Tried & Tested Ways To Reduce Cellulite

Cellulite has been a noticeable part of my life since I was a teen, more so however within the last 5 years which has seen me spend a lot of time researching and learning all that I can about it. I have no desire to lose weight or change the number on the scales. None of that bothers me as I do sit within a “healthy” range for my weight and height. I have cellulite though and have had not just Grade 1 or Grade 2 (which we’ll get into soon) but I’ve sat within Grade 3 territory. I say this because I want to remind you that you can be a healthy person and still have quite noticeable cellulite - cellulite doesn’t discriminate. I also want to be completely transparent in that I’m not writing this article to throw shade at or even demonise cellulite. I’m sharing this knowledge because I work with a lot of women who feel that cellulite is impacting their quality of life and the way they show up in the world. So with this in mind, these are my own tried & tested cellulite reducing methods to help improve your confidence. But first, why care about cellulite at all? 

For me, it is not the way it looks aesthetically that bothers me. It’s the reality that the cause of cellulite can be a sign from your body that something may be going on internally. Cellulite is often a by product or sign that there may be some dysregulation happening inside your body, which is why I’ve written this article.

As I always like to go back to basics, let’s get clear on what cellulite is - 

Cellulite is when our fat cells (or adipose tissue) are enlarged and become intertwined with our fascia. Fascia is the name we give to the sheet of connective tissue that sits just beneath the skin. To provide a visual - cellulite is like holding up a sheet of mesh and pushing play doh through it. 

Cellulite occurs either as a result of your individual body fat percentage, your body’s toxicity levels, how well your blood sugar levels are managed, having higher levels of insulin and it occurs in women as we age because of a lower metabolism and less muscle tone. 

90% of all women at some stage are most likely to have one of the 3 grades of cellulite. These are - 

• Grade 1 is a small amount of cellulite, very few dimples which aren’t visible to the naked eye. 

• Grade 2 is slightly more visible. Although you may see a small amount while not seated, when you sit down, it’s more noticeable. 

• Grade 3 is deeper dimples or dentations. You can visibly see the cellulite when you’re walking around, not just in a seated position. 

The majority of us live a toxin-heavy life, therefore it’s very hard to avoid, which means most of us are bound to have some level of cellulite. There are many forms of toxins in our society today - 

Lifestyle Toxins are those found in highly processed foods, alcohol, caffeine, tobacco and drugs. 

Environmental Toxins are those caused by car exhausts, air and water pollution, pesticides, herbicides, parabens, radiation and are included in lots of products that we use today such as hair products, cleaning products, soaps, perfume and make-up products. 

Internal Toxins are those that could be caused by metabolic reactions (like MTHFR) or hormones, harmful bacteria and emotional toxins caused by fear, stress, grief, resentment etc. 

As you can see, our modern world makes toxins almost impossible to avoid.

Whilst all of this sounds like bad news, there is good news - you can reduce the appearance of cellulite and I’m going to share a few of the methods that I’ve tried that have worked really well for me - 

Increase Blood Supply To The Area

Increasing the blood supply to the areas on your body where cellulite is noticeable will help push out and drain toxins. You can increase blood supply a couple of different ways - 

FOAM ROLLING - Foam rolling is like giving your fascia (that sheet of connective tissue beneath the skin) a massage to help increase blood to the area and reduce inflammation (amongst many other benefits that I won't mention in this article).

DRY BODY BRUSHING - I aim to do this for 5-10mins at least 3 times a week before I jump in the shower - no water or lotions required. Dry body brushing also penetrates the fascia. If you really want to ramp up your results, also use a coffee scrub in the shower to tighten your skin. 

Exercise/ Movement

By doing exercise that involves contracting and relaxing your muscles, such as yoga. Also, by incorporating strength/ resistance training a few times a week to increase muscle mass which will reduce the appearance of cellulite. Most women have cellulite in their thighs, butt and back of the legs. Some of my favourite exercises to target these areas are - 

• Kettlebell Swings

• Donkey Kicks

• Sumo Squats

• Glute Bridges

• Crab Walks

Also, by doing more aerobic/ cardio exercise to lower your body fat percentage. Overdosing on cardio is unnecessary though, just aim for the recommended 10k steps per day (knowing that 10k steps per day is still quite unrealistic for a lot of women).

Support Your Body’s Natural Ability To Detox

DRINK FILTERED WATER - Water is one of the most effective ways to flush out toxins/ excess waste, however ensure you drink filtered water so you’re not introducing more toxins. 

USE A SAUNA - I know this isn’t the most achievable form of reduction for most but if you’ve got the opportunity to jump into a sauna whether it be when you’re away on holidays or by asking for a gift card, then definitely do that. 

TRY A LYMPHATIC MASSAGE - A lymphatic massage is a gentle massage that encourages the drainage of lymph nodes and movement of lymph fluids around the body. The fluid in the lymphatic system helps remove waste and toxins which only helps reduce the appearance of cellulite too. Again, whilst regular lymphatic massages aren’t always realistic, another product which I love that allows you to do an at-home lymphatic massage really well is the Body Sculpt Cup from Biotyspa. I have this exact one and it's brilliant.

Consume More Beneficial Foods/ Drinks

CONSUME ANTIOXIDANT RICH FOODS - Purple foods are said to be the most antioxidant rich, so eat lots of berries, goji berries, red onion and red cabbage.

EAT MORE LEAN PROTEIN - I mention this a lot but for good reason. Ensure you are eating at least 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight to increase muscle mass (ideally, aim for 1.2g - 1.5g per kilogram).

INTRODUCE COLLAGEN - Collagen is a type of protein largely responsible for skin elasticity. The body produces collagen naturally and it is in abundance when young, but unfortunately production starts to decline at about age 25 so introduce more collagen in the form of bone broths or collagen powders. My favourite way to introduce more collagen is actually through my coffee. I purchase the Collagen Coffee from Before You Speak which contains marine collagen. 

So, they are some of the most effective ways that I’ve been able to reduce the appearance of my cellulite. If you’re in the same boat, please remember it’s not about how it looks but rather the importance of a potential root cause - are you ignoring subtle messages that something may be going on internally?!