How to get rid of cellulite?

Get rid of cellulite fast.mp4 from Hybrid Performance Method on Vimeo.

Laser Beams & Cellulite Creams. 

Ladies: as always, I want to be real with you. We need to talk about all of these social media ads for magical creams, workouts, and fancy procedures that claim to make cellulite disappear. 

In the age of highlight reels, impeccable Photoshop skills, and constant comparison, it's easy to fall prey to advertisements that promise smoother looking thighs, butts, and bellies. The cellulite treatment market boasts topical creams and lotions as well as fancy procedures like laser therapy, cryotherapy, and ultrasound treatments-- but is there any evidence that these expensive products even work?

First, let’s set aside our stigmas and emotional connotations related to cellulite and break down what cellulite actually is.

Cellulite is not the same as obesity, it is not caused by “toxins” and it is not something we should be ashamed of. What causes it is unclear, but it appears to be a result of the interaction between the connective tissue, the layer below the surface of the skin and the layer of fat just below it. While genetics, Increased fat storage or weight gain can exacerbate the appearance of cellulite, it is fundamentally a result of structural changes within the deep layers of our skin. 

Think of our skin like a map. Cellulite is simply a change in the map’s topography, causing the appearance of little hills and valleys in the most superficial layer of the skin known as the epidermis. Combined with increased fat storage within the adipocytes, these characteristic changes within our skin’s deeper framework causes the dimpling effect visible at the level of the epidermis. 

Since it has been proposed that improving circulation could reduce cellulite, many procedures claim to rejuvenate by restoring blood flow to the affected areas. And these claims come with a really big price tag. However, high quality evidence demonstrating reliable, instant, or lasting results is unavailable.

Fancy lasers and electrical currents may temporarily increase blood flow, but guess what has been proven to increase general circulation with no side effects, no ridiculous price tag, and when feasibly implemented, can have lasting, lifelong results? Good old fashioned exercise.

This leads me to the good news: when it comes to cellulite, there are contributing factors that we can control, including our activity levels and food intake. So, if you are looking to reduce the appearance of your cellulite, your best (and least expensive) bet is to increase your daily physical activity, include resistance training regularly, and adjust your food intake in a manner that puts you in a relative caloric deficit. 

Increased general circulation, check. Sustainable fat loss, check. Feeling incredibly more badass on a daily basis, check.

Don’t get me wrong, this is not the easy way out. Rubbing some caffeinated lotion on your booty or laying on a treatment table and having the work done for you is a much easier, more passive approach. On the other hand, you may find that putting in the work yourself will not only get you closer to the results you seek, but it may also lead to you feeling physically and mentally stronger, more confident, and empowered to the point where you’re impervious to the industries designed to prey on the bodily insecurities of women.

As always, like this video and comment below with any questions Stay strong, my babies!