Cellulite is not a disease, but simply fat deposits beneath the skin. The lumpy, orange-peel appearance of cellulite occurs almost exclusively in women, due to the structure of the connective tissues in women's skin. Although massage may work temporarily to reduce cellulite's bumpiness, only fat loss through a healthful diet and exercise can make a permanent impact. Workouts that reduce the appearance of cellulite include fat-burning aerobics and targeted sculpting and strengthening exercises.
Lower-Body Strength Training
Genetics, insufficient water intake and stress can all effect the appearance of cellulite, according to Lynda O'Byrne, an ISSA certified specialist in performance nutrition, writing for Real Solutions magazine. A strength-training program that focuses on the lower body, along with drinking plenty of water, can help reduce the appearance of cellulite, O'Byrne advises. Choose three different lower-body strengthening exercises for a workout session two times a week, aiming for 15 to 20 repetitions of each chosen exercise. Select from hamstring curls, step-ups onto a flat exercise bench, lunges, squats, stiff-legged dead lifts, and hyperextensions. Engage in a medium- to high-intensity cardiovascular workout on days between strength training.
Power Walk Plus
High-intensity power walking is a great start for burning fat and keeping legs trim, advises Chelsea Bush at AskFitnessCoach.com. Ramp up your fitness walk with resistance exercises along the way to tone up the thighs and glutes while building muscle, which in turn burns more fat. You can incorporate squats, lunges, plies and climbing stairs into your power-walking routine, as well as step-up exercises onto a curb or sturdy park bench. Finish off your workout with a protein bar or shake, Bush advises, because a dose of protein helps facilitate muscle tone and development.
30-Minute Stop-Cellulite Workout
Combine strength exercises with high-intensity interval-training sessions to bust fat and reduce cellulite, advises Fitness magazine's advisory board member Joe Dowdell, owner of Peak Performance NYC. Do 12 to 15 reps of a reverse lunge, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Use the same dumbbells to do eight to 10 reps of a Romanian dead lift. With no weights, do eight to 10 calf raises on the edge of a stair -- or challenge yourself by doing them standing on one leg. Finally, use a resistance band around the ankles while performing a side-step; do 12 to 15 steps in one direction, then reverse and work back in the other direction. Follow these four toning exercises with a 12-to-16-minute interval training session. First do three to four minutes of warm-up, then alternate 15 seconds of speed burst and 45 seconds of moderate-intensity recovery up to eight times, then cool down for three to four minutes.
Member Comments