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Cellulite! The very word can make some women cringe!

No woman wants it and would love to banish it forever. But in truth, most have cellulite on some area of their body, even skinny models.

In fact, about 85% of women over 20 have some. No-one knows exactly why it occurs. Some people have more of it than others, because of their genetics, lifestyle, diet & hormone levels.

Women rather than men tend to have it because they have more irregularly patterned tissue beneath the skin, resulting in that dimpled, cottage-cheese, orange-peel look.

Being overweight increases your chances for cellulite, but thin women are susceptible to it as well. There’s actually nothing inherently harmful about cellulite, it’s simply plain old body fat that’s localised in certain areas of the body (typically in women, it’s the thighs and buttocks).

While there’s no cure there are ways to improve its appearance. The most drastic of these is to have liposuction. This uses a small vacuum to suck fat from under the skin. If you can afford it and don’t mind the operation, this may make cellulite less noticeable, but it won’t permanently eliminate it. The body may also need to store any added fat in other areas of the body, such as the shoulders, which can end up distorting the shape of your body.

There are a plethora of anti-cellulite products on the market, including creams, lotions, and body wraps but most are pretty ineffective. Don’t worry, the day someone invents a product that works, you’ll hear about it!

In the meantime, the best defence against this dreaded condition is a regular exercise program that’s designed to lose fat and gain muscle (not lose it, as most do!). Additionally, a diet that will also help to lower the total fat in your body will reduce the amount and appearance of any cellulite you may have.

A suitable diet would most likely include essential fatty acids and antioxidants to help regulate your body’s fat metabolism. A consistent program of the right exercise combined with the right diet will go a long way to improving not only your appearance but your overall health as well!

Gina owns the Educogym personal training gym in London’s Docklands area, where she personally helps clients to get into great shape. To find out the best way for you to get into shape, call Gina on 0845 0534 930. Email: gina@educogymglobal.com

By using the Educogym system Gina's transformation from her before to after picture took 12 days. www.educogymglobal.com

Published: 06 July 2008
Issue: 1328