(Photo by iStock)
Cellulite is a condition that mainly affects women and exercise is one of the ways they try to eliminate it. But is it possible?
The eternal question. This cellulite still torments us and is characterized by a problem from which we consider that we must urgently get rid of it . For decades marketing promoted – and society accepted – certain standards of beauty. Let the experts convince you that it is part of the human body and occurs in 80-90% of people.
We have and we say, therefore: Cellulite is a multifactorial condition of the skin tissue. It affects women much more than men due to higher estrogen levels and anatomical differences . Also, heredity plays a very important role, while age also plays a role (although not the most important) (connective tissue weakens with the passage of time). A higher percentage of body fat can increase the appearance, but this does not mean that thin people do not have cellulite. Even lifestyle can improve or worsen its appearance. For example, sitting, smoking and drinking too much alcohol can make it worse.
Exercise and cellulite
Let’s be clear from the start: exercise can be a useful tool for reducing the appearance of cellulite, but it doesn’t work miracles. He can’t make her disappear. What it can do is strengthen the muscles beneath the subcutaneous fat , make you feel better and boost your confidence (now that I think about it, that’s not saying much!).
As for all that talk about targeting one area, personal trainers Danielle Hildreth and Katey Davidson write on Healthline that you can’t get rid of cellulite with exercise alone. It is equally impossible to slim down a specific part of the body with additional exercises.
What should your fitness plan include?
The two gymnasts offer some guidance on how to design an exercise program that will help you somewhat reduce the appearance of cellulite. “Make sure you combine aerobic exercise (eg walking, running, cycling, swimming) and muscle-strengthening exercises (eg lifting weights, using resistance bands, pilates, etc.) 4 to 7 days a week. Thus, you will achieve weight loss and prevent the loss of muscle mass and strength.”
It is good to combine moderate and high intensity aerobic exercise . For example, one day you can go for a walk and the other for a run . As far as muscle strengthening is concerned, it is good to do at least 2-3 training sessions per week. “If your goal is to ‘build’ muscle in a specific area, such as the glutes, you can dedicate two workouts per week to that area.”
To make muscles more visible, the procedure requires a loss of body fat (affecting the entire body, not just one area) and an increase in muscle mass. In other words, a balanced diet is also needed. It is therefore necessary to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle over time .
