Is it possible to remove cellulite through exercise?
Physical exercises can help against cellulite if it is expressed in the initial stage (when there are no visible bumps, it can be detected by strongly squeezing the skin with your fingers), in other cases you need to act in a comprehensive manner. Charging is only an auxiliary tool, which must be complemented by the use of cosmetics, a contrast shower, proper nutrition and a special massage. With a very advanced stage of cellulite, sports may be powerless and the problem cannot be eliminated without surgery.
Home methods for eliminating cellulite and stretch marks
Salon methods for eliminating skin defects are very effective, but not everyone can afford it. Fortunately, there are simple and inexpensive ways to help your skin look great at home:
- Aloe juice is a proven remedy for skin regeneration, relieves irritation, removes inflammation, and improves metabolic processes. To prepare the medicinal composition, you need to take half a glass of plant juice and mix it with the same amount of good quality olive oil. Add 5 drops of vitamin A and 10 drops of vitamin E, mix vigorously and pour into a glass bottle.
Swimming and swimming against orange peel
The advantage of doing exercises in water is that they can be done even by those who are contraindicated for heavy physical activity. Water greatly facilitates the training process by pushing out the person’s body weight, which benefits overweight people. Special complexes for weight loss are being developed, which are performed in the pool. Many of these exercises help in the fight against cellulite.
Exercises in water
Training in the pool stimulates blood circulation, starting the metabolic process in tissues. Water puts pressure on the skin, affecting problem areas.
Exercises with noodles
Noodles are flexible sticks that help you maintain balance in the water. On the one hand, they make training easier by holding the body, on the other hand, they create additional stress, allowing you to thoroughly work out your arms. The noodle is fixed near the chest, you need to try to forcefully lower them under the water, holding it down as long as possible.
Running in place
Stay on the surface of the water with your hands. Use your feet to imitate running - bend your knees, reach with your fingertips to the back of your thigh. Do 10 times, 2 approaches on each leg.
Scissoring legs
Scissors help with cellulite on the buttocks and stomach. They can be made both vertically and horizontally. The exercise is performed lying down - the arms are bent at the elbows and rest against the side of the pool. The legs are spread apart and brought together. Do this variation 10 times in 2 approaches and the same amount vertically - alternately lifting straight limbs up.
Bicycle
The exercise is done while sitting, balancing in the water. The legs are bent one by one towards the stomach, imitating cycling. The load is placed on the stomach and back of the thigh. Do 30 times.
Water aerobics
It is a special set of exercises in water aimed at getting rid of excess weight and working out areas where cellulite is observed. To get rid of it, you should choose a treatment direction. All the exercises in it are selected in such a way that they allow you to focus specifically on getting rid of the orange peel. Examples of exercises presented in water aerobics that you can do independently:
- bend your arms at the elbows, position your body vertically. Walk with your knees bent, trying to maintain an upright position. Move your arms to the rhythm of walking;
- Lunges. Place your hands on your belt, move your right leg forward, and take your left leg back. Squat down on your right leg, bending your knee so that your thigh is parallel to the bottom of the pool. Do the same with the opposite leg. When changing leading limbs, jump;
- Stand up straight, extend your right arm forward, palm facing down. Try to touch your palm with your straight left leg. Do it on the opposite side.
Aquashaping
Exercises with weights (which can be noodles or special dumbbells) performed in the pool are called aquashaping. They can also be very effective when you want to remove cellulite. Most exercises are performed for time, not for number of repetitions.
- Exercise for cellulite on the arms: clench dumbbells in your fists, place your hands at waist level, alternately stretch your limbs forward and return them back. Perform for 2 minutes.
- Stand up to your full height, bend your knees slightly. Stretch your arms with dumbbells forward. In this position, describe circles, first clockwise, then counterclockwise. Allow 1 minute for each position.
- Struggling with the resistance of the water, pump your biceps. To do this, arms with dumbbells are bent at the elbows and straightened, lowering down. Duration of execution - 1 minute.
Free swimming
Free swimming in the pool also helps get rid of cellulite. To achieve results faster, it is better to swim crawl or breaststroke. You should devote time to swimming twice or thrice a week, while not being in cold water (temperature not lower than 22º) for at least 30 minutes.
Basic rules for performing squats
It is possible to remove cellulite with the help of squats, but in order for the training to bring enough benefits and help you forget about the orange peel effect, a woman must adhere to the following recommendations:
- the back should always be straight;
- when lifting, do not make sudden movements;
- when lowering, your thighs should be parallel to the floor;
- when rising, you cannot straighten your legs completely;
- feet cannot be lifted from the floor surface;
- When squatting, you should stretch your butt back down.
To get better results, it is recommended to use additional load. These could be weighted bracelets, small dumbbells, or just two bottles of sand (one in each hand). It is very important that the load is the same, otherwise during squats the body will tilt to one side, which will lead to stretching of the back muscles.
Duration of one anti-cellulite course
To remove the initial and middle stages of the formation of the orange peel effect, a woman needs to squat daily for 20-30 minutes for one month. At first it will be very difficult, but after a few sessions the discomfort in the legs will disappear by itself.
If cellulite is at an advanced stage, then the duration of the training course is at least 45 days. In this case, the time of one lesson is extended by 10-15 minutes.
Jumping rope
Effective exercises that eliminate cellulite include jumping rope. They normalize blood circulation and lymph flow, allowing you to burn up to 300 calories per hour. The advantages include the low cost of equipment and the ability to practice at home, on the street, and while traveling. To remove cellulite you need to adhere to the following rules:
- This exercise is not recommended for obese people;
- You need to start classes with a short 10-minute workout, gradually increasing its duration;
- when landing, you need to step only on your toes, and not on your entire foot;
- the jump rope must be correctly selected for height;
- you can jump in any way;
- Before jumping, you need to do a short warm-up exercise, and then stretch.
Top 5 exercises to do at home
Warm-up
At this stage, you need to do cardio, but the choice of what exercises to do is up to you.
You walk at a moderate pace or ride a bike. Climbing stairs also works well.
After two minutes, increase the intensity. Make sure you start to get a little out of breath. Then lower the intensity and cool down for a few minutes.
This warm-up will prepare you for exercises that will quickly get rid of cellulite on your butt and thighs.
Now is the time for strength training.
Do at least 15 repetitions of each of the following exercises to remove cellulite from your body. Make sure you do 3 sets per day for faster results.
Be sure to work slowly and efficiently.
Squats with dumbbells
One of the fastest exercises to get rid of cellulite on the thighs and butt, and is considered a classic.
- Hold one dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing inward. Be sure to keep your back straight.
- Bend both your knees and hips as if you were about to sit in a chair. Make sure your knees don't go over your toes.
- Stand up slowly and continue repeating until you have completed the required amount.
Lunges
Another popular anti-cellulite exercise is lunges.
- Stand up straight with your legs straight and dumbbells in your hands on both sides.
- Take a long step with your left foot.
- Slowly lower your right knee towards the floor. Your knees should always be at a 90 degree angle. Keep your back straight.
- Lean on your left leg and return to the starting position.
- Repeat the same with the other leg.
Stepping up with dumbbells
This effective exercise is taken from aerobics.
- Stand on a step and hold both dumbbells next to you.
- Leave your left leg on the steppe and lower your right leg back. Don't touch the floor with your right foot. Then pick it up again, but don't put it on the step.
- Complete the set and then switch legs.
Plie squats with alternating heel raises
Technique:
- Place your feet 1 meter apart. Fingers should point outward.
- Lower yourself down until your thighs are almost parallel to the floor.
- Push back up to return to the starting position.
- Then do the same movement, lifting your right heel as you lower.
- Repeat the move, but this time lift your left heel.
- That's one rep!
Bulgarian split squats
This is perhaps one of the hardest exercises.
- Place your left foot forward on the floor and place your right foot on the bench. Keep your left knee bent 90 degrees and lower your right knee to the ground.
- Go back. Maintain balance by engaging your core muscles.
Hitch
Finally, do proper stretching to avoid sore muscles the next day. Every time you exercise, your muscles should be stretched for greater flexibility.
Do a couple of basic stretches such as:
- Quadriceps stretching;
- Lying buttock stretch;
- 4 figure for stretching;
- Stretch - butterfly.
Make sure you perform each exercise for about 20 seconds.
If you skip this step, you may not be able to train well next time. Don't neglect this step because it is very important to improve your training results.
Anti-cellulite exercises at home
You can do most of the exercises presented at home. Many of them require minimal equipment (fitball, jump rope, dumbbells), and for some it is enough to purchase only a training mat. Exercises with your own weight are also quite effective against cellulite.
Stretching or stretching
After any workout (cardio, strength training) you need to stretch. It allows you to get rid of congestion in the muscles (which affects your appearance and hinders weight loss), relax them, and consolidate your progress. Stretching should be done in such a way that there is no pain, it should be done calmly. Also, stretching on days when there is a loss of strength can replace a full workout. Stretching exercises improve the condition of the skin, making it elastic and eliminating cellulite.
Diet Tips to Reduce Cellulite
A healthy, balanced diet is not only good for losing a few pounds, but also for peeling off that orange peel. In fact, eating right benefits your entire body. Enlarged fat cells in the thighs and buttocks not only irritate, but also compress blood vessels. As a result, circulation throughout the body is reduced, your metabolism slows, and lymphatic drainage is impaired. This, in turn, makes the skin less tight and elastic, and unpleasant grooves and pits in the skin become even more noticeable. So what should we do? Speed up your metabolism! Say no to fast food, as well as fatty foods, alcohol and sugar. All of them are cellulite's best friends and contribute to its prosperity. In addition, all of them can lead to excess weight.
How to eat to get rid of cellulite:
1. Lots of liquid. Drink enough fluids (water or unsweetened tea) throughout the day. It helps the body transport vital nutrients into cells and eliminate waste.
2. Low sodium diet. Did you know that foods rich in salt cause fluid retention in body tissues? The swollen tissue makes your orange peel look even more visible.
3. Foods rich in potassium. Consume foods such as apricots, bananas, potatoes, ginger and artichokes. They have one thing in common: they contain a lot of potassium. This essential mineral helps in transporting oxygen and nutrients into your cells. In addition, potassium also helps remove waste from your body while cells are repaired and renewed.
Also, nuts that are high in vitamin E are great for your skin. But keep in mind that nuts are high in fat, which can also contribute to weight gain. A handful a day is enough.
4. Vitamin C: Bell peppers and kiwis are rich in vitamin C, which promotes collagen production in your body. And collagen itself is responsible for smooth and even skin.
Main rule:
Avoid crash diets! Rapid weight loss (and gain) can contribute to cellulite. In addition, on such diets you also lose muscle, which leads to more noticeable cellulite.
The best exercises for cellulite
Among all the exercises, the best results are given by:
Running and walking
They allow you to thoroughly load and work the entire surface of the thigh, buttocks, while also touching the arms and abdomen. It is better to give preference to running over rough terrain - this will allow you to quickly achieve endurance, which will lead to an increase in speed and load.
Squats
The versatility of squats lies in the fact that they can be added to any training program, performed both in the gym and at home. Various variations allow you to adapt the exercise to any preparation and thoroughly work the entire lower body.
When can you expect results?
Squats against cellulite are not the easiest path to perfection, but all the effort will be worth it. How quickly the skin evens out and the bumps disappear depends on the severity of the situation.
Having chosen squats as your main weapon against orange peel, you need to understand that the effect will definitely come, but not as quickly as you want, you will have to stock up on persistence and patience.
The reduction in cellulite will become noticeable after two or even three weeks of regular daily squats. And after a month, the changes will become more obvious, and after another couple of weeks you can be proud of yourself and enjoy the state of your body.
Set of exercises
Programs designed specifically to eliminate cellulite will help solve the problem faster than haphazard training.
Home for a month
In just a month, you can notice progress in getting rid of orange peel if you adhere to the recommended training plan as closely as possible.
Day | Set of exercises |
1 |
|
2 | rest |
3 |
|
4 | rest |
5 |
|
6 | rest |
7 | Jogging in the fresh air or free swimming – 30-40 minutes. Stretching 60 min. |
8 | rest |
9 – 16 | Repeat Day 1 – 8 |
17 |
|
18 | rest |
19 |
|
20 | rest |
21 |
|
22 | rest |
23 |
|
24 | Jogging in the fresh air or free swimming – 30-40 minutes. Stretching 60 min. |
25 | rest |
26 | Repeat day 19 |
27 | Repeat day 5 |
28 | rest |
29 | Repeat day 3 |
30 | Repeat day 23 |
Combined program for a week
A week is a short time to see results. But with productive work, it can bear fruit in the fight against cellulite.
Day of the week | Set of exercises |
Monday |
|
Tuesday | Yoga |
Wednesday | rest |
Thursday |
|
Friday | Water aerobics |
Saturday | rest |
Sunday |
|
Remove cellulite from buttocks and entire body
In addition to exercise, there are several other tactics that can help you, if not completely get rid of it, then at least reduce the appearance of cellulite.
Foam rolls
Using foam massage rolls is a great way to eliminate cellulite by improving circulation. It will also help relieve muscle pain after workouts.
Foam roll your muscles at least a couple of times a week to remove blocks, knots, and other fibrous formations in the muscles that impede free blood flow in the lower body. The article at the link will teach you how to effectively use this device.
Dry brush massage
Supplementing your regular body care routine with dry brushing is an inexpensive and effective method of improving blood circulation (and we already know how useful this is in the fight against cellulite) and improving skin texture and tone.
Take about 10 minutes to run a dry massage brush over problem areas (always towards the heart) with longitudinal movements.
Read the post at the link and find out even more reasons to love dry brush massage.
Diet and drinking regime
Nutrition plays a vital role in increasing overall tone and getting rid of excess fat deposits.
Limiting the consumption of fast carbohydrates, which turn into sugar immediately after entering the body, will prevent the accumulation of excess fat.
What should your diet look like? In general, the more integral and natural, the better. Include free-range organic meats, quality fish, healthy fats such as nuts, vegetable oils, coconut oils, avocados, plenty of vegetables such as broccoli, pumpkin, spinach, kale, and starchy foods such as sweet potatoes and legumes.
Read more about foods that stimulate fat burning in the article at the link.
To smooth out skin unevenness, it is necessary to maintain optimal water balance in the body. Essentially, the more water you drink, the firmer and smoother your skin will be. Drink clean water and tea with any flavoring additives listed in the article at the link.
Special exercises for pregnant women
During pregnancy, you should not overload yourself, you need to choose simple exercises, do not use dumbbells and barbells. Do not put stress on the buttocks and cause shortness of breath. It is important to monitor sensations and not exercise when there is even a slight malaise. If there are no contraindications, then you can do the following exercises for cellulite during pregnancy:
- yoga asanas (except inverted poses);
- squats without weights;
- lunges forward and backward;
- walking;
- swimming.
Safety precautions
To relieve the load on the spinal column and avoid problems with it, your back should be kept slightly arched. The load on the legs should be distributed evenly. Therefore, you need to stand on your feet completely, without lifting your heels.
Do not overload your knee joints. Let your knees not go beyond your socks.
The head should not be tilted so as not to round the back and not load the spine. It's better to look forward or slightly up.
Breathe correctly: you go down when you inhale, and it’s easier to go up when you exhale.
Contraindications and side effects
Squats have some contraindications. These include pathologies of the heart and blood vessels, high blood pressure. It is also advised not to do the exercises at all or to carry them out in an easy mode if there are disturbances in the functioning of the vestibular apparatus.
People who suffer from excessive thinness, chronic fatigue, weakness in muscle tissue and atrophy of the muscles of the lower extremities are not allowed to perform squats. In such situations, it is necessary to do half squats.
Side effects from squats are possible if a person violates the execution technique or takes the wrong position during training. This can lead to problems with the skeleton.
Squats against cellulite on the legs are an effective solution to the problem, but you need to understand that the desired result can be achieved with regular training using the correct technique.