She’s famous the world over for her beauty, curves and being a body positive activist but this week Ashley Graham took to instagram to show the world that a ‘little cellulite never hurt anyone!’.  Indeed with over 95% of the female population having cellulite or little pockets of dimpled fat on their body, this is a subject that comes up time and time again- at work, with friends, in salons… It also affects men, but to a lesser extent as they store lower amounts of fat deposits on their bodies.

So if you are finding that cellulite is getting in the way of your shorts/bikini/swimsuit season, take a little read of the tips below, but don’s sweat the little stuff…there are bigger fish to fry in life ladies!

 

What is cellulite?

Cellulite is nothing more than normal fat beneath the skin. The fat appears lumpy because it pushes against connective tissue, causing the skin above it to pucker. It is most commonly found on the thighs, hips and buttocks.

 

Can you get rid of cellulite?

Well this is the million dollar question. Cellulite can be found on everyone from the naturally slim to the actively athletic, the curvier woman to the thinner younger teenage girl. There is no known ‘cure’ for cellulite but there are definitely things you can do to reduce it’s appearance.

 

What can I do to get rid of cellulite?

Although you cannot get rid of cellulite completely, you can get off your back side and do something about the (…well) state of your backside!

 

• You can reduce the appearance of cellulite by losing body fat and building up the muscles underneath your fat tissue
• Good exercises for building muscle in your glutes are the likes of squats and lunges
• You can also try deep tissue massage, use good quality toning oils and practice daily body brushing
• You can take the stairs instead of the lift wherever you go- concentrate on your glutes each step you take
• Start your day with lemon water and cut back on caffeine
• Reduce excess table salt and sugar (general processed foods) from your diet

 

What treatments  reduce the appearance cellulite?

The likes of Clearskin in Sandyford offer a deep-tissue treatment called Velashape whereby they use a form of suction and massage to shape and sculpt your hips, thighs and bum! I gave it two goes in the run up to my holiday and found it really great for a more toned look to compliment all the hard gym work of recent! You can read about Velashape here.

Is there any at-home treatment for cellulite?

Again, there is no magic wand to blast away the dreaded c, but by body brushing each morning, and perhaps the odd deep tissue massage (you can also try products such as Cellublue a few times a week. I’m not the most patient at the best of times but did feel my legs appeared a little smoother after a few attempts. However, this is very manual, you have to pull and kind of drag the little cup thing over your skin, which isn’t the most comfortable. Velashape, above is like a more sophisticated version of this but may be well complimented by using Cellublue at home. Take note not to drag the little cup over any broken veins or damaged or bruised skin, however.

So how do I get bikini ready if I have cellulite?

Simple. To get bikini ready if you have cellulite, simply put on a bikini and go to a pool or beach with your friends or family and enjoy yourself. Life is too short.

 

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