cellulite. It’s that simple.

The Best Anti-Cellulite Diet is Exercise and a Healthy Diet to Follow

So if all you need is a healthy diet and exercise to get rid of cellulite, why are there pills and special fad diets on the market?

Simple. To get your money. Women spend more than 12 million a year on treating cellulite. That is not chump change and many companies want in on the action. Nevertheless, the solution is very simple and straightforward.

Anti-Cellulite Diets are No Different Than a Fat Loss Diet

Avoid sugary and sweet foods, carbs that have a high GI, caffeine, sodas and other foods that will pile on the pounds. Most women usually know what those foods are but still indulge anyway.

If you wish to get rid of your cellulite, you will have to make these sacrifices. Limit the consumption of these foods to once a week.

It would be a good idea to limit your salt intake too. Sodium causes water retention and makes you feel bloated.

Consume flaxseed and kelp regularly. Collagen keeps your skin firm and taut. Flaxseed promotes collagen growth and 2 tablespoons flaxseed oil a day is sufficient. Kelp makes your body burn about 10 percent more fat. You may buy dried kelp and cook it or just purchase kelp supplements from a health store.

Include Plenty of Water in Your Anti-Cellulite Diet

It goes without saying that you need to drink 8 to 10 glasses of water a day for a glowing complexion, healthy skin and to flush out toxins. One ounce or 30ml for every 2 pounds of body weight is a good goal to set for your water consumption.

Basically, this is all you need for an anti-cellulite diet. Keep it healthy and clean. Natural foods and not processed foods. Get some moderate exercise daily and you’ll be well prepared to keep cellulite at bay while feeling happy and healthy at the same time.

There are several websites that promote lymphatic drainage to reduce cellulite. They are all wrong. The reason for this is because cellulite is fat. It is not about toxins or poor drainage or whatever reasons that are so often tossed around. All these misconceptions and fallacies are designed to make women spend money on cellulite products and treatment.

It May Look Different But it’s Really Just Fat

The simple fact is that cellulite is fat. It looks different from normal fat. There is a reason for this. Beneath our skin is a hard fibrous tissue with bands that connect the skin to the muscle. These bands are known as septae. Women have perpendicular bands while men have bands that connect in a cross-checked pattern. This is the reason why men do not show visible signs and even thought they have it too, it just can’t be so easily seen.

When the spaces between the bands are filled with fat, the fat is squeezed upwards and presses against the skin. This is similar to a fork pressing down on a marshmallow. Notice how the marshmallow comes up looking all clumpy. That’s because the fork is hard and stiff just like the bands of tissue in our body.

Women also have thinner skin than men. That’s a double whammy because the cellulite is even more visible. So, now that we have established that it’s just plain ‘ol fat, why are people talking about lymphatic drainage?

Fat Profits in Reducing Cellulite

The reason for this is that there are several products and services such as cellulite massages and other treatments such as Endermologie that claim that they can massage it away by breaking down the fats and increasing the blood circulation to the problematic areas.

It is not profitable to admit that cellulite is fat because if it was just normal fat, women would realize that watching their diet and exercise would remove the cellulite stores. By using words like ‘lymphatic drainage’, it creates the illusion that more specific and targeted measures are required to deal with this stubborn issue.

Lymphatic Drainage Provides Benefits – But Not Cellulite Loss

The crux of the matter is that lymphatic drainage will not rid the body of cellulite. It may have other benefits such as improving circulation and maybe detoxification to a certain extent, but it will not remove it because fat cannot be massaged away.

The best thing you can do for yourself will be to try and reduce your body fat percentage. You will have to watch your diet closely and eat wholesome, healthy food. Avoid junk food and processed products which are also junk. Eat fresh, eat clean should be your motto.

Exercise to Lose Fat and Reduce Cellulite

Embark on a training program that involves a mix of cardio and resistance training. Perform exercises that tone your lower body. Squats, lunges, stair climbing, etc. All these exercises will tone and strengthen your thighs and butt. Toned muscles are taut and the visibility of cellulite will be reduced.

When you are at a body fat percentage of about 15 to 20 percent, your fat stores will be minimal. You may still have some fat but the lumps and dimples will be barely visible. If you still wish to lose the rest, you need to drop your body fat percentage even lower.

That’s how you rid your body of cellulite effectively and this way beats any lymphatic drainage method out there. Learn more about cellulite reduction to help you shape up your appearance and take the guess work out of it.

Cellulite is the bumpy, dimpled, orange rind appearance of fats beneath the skin. Almost all women have cellulite and eradicating cellulite is a 12 million dollars per year industry. That’s how much women spend every year trying to get rid of cellulite.

In most cases, the methods are neither effective nor long lasting. They’re just a drain on finances, time and emotional well-being. Many women get depressed and disappointed when the cellulite creams, massages, detox cleanses, etc. do not work. Everything just seems like a waste of money and time. The women start hating their bodies and develop a negative self-image.

The reason for this is that they have been lied to. They were made to believe that cellulite is a special condition that needs special creams, massages or other dodgy products to treat. The truth is that cellulite is just fat; normal body fat.

Cellulite is Nothing More Than Bumpy Body Fat

The fat just appears clumpy and awful because of the structure of the underlying tissues in the body. These tissues are connected in a way where the body is able to store fat. Once the fat stores accumulate and start pushing up against the skin, cellulite appears.

Men have tissues that connect differently from women and their skin is also thicker. This is why they do not have cellulite that shows up so clearly.

Now that you know that cellulite is nothing more than fat, you will be able to deal with it like normal body fat. Cellulite is not water retention or trapped toxins or any other weird explanation. Let’s keep things simple. Fat is fat and fat can be burned off with a good diet and exercise.

Your diet will need to be clean and wholesome. Consume foods that are unprocessed. Avoid white flour products and white rice. All these foods have a high GI. That means, they cause spikes in blood sugar levels and increase insulin production will leads to fat gain.

Eat More Protein to Combat Cellulite

You will want to consume more protein. Any carbohydrates you eat should be slow digesting and complex. Examples would be oats or wholegrain bread. You may also get your carbs from vegetables. Your diet will also need to be low in salt. Too much sodium causes water retention and gives you the bloated feeling.

Drink lots of water daily. Consume collagen supplements and other supplements that will keep your skin supple, elastic and healthy. No need for cellulite treatments.

Exercise to Battle Cellulite

Exercise will be crucial to losing the fat. You will need to combine cardio sessions with resistance training. Many women neglect resistance training because they are afraid to get muscular.

This is very far from the truth. Resistance training will make you leaned and toned but it will not make you look like a he-man. That takes years of training, supplements, etc. Even men struggle to gain muscle. So, no worries there.

You will want to focus on compound movements for the lower body. Lunges, squats, leg presses, dead-lifts, calf raises, quadrupedal movements, etc. All these will increase the lean muscle mass in your body while your fats are burned off. It’s awesome. Cardio sessions should be about 20 to 30 minutes. The higher the intensity the better. Cycling, running, stair climbing, etc. are great cardio workouts.

Drop Body Fat and You’ll Drop the Cellulite

If you follow the advice above, you will burn your fat stores and be lean in no time. Once your body fat levels drop, so will your cellulite. You will have toned legs and buttocks that will be the envy of other women. Not to mention the extra attention from the guys. Life will be good.

You can learn more about the causes of cellulite from these Cellulite Helpful Tips articles and you can subscribe to the My Fitness Nut Newsletter found at the top right of our MyFitnessNut.com home page. When you do, you’ll get some very effective exercise and diet programs that will help you drop cellulite and body fat without getting taken to cleaners and being sold weird and in-effective remedies.