Got cellulite on your stomach?
Cellulite on your thighs?
Cellulite on your bum?
All normal.
If you’re a woman, especially (but not exclusively) if you’re over 30, you probably have some cellulite on your body.
There’s a good chance you may think it’s ugly and want it gone – because we’ve certainly been conditioned to think that way!
Every day, hundreds of thousands of anti-cellulite products fly off the shelves. Non-invasive cellulite treatment (creams, lotions and even supplements) is a multimillion-dollar business.
Some (including Oprah) say cellulite is a modern day ailment and it has even been called an epidemic, by people citing rising levels of obesity and our unhealthy lifestyles as the cause…
But what if I told you that none of this is true?
What if I told you the very word “cellulite” was completely made up, by companies wanting to make money from women’s body-insecurities? Share on XIn other words, what if I told you that cellulite and all anti-cellulite treatments are utter BS?
On holiday in the canaries last year I got my husband to record a quick video of me exercising on the beach for my social media channels.
When I first saw this I thought, ‘where’s the delete button’?
I’m a fitness professional and I’ve seen many times the kind of flack women in my line of work get on social media for even the slightest display of cellulite.
But then I realised that I didn’t want to be part of the big fat lies, the lies perpetuated by pharma and cosmetics companies.
Lies about cellulite include:
- Only overweight people have cellulite
- Cellulite is caused by toxins
- Cellulite is not normal
None of this is true, cellulite is not caused by toxins, it doesn’t only appear on overweight people and it is most definitely normal.
That’s right, the cellulite on your stomach, thighs or butt is just as normal as my cellulite.
Get rid of the cellulite illusion
When I posted the video I knew there was every chance some people who are under the illusion that cellulite = unhealthy could be put off by seeing it.
But I thought, ‘if I can feel insecure by seeing this tiny bit of dimpling, how might some other completely healthy and beautiful women out there be feeling about their bodies?’
It was clear that the unflattering video could be an opportunity to start an important conversation.
So I wrote a quick a caption about my insecurities, hit the post button and braced myself for the kick-back.
I really needn’t have worried. The response was overwhelming.
I received comments and personal messages telling me that:
A) I had no cellulite at all (which is not true, I have some, but you’re right, there really isn’t anything wrong with it!);
B) That my honesty really resonated with people;
and C) Many women were amazed to see I had cellulite because they didn’t associate it with athletic body types.
Here’s the big revelation: Almost all women, regardless of size or level of athleticism have some so-called cellulite on their bodies. Share on X
Almost every woman has cellulite
Some studies report that cellulite is found in 85-98% adult women. It’s not pathological but, shockingly, the same studies are often used by companies selling products designed to, ahem, correct it. Total brainwashing!
Fitness trainers, fashion models, elite athletes, nearly every woman and loads of men have cellulite.
This is because, in reality, cellulite is not even a “thing”, it’s just normal body fat showing through skin in places where the skin is thinner.
That’s right, cellulite is just normal body fat.
This is why it’s more visible on women than men, because we tend to have thinner skin – that’s all!
It’s normal fat showing through in areas where our skin is thinner on our bodies.
Also, when we move and as we go through our hormonal cycle, which affects the levels of water retained in the body, a little more bumpiness can show through. This is especially the case with cellulite on the stomach, but elsewhere too.
Even the most expensive lotion won’t remove it – just like creams can’t remove fat from other parts of the body.
Sure, creams and treatments can temporarily plump up the skin to reduce the “orange peel” look for a short time. But not matter much you spend on anti-cellulite treatments, there’s no magic ingredient that can reduce body fat content and distribution.
So, how can I get rid of cellulite?
There are a few things that actually do work to make your skin appear less bumpy:
Reduce body fat
The less body fat you have, the less it will show through your skin as what we think of as cellulite on our stomach, thighs or bum.
These are simply the areas we tend hold most of our fat stores.
Remember that healthy levels of body fat are required for your body to function correctly! However, if you do have excess body fat to lose, doing so will probably improve the smoothness in affected areas.
Here are some important truth bombs on how fat loss happens.
Get your tan on
Darker skin tends to hide cellulite better, so if you’re pale, like me, getting a tan can help.
But tanned skin is sun-damaged skin and we definitely do not want the dangers or ageing effects that come with that! So I use fake tan.
It gives you that youthful, holiday look and is much healthier than sizzling in the sun which is the number one cause of skin ageing. A bit of colour will make the “orange peel” much less visible.
Healthy eating
Water retention can be a big factor.
Don’t add salt to your food and eat mainly unprocessed, natural foods. Alcohol is also a really big culprit. If you want your Spanish beach holiday pictures to be immaculate, go easy on the sangria (which I certainly didn’t do in Lanzarote! 😆)
Stop believing the lies
Honestly though, my best advice is to get used to the idea that cellulite is normal and stop worrying about something that’s a completely natural part of being a human being living in a human body.
Our bodies are amazing, rather than being sucked into such a negative and depressing marketing ploy, let’s appreciate and love them for they do for us!
❤
Now, let’s celebrate your amazing body with an ace workout!
This post was revised and updated on 17th October 2019