Cellulite Reduction as a Lifestyle Change

Reducing the amount of cellulite on your body requires a total lifestyle change. From the way you eat to the way you exercise, you will be tired and hungry all the time when you first embark on your healthier lifestyle. The hard truth is that without a little bit of sweat and tears, you'll never get ahead and achieve your fitness goals.

When working to get rid of cellulite on your hips and other body parts, you can't wing it. Burning body fat is a complete package that requires a huge amount of dedication to be succesful. As I mentioned above, you will always be tired and hungry when you first start, however this will begin to subside as you get accustomed to your new (and healthy) lifestyle. The hardest part is overcoming the first few days, which turn into weeks, and eventually months. As the months pass by, you will suddenly recognize that you are no longer tired any more, and that you no longer feel hungry. You also won't have a hard time maintaining proper portion control while eating.

Portion control when eating plays a huge role in reducing cellulite. When you eat to much, you develop more body fat that can and will turn into cellulite. Many people don't have the slightest clue about healthy portion sizes. They just wing it and put how ever much food on their plate they deem as healthy. Hint: Nine times out of ten, it's still way to much food to be eating in one sitting. My next post will deal with portion control for the purpose of reducing body and getting rid of cellulite on your body. Check back later.

Build Muscle to Reduce Cellulite

It's no secret (albeit very few women are aware of it) that building dense, hard muscle is the key to the building up the so called celebrity figure. Any and all of the famous celebrities you see work out hard in the gym, lifting heavy weights to maintain their picture perfect figures. One of the leading causes of the saggy, "skinny fat" appearance is a lack of muscle. Simply not eating and expecting to get a killer physique is not only unrealistic, it's downright silly. If it was that easy, any woman could build a killer physique. But most can't, because they have become a victim of the age old myth, "women can't get lift heavy weights or they will get big and bulky".

FACT: You will not get big and bulky if you lift heavy weights. Women like Jennifer Lopez, Keira Knightly and Jessica Biel all lift heavy weights and push themselves hard in the gym. You will notice that none of them are big or bulky. They all have the picture perfect, magazine ready body that women the world over dream of obtaining. The hard truth is that if you want to look like that, you have to work hard in the gym, eat properly, and truly embrace a healthy lifestyle. Doing everything right with the exception of weight training will leave you skinny. And that's about it. To build up the "ideal" body, you need to work just as hard in the gym as you do every where else.

Below is a picture of what you might look like if you follow a healthy diet and cardio routine, but neglect weight training.


This woman is an ideal example of a "skinny" person. Judging by the look of her legs, lower torso, and arms, she hasn't lifted weights in a very long time, if ever. Many people (myself included) don't view this type of physique as very attractive. She appears emaciated and unhealthy, and probably eats far less than is required by the body. Very few women are naturally this skinny, for most women, obtaining such a skinny figure takes work (and an utterly unhealthy lack of food).

It is still possible for skinny women to have cellulite, as it is impossible to completely eliminate fat from the body. There will always be some, and a lack of exercise and/or poor diet will cause that fat to become herniated, therefor becoming cellulite. If it makes a difference (it shouldn't, by the way), very few men find the appearance of the lady on the left attractive. Emaciated appearance = unhealthy.



Below is a picture of what you can do if you follow a healthy diet and cardio routine, AND lift weights.


Unlike the skinny lady above, Jessica Biel maintains a "magazine" figure by working out hard. She didn't achieve her pysique by lifting two pound weights either, she lifts the heaviest weights she can, and doesn't stop until she is exhausted and incapable lifting any more weight. She follows a perfect diet and cardio routine, and doesn't shy away from heavy weights, because she knows that to maintain such an ideal body requires absolute dedication.

Unlike the skinny lady above, Jessica Biel eats. A lot. To build up the muscle that has made Jessica's body famous, you need lots of protein and healthy carbohydrates in addition to a killer workout schedule. Very few women can build a body like Jessica's because of how much hard work it requires. Even fewer women can maintain such an ideal figure. Unlike the skinny lady above, Jessica Biel is incredibly strong and healthy. And unlike the lady above, countless men find Jessica Biel's body completely stunning.


Suffice to say, cellulite reduction strategies require complete dedication and an assault on all three fronts: Diet, cardio and weight training. If one is lacking, all will suffer. You might not be able to build a Jessica Biel caliber body, but you can definitely come close, assuming you have the dedication required to truly bust through your cellulite. I didn't say it would be easy. I just said it was possible!

Why is There Cellulite on my Hips?

An of-asked question is "Why is there cellulite on my hips?" Sadly, there is no one universal answer out there. There are many different answers, each with their own varying shades of smaller answers. It can all get quite confusing when trying to figure out why your hips have cellulite on them, and how to get rid of it. As I've explained before, the reason you have cellulite on your hips is because you have subcutaneous fat there that has become herniated, which is what causes the cottage cheese appearance. First, lets look at why you have fat there in the first place.

• Poor diet

Poor diet is one possible answer to the "Why is there cellulite on my hips?" question. Because cellulite is body fat, the more fat stores you have, the more likely it is to become herniated. Women who are incredible skinny (featuring both a lack of body fat and a lack of skeletal muscle) are unlikely to develop cellulite on their hips, because there is not much fat that can become herniated. Of course, even skinny women can develop cellulite on their hips, so this isn't necessarily the answer to your problem.

• Lack of exercise

Obviously, the key to remaining in good shape is to exercise regularly. The more you exercise, the better off your body and mind will be. People who do not exercise but have excellent diets can still have excessive body fat levels. It is in fact possible to get fat while eating healthy. The more low to moderate intensity cardio you perform, the more fat you will burn. When the fat isn't there to become herniated, you won't find yourself asking why do I have cellulite on my hips?

• Excessive body fat

Obviously, excessive body fat is related to both a less than ideal diet and a lack of physical excercise. When you have excessive body fat stores, you are more likely to develop herniated body fat on the hips, which leads to the dreaded cottage cheese hips. The trick, then, is to follow a proper diet and excercise routine that will keep your body and mind healthy. It really is that simple!

• Natural inclination

Sadly, some women are more inclined than others to develope cellulite on their hips. As mentioned above, even skinny women can develop hip cellulite, lending credibility to the idea that it is something that some women get, and something that some women will not get. If you have are naturally inclined to develop cellulite on your hips, you can still reduce or completely eliminate it through proper diet and exercise, you'll just have to maintain vigilant and always work to keep it at bay. In some regards, this is a blessing because it will keep you eating healthy and excercising. The ends result is you'll be healthier overall and live a longer, more fulfilling life!

Since we now have a basic idea of some of the causes of cellulite forming on the hips, we also have a basic idea of what we can do to reduce it without resorting to expensive and unnecessary surgical procedures. I will always be against surgery for something that can be "fixed" naturally by improving your lifestyle, so get to it, your body and your mind will thank you!

If you need some tips about healthy cellulite reducing foods, click the link on the right of this page, titled cellulite reducing foods.

Do Cellulite Reduction Creams Work

There is not a doubt in my mind that cellulite reduction creams do work. They may not be equal to surgical results, but then again, very few products are. Even the most astronomically expensive creams that feature the most exotic, expensive ingredients will not be equal to surgery. For many, surgery seems like the only option available to them. Which is a shame, because when you resort to surgery, you aren't actually solving the problem, just removing (temporarily) the effects of the issue.

When it comes down to it, lifestyle changes and cellulite reduction creams are going to have a profound and long lasting effect on cellulite. Surgery will completely get rid of it, only to have it come back again. The true key to success is the aforementioned lifestyle change.

The cellulite reduction lifestyle change

Changing your lifestyle by increasing exercise and improving your diet is the best way to start a cellulite reduction program. Results will come slowly but surely, and unlike surgery, you will have a sense of accomplishment. In conjunction with your switch to a healthier, more active lifestyle, you should also invest in cellulite reduction creams as well, which will increase the speed of results. The hardest part about doing it naturally is that when you get rid of cellulite on your hips, you want it to remain gone. In order to do that, you need to maintain your new lifestyle. Maintain your healthy diet, and maintain your exercise routine.

If you start slacking, you'll notice it right away; Your cellulite will start making a return. Some women are prone to it more than others. If you find it starts coming back easily, you'll have to remain extra vigilant in your exercise and diet routines, or else you'll find yourself right back at square one. If you aren't sure about how long you can maintain a healthy lifestyle, you need to start at square one: The mind. When the mind is unsure, the body will suffer. The key to long term success is to be confident in your own abilities.

The cellulite reduction creams

Cellulite reduction is best done naturally through healthy living, but if you want a little bit of an extra boost to help your natural attempts, you can use different creams that are available. Reduction creams range from inexpensive department store brands to very expensive boutique brands. The boutique brands may or may not work better, but they certainly do contain more expensive and exotic ingredients. Yes, cellulite reduction creams do in fact work. They work even better when used in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle, that is the key to success.

Do Stretch Marks And Hip Cellulite go Hand in Hand

Many women are sad to discover that after the joy of bringing a child into the world, they are left with stretch marks. Some women are fortunate and do not experience extensive stretch marks, while others are unlucky enough to be left with vast stretch marks across their body.

Another cause of the dreaded stretch mark is extreme weight loss in individuals who are or were formerly overweight or obese. Most women feel the same way about stretch marks as they do about cellulite - They hate it! While the issue may be naturally occurring and normal, many women still see it as unsightly or repulsive, and want to do something about it.

When it comes to extreme stretch marks and sagging skin, the only real option is surgery. If stretch marks are more minor, however, there are several non-surgical methods that will reduce, and possibly even completely eliminate minor stretch marks. Several anti-aging products that contain HGH (human growth hormone) claim to rejuvenate the skin, returning it to its youthful glory, but I don't really buy into all of that. There are several different types of tightening creams that can be applied to area's effected by stretch marks, all of which can have differing degrees of effectiveness.

My personal favorite is SkinCeption, a topical cream which contains Regestril, a patented skin tightening agent that reduces the appearance of stretch marks. Claims of completely elimination stretch marks are always dubious, but SkinCeption certainly has been proven to reduce stretch marks to a certain degree.

So are cellulite and stretch marks related?

The answer to that question is up for debate. In some cases, a woman may have cellulite and stretch marks if she is heavyset but on a weight loss diet. Her skin may remain saggy and retain the stretch mark appearance, while also having cellulite on her hips and other body parts. In her case, she should use some type of stretch mark reduction product as well as a cardio routine and a healthy eating plan to reduce her cellulite and stretch marks at the same time.

Preventing Hip Cellulite Before it Starts

The key to preventing hip cellulite from forming in the first place is, in addition to a healthy diet and regular exercise, strength training. Nothing bothers me more than seeing all of these women out there trying to look like the women in the magazines by eating almost nothing. Starving yourself will just make you appear saggy and "skinny fat". The women in the magazines (you know who I'm talking about, the women with the rock hard bodies) work out hard to maintain those physiques. Starving yourself will give the the opposite look, you'll be soft and pudgy. The key to success is to follow a strength training program in addition to cardiovascular work.

There is a myth that I wish would die. It says that if a woman lifts heavy weights, she will look like one of those steroid freak female bodybuilders. This is completely false. If a woman lifts heavy weights, she will have a hard body like the women in the magazines. You won't get "big and bulky", you will build a lean, hard and oh-so-very sexy body. The hard part is maintaining a good workout program. Things get stale and boring and you lose motivation. That's why I recommend seeing a personal trainer every few months. They will give you new workouts based on your goals and will help keep you motivated, as well.

If you already have hip cellulite, I still recommend a weight training program in addition to a cardio routine. That way, you will decrease body fat (and therefore cellulite), while simultaneously getting a rock hard, sexy body. You can kill two birds with one stone, to use an old term. I'll touch on a few good bodybuilding exercises in the next post.

Foods You Should be Avoiding

When it comes to nutrition, most people are vastly undereducated. The amount of people I've dealt with in my life who had no concept about healthy eating is mind boggling. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that eating to much is bad for you, or that eating unhealthy foods is a great way to pack on the pounds. For many people, the more they eat, the more cellulite they get on their hips (among other places). I've put together a list of foods that you should avoid. Some of these foods may surprise you, because they are often touted as being healthy. First up are a couple of common drinks.

• Orange juice
• Apple juice

That's right. Both orange juice and apple juice contain sugar. Lots of sugar. So much sugar, in fact, that routinely enjoying a glass of either can and will pack on the pounds. This also includes "no sugar added" variants. The problem with oranges and apples is that they both contain naturally occurring sugars. And natural or not, sugar equals body fat. Replace your glass of orange juice or apple juice with a glass of water instead. The idea is not to necessarily reduce the calories from the orange/apple juice, but to ge them from healthier sources that aren't loaded with sugar. Up next is foods.

• Low fat anything

This may sound simple, but when you see a product labeled as "low fat", you are being suckered into a false advertising scheme. Low fat doesn't mean anything. Dietary fat levels have no bearing on body fat levels. Just because a product has "low fat" doesn't mean it isn't loaded with other unhealthy carbohydrates or sugars. The "low fat" marketing technique plays into people's idea that fat in food = fat in body. It couldn't be any further from the truth. Much like "eggs make your cholestrol go up", "low fat" is a scam that's been suckering people into staying fat for far to long.