It wasn't always like this
Before we go into a frantic fight, let's find out the history of the “tormenting” disease of the century! I think the fact that cellulite occurs in everyone from the moment of puberty is not in doubt. Almost no girl has been spared the “citrus” problem.
I agree, it’s hard to believe when you see hundreds of photos of young, fit and slender models with smooth skin on the Internet. Don't forget, the world is often not what it seems. Modern media creates an alternative reality where everyone except us is more successful and beautiful. In fact, all the same models have stretch marks on the stomach and thighs, lumpy skin, they are simply saved by Photoshop, the right light , angle and editing.
It turns out that if everyone has some problem, maybe it’s not a problem? Exactly! Until the end of the 80s, no one was particularly worried about any unevenness on their legs. If you look at old Soviet photos of female athletes in short shorts, you can clearly see unevenness and, excuse me, “bumps”, which are now considered a problem. And nothing, no one was particularly worried. What changed? Beauty standards and advertising.
There is an opinion that in the late 70s, American cosmetologists were looking for a way to make money through new procedures. Having teamed up with dishonest doctors, they invented a “problem” , explaining that the bumps on the body accumulate toxins and urgently need to get rid of them. Of course, after just a couple of years, women believed in the invented disease and began to treat it with all methods at home and in beauty salons.
In reality, no disease exists. The presence of orange peel on the arms, legs, buttocks, and stomach is a feature of the female body (to a greater extent). No toxins accumulate in them. Our skin is thinner than that of men, so all the irregularities are more clearly visible on it. Plus, the body tends to store fat necessary for bearing a child and thermal protection of the female reproductive system.
Cellulite is part of the structure of girls, inherent in nature. It is neither bad nor good, but simply exists, and appears during puberty. My dear friends, by denying her, you deny yourself, your femininity, making you feel flawed and ugly. But this is not true!
The role of drinking water in the fight against cellulite
Drinking enough water plays no less important role in the fight against cellulite than a balanced diet. Liquid is a vehicle for useful substances in the body. Without a certain amount of moisture, cells cannot obtain the components they need to function normally. In addition, water contributes to:
- acceleration of metabolism,
- removing waste and toxins from cells,
- relieving swelling (provided that water is not consumed before bedtime),
- maintaining normal body temperature,
- saturation of tissues with oxygen.
All this is important for the fight against cellulite, since the “orange peel” problem can be completely eliminated only in a healthy body. It is enough for an adult to drink 2–2.5 liters of water per day. Tea, coffee and other drinks are not included.
Cellulite and its stages
Now some strict definitions. The condition of the skin in which an orange peel appears indicates that it is not in good shape or that the fat is unevenly distributed (sometimes both factors occur). The fat layer can be found in athletes, models, thin and not so thin girls, with the only difference being that it is visible in everyone differently.
There are several stages of manifestation:
- Not visible at all. When fat is distributed evenly and is difficult to see, even by squeezing parts of the body;
- The second stage - the lumpiness is visible if you squeeze the problem area with your hand;
- The last stage is clearly visible on the body. It is this stage that women all over the world struggle with.
There is no point in struggling with the previous stages unless you are fascinated by the idea of looking like models from magazines. But the latter can be improved .
Therefore, I have selected a program for you to get rid of visible signs - cellulite will practically disappear. It helps to move from the third stage to the first or second. Its effectiveness has been proven by reviews from many girls.
Second
Sport
Physical activity is the main component of success in the difficult task of returning skin tone. Thanks to sports, there is a rush of blood to problem areas.
Regular use also ensures the growth of capillary vessels in the skin, enriching it with oxygen and nutrients. At the same time, the skin tightens and becomes elastic.
Strength training is especially effective in such problems . Cardio WILL NOT SAVE you from cellulite!
Read about the benefits of strength training in my article: “How to lose weight and not ruin your health?”
Foundation for victory
There are several ways to effectively remove what you don't like.
The most important and necessary thing is proper nutrition.
Whatever one may say, it is from this point that the path to a beautiful figure and health begins. First of all, review your diet and only then move on to the next stage.
So, what should be left off the shopping list if we want smooth skin? Eliminate fried foods: cutlets, meat, pies and other delights. But don’t take it away completely, once a week or two, allow yourself some indulgences - have a cheat meal, so that life doesn’t seem like labor and torment. But the basis of daily meals should be more or less healthy: steamed, stewed, baked food, lots of vegetables and herbs.
Fried foods:
- Firstly, they lose their beneficial properties;
- Secondly, under the influence of temperature, oil releases carcinogens and is deposited in the sides and blood vessels, affecting blood pressure, appearance, and cholesterol.
You will see, after just a month of eating normal food, you will feel better in every way!
Unfortunately, this is not the entire list. You should exclude all baked goods and most sugary treats. The only thing allowed with tea is whole grain bread and rye rolls, as well as healthy sweets (marmalade, honey, dried fruits, marshmallows).
Again, giving up the above will help you lose weight, get rid of problems with rashes and even thrush (a direct connection has been proven between the consumption of sugar and white flour and its occurrence).
What is recommended to eat? The list is no different from the standard set of healthy eating: more vegetables, complex carbohydrates (buckwheat, oatmeal, brown rice), healthy fats (fish, nuts, seeds), fruits, especially citrus fruits, berries. Proteins (meat, eggs, cottage cheese) and fermented milk products.
During an active fight against bumps, you should give up coffee with milk and limit black coffee to one or two cups a day. Forget about Friday alcoholic relaxations. Many alcoholic drinks have a lot of sugar, if you can’t refuse, you will love dry red wine, but drink not half a bottle at a time, but a glass. Moreover, exclude soda, but drink plain water and green tea in large quantities. This one action, I mean, switching to healthy foods, will effectively combat new bumps.
Sample menu for the day
Breakfast
- Hercules 50g dry with natural yoghurt or water
- 50 g berries
- 30g walnuts
- 2 white marshmallows with tea without sugar
Snack
- Apple
- Cottage cheese 150g
Dinner
- Buckwheat 50g
- Chicken fillet without skin 100g
- Vegetable salad 100g with tsp. oils
Afternoon snack
- Chopped beef cutlet 120g
- Vegetable salad 120g
Dinner
- Slice of baked fish without mayonnaise
- Grilled vegetables 150 gr
The second most important method is sports.
Physical exercises visually smooth the skin, tighten muscles, and get rid of accumulated fat.
Exercising significantly reduces the visual appearance of orange peel. If you look at “before” and “after” photos on the Internet from various types of challenges and reports from fitness instructors, you will see this for yourself.
Why is this happening? It's simple. The muscles become larger from training, the body acquires relief and, as a result, becomes toned. A simple comparison comes to mind with nylon tights, which take on shape when they are put on.
What is the best sport to do? In general, anything that causes muscle tissue to contract: running, fitness, strength training in the gym, yoga, aerobics, dancing, and so on. Please note that walking is not suitable as the main activity. They must be added as an additional load point.
It wouldn’t hurt to exercise in the morning with any exercises familiar from school.
A number of actions have been developed that are recommended for problem areas. For example, squats, forward and side lunges, leg swings, running with weights, various complexes for the buttocks, step aerobics, etc. are useful for the hips.
For problem areas on the hands, swings, working with dumbbells, push-ups, swimming are suitable (although it is useful for the whole body and all areas).
For the abdomen, it is worth doing abdominal exercises, bending, running, twisting, again procedures in the pool, yoga.
Nutrition coupled with physical exertion will do half the job. This is the first major step towards your goal. For the rest, certain procedures will help. But, I repeat, the foundation is laid by the first two points.
Cosmetics - additional help
Massage
The primacy among all cosmetic procedures belongs to him. The advantage is that mechanical movements level the upper layer of the epidermis, removing all unevenness, and make the blood move faster.
There are many options for exposure. You can sign up for a classic anti-cellulite treatment , where problem areas are kneaded with your hands. The action is not for the weak. The first sessions can be painful to the point of tears in your eyes, but then you get used to it. By the fifth time it was already much easier for me, and after the 10th I began to fall asleep.
After the first sessions, you may feel that cellulite has become larger ; this is due to the fact that the swelling subsides and the fat layer loosens. But by the end of the course of 10-15 visits, visual unevenness is effectively removed, and deeply accumulated fat is also broken down. The number of visits will be determined by the master.
Plus, this includes manipulations with various additions: coffee, oil, honey, mustard mixtures, which make the blood circulate better and warm up the body. As well as lymph chestnuts for pressotherapy, which are great for helping in the fight.
Why can’t you just use massage, you ask? After all, if it helps so well, then why suffer and limit yourself in food? The fact is that this remedy alone will not help if you continue to eat junk food. The result is a closed cycle: you get rid of fat, eat junk food, and the fat appears again.
Silicone jars
But let's return to other options. Good reviews about cupping massage. The downsides are minor bruises (though they go away in a week or two), and discomfort. The advantage is that you can do it yourself at home. It is enough to smear yourself with cream or special oils and put on silicone suction cups. Beginners are advised to start with five minutes.
If you have a predisposition to varicose veins, it is contraindicated.
LPG
There are hardware options. For example, LPG is now popular. Remember the Soviet laundry wringer, when it passes between two rollers and all the excess water drains out? An LPG device works approximately on this principle. It “travels” to problem areas and breaks down the fat layer. It sounds painful, but in reality it is even less painful than vacuum cupping.
As a rule, the course is 10-15 visits. The advantages are straight legs and minus a couple of centimeters in the hips; the disadvantages are the cost.
Self-massage
Don't neglect self-massage. It will significantly save money and time, and with due effort the effect will be no worse than that of a salon.
Rub and knead the troubled areas, after applying cream or oil to them. From personal experience, I recommend shea butter, cocoa or coconut, as well as any mixtures based on kelp or fucus algae .
Convenient to do while watching a movie or coming out after a bath. By the way, it wouldn’t hurt to buy a hard shower brush or mitten. Excellent tools for an even and smooth body.
Cryotherapy
A new procedure in which the areas that are bothering you are treated with cold (the affected area is quite local, so do not be afraid of frostbite). Under the influence of low temperature, fat cells simply disintegrate. Minus a few centimeters is guaranteed.
Cavitation
Also a relatively new technology. Its peculiarity is that deposits are accelerated by sound waves. It won't hurt, but it might be expensive. But changes are noticeable after several visits. After the course, not a trace will remain of the “frogs”.
All of the above products not only smooth out the epidermis, but also remove a couple of centimeters. I advise you to use the option of mechanical manipulation, for example, before a trip to the sea as an express measure.
Thermal impact
It is no less effective to resort to high temperatures. They speed up the blood and turn on metabolic processes.
Baths
The simplest thing you can do at home is a hot bath with sea salt and essential oils (lemon, orange, lavender). Literally 15 minutes and you will feel your legs and arms “burning”. I repeat, taking a bath will not get rid of the scab, but it will enhance the effect of other remedies.
After water procedures, mechanical manipulations will be just in time, be it a brush, rubbing or cupping.
Baths
A visit to the sauna, bathhouse and cedar barrel will not be amiss, and if you douse yourself with cold water afterwards, the results will appear faster. Contrast differences will only be beneficial!
The sauna can be any: Finnish, Turkish, Russian steam room, infrared. I advise you to take essential oils, honey or a scrub of salt and coffee, and rub yourself. Visiting the bathhouse at least once a week will make the body smooth and remove toxins and excess moisture (again, it will affect the loss of centimeters). Read here about other benefits of baths.
Make a habit of weekly bath therapy: your mood will improve, you will forget about stress and illness, you will improve your immunity and, of course, you will become fitter.
All kinds of wraps
They can be done at home or in the salon. The first option is naturally cheaper and more accessible. The Internet is full of descriptions on how to make your own wrapping mixture. For example, you will need essential oils, honey and sea salt. You can get by with regular cosmetic clay.
Ready-made are sold : chocolate, algae, clay, pepper.
The material used is regular cling film in rolls. First, do a gentle peeling and prepare yourself for the procedure. Apply the mixture to the areas of concern, wrap yourself in cellophane and go on with your usual activities. After 30-40 minutes you can uncover yourself. Additionally, you can wear warm pants or wrap yourself in a blanket before the series.
Finding recipes and mixture options is not difficult. Type phrases like “cellulite wrap at home” into a search engine, supplement the query with the ingredients you have - coffee, honey, and get an answer to the problem you want to solve.
For visible results, regular wrapping in film will be required; do it every other day or two.
Baths
Such procedures effectively combat “orange peel.” In addition, they rejuvenate and cleanse the skin, speed up metabolism and tone the body. How to get rid of cellulite on the butt and thighs using baths? Fill the container to a third of its volume with warm water and add one of the following compositions to it:
- Essential grapefruit oil (10 drops), green tea (2 tbsp.), sea salt (350 g). Bath time is 20 minutes. The course of therapy is 10 procedures.
- Sliced lemon (2 pcs.), steep decoction of sage, chamomile, mint and thyme (2 l). For treatment, 15 30-minute baths are enough.
- Soda (2 tbsp.), natural honey (1 tbsp.). Take a bath with the composition for 20 minutes. The course of therapy is 10 procedures.
- Linden infusion (1 l), natural honey (0.5 tbsp.). To treat cellulite, take 40-minute baths with the composition. The result will appear after 10 procedures.
Take medicinal baths strictly every other day. After the procedure, without drying yourself, wrap yourself in a sheet or towel and lie down for 15 minutes, covered with a blanket. Then rinse your body in the shower with warm water without soap or gel.
A few final words
Doctors and cosmetologists advise eliminating cigarettes and tight clothing from your life. No skinny jeans or stretch pants. Due to tissue pressure, blood moves with difficulty, forming stagnation . Well, smoking itself disrupts many processes in the body.
Everything described collectively and systematically will give tangible results. But, my dears, I encourage you to treat yourself with respect and care, and also to accept and love whoever you are. This is the key to a happy and healthy life!
Currently, many celebrity personalities have forgotten about their cellulite and perform in short shorts in front of huge audiences of fans, wear minis on the carpet or post photos on Instagram without pre-processing. Among them are Iggy Azalea, Diane Kruger, Rihanna and many others.
Looking at them, young girls no longer have complexes about this and begin to feel much happier. I wonder what disease the doctors will come up with this time?
Tell me, do you use any products? Or do you accept cellulite as part of your figure? Share your experience. I look forward to your messages!
Prevention
Even if you have smooth skin on your thighs and butt, don’t relax. After all, cellulite can form at any time. Therefore, prevent this unpleasant phenomenon. Basic recommendations:
- Say no to a sedentary lifestyle. Even if you don’t have enough time for full training, try to move more. To do this, walk more often, avoid the elevator, and do simple exercises in between work.
- Take responsibility for your health. Any disease leads to stagnation. Therefore, if you feel a malfunction in your body, be sure to consult a doctor.
- Wear comfortable shoes. Blood circulation slows down greatly if the foot is in an unnatural position.
- Don't wear tight clothes. A tight wardrobe puts pressure on the skin and blood vessels, which leads to the appearance of cellulite. Therefore, work on your figure, and do not draw a “slender silhouette” with the help of clothes.
By following these simple rules, you will forget about cellulite. And “orange peel” will never appear on your thighs and buttocks.
