There are any number of reasons for wanting to lose weight. From simply wanting to look slimmer, to trying to avoid some of the health issues associated with being overweight, the reasons are personal to each one of us.
Of all the reasons that we have for losing weight, few of us will ever say that we’re doing it to reduce our cellulite. That’s because of the largely media-driven misconceptions we have about cellulite and how to get ‘rid’ of it (which you can’t actually do).
So let’s start at the beginning to find out what cellulite really is and how weight loss is just about the best thing you can do to reduce its appearance.
What is Cellulite?
Cellulite is the name given to the dimpled appearance of the skin. The dimpling is caused by fat cells just below the skin’s surface being forced against the underside of the skin around the connective tissue that helps keep your skin in place. The connective tissue causes cellulite’s “dimples” and the “bumps” are the fat cells pushing up on your skin.
In other words, cellulite is caused by fat.
That’s also why you’ll notice cellulite mostly in the areas of the body where it stores the most fat, including your thighs and butt.
Here are the straight facts about cellulite.
- Women experience it more than men – It is more predominant in women because of the extra layers of fat in women’s bodies.
- It is very common – Wikipedia says that between 85% and 98% of women have cellulite – and even women considered to be of ‘normal’ weight can have cellulite.
- It is not a disease – Cellulite can be caused by a combination of factors ranging from extra weight to hormones and heredity.
- “Cellulite” is a marketing term – Unlike the vast majority of physical conditions, whose names have a basis in scientific or ancient language, the word ‘cellulite’ was first used by a European health spa in the 1920’s.
- There are no ‘miracle’ treatments for cellulite – Put as nicely as possible, the oils, rubs and scrubs that promise to ‘melt away’ your cellulite will not produce the results you expect. Put more accurately, anything promising a ‘fast’, ‘miracle’, ‘celebrity-approved’ (or any other adjective that seems unbelievable) way to get rid of cellulite is a waste of money.
The Best Thing You Can Do to Treat Cellulite
That last bullet point is true because cellulite is the product of fat and the structure of your skin. To get ‘rid’ of it, especially quickly, or completely, you’d have to get rid of fat quickly and completely.
Like unsightly blemishes, cellulite is simply a physiological condition.
But the fact that cellulite is caused by fat is the key to reducing its appearance. By eating a healthier diet, getting the proper nutrition and more exercise, you’ll start reducing the levels of fat in your body. When you do, you lose fat from all over your body, including where cellulite is more predominant, which will make the cellulite less noticeable.
#CelluliteSaturday
Considering that it is a normal, common and harmless condition, many women suffer high levels of stress, anxiety and depression, including psychological disorders like body dismorphic disorder (BDD), due to cellulite.
It’s an unfortunate situation largely driven by marketing companies trying to create and cash-in on the stigma around cellulite.
Kenzie Brenna, a Canadian actress, started posting images of herself posed to show off her cellulite to the social media site Instagram with the hashtag #CelluliteSaturday after facing her own serious psychological issues with BDD. Issues she felt were at least partially complicated by cellulite.
After losing 50 pounds, Brenna still faced days where she couldn’t look in the mirror, sometimes even draping a towel over it. Even after significant and sustained weight loss, she still saw only her cellulite.
Instead of fighting and fearing, she decided instead to face her cellulite demons and start the hashtag to reduce the stigma of cellulite and the symptoms it can cause. Most of her #CelluliteSaturday posts are “Liked” thousands of times and hundreds of others have begun posting their own images to show off their cellulite instead of hiding it.
Extra weight can carry extra burdens well beyond your appearance. The help you need to improve your diet, get the right nutrition and manage your weight is only as far away as your local Herbal One Centre. You are welcome to visit or call today for some straight talk on weight control and reducing your cellulite from one of our nutrition consultants.