There is nothing “lite” about the cellulite dilemma. It affects over 95% of
women. Part of the solution is knowing thy enemy. Cellulite is when fat has
pushed through weakened connective tissue into the outer layer of the skin. This
gives the skin that lumpy, dimpled appearance that is so feared and loathed.
It’s important to note that cellulite does not discriminate. It affects thin
women as well as the obese. Sadly, there is no medical cure for the epidemic but
the appearance of cellulite can be dramatically reduced by improving on a few
health factors:

Bodyfat- Reducing one’s level of bodyfat is a great start since cellulite is
made up of fat cells. An intense exercise regimen coupled with a strict diet
will do wonders.

Stress- tension can build up in the tissues of the muscles adversely affecting
the connective tissue. This also inhibits proper elimination of waste and toxins
from the body. Yoga, aromatherapy, backgammon. Whatever will help you alleviate
stress will contribute to reducing cellulite.

Circulation- poor circulation will cause fluid to build up under the skin. There
are a number of ways to improve circulation. Reducing inflammation is great for
circulation. Consuming foods high in omega-3s such as salmon and flax seeds will
reduce inflammation which provides numerous health benefits. Taking a quality
fish oil supplement will help get a sufficient amount of omega-3s. Circulation
can also be improved by eating onion, garlic, ginger and celery. Lastly, a good
massage will relieve stress and improve circulation.

Limit the breakdown of collagen- When collagen breaks down the connective tissue
has trouble keeping the subcutaneous fat from pushing through and forming more
cellulite. This process cannot be stopped but it can sure be slowed down by
reducing the amount of estrogen. Foods such as cauliflower, cabbage, brussel
sprouts, bok choy, and broccoli have estrogen-binding properties and will help
limit limit collagen breakdown. Throw some green peppers into the mix. Great
source of vitamin C and it will increase the skin’s collagen.

So lift your weights, do some interval cardio(sprints are great for cellulite’s
favorite spots, the glutes and hamstrings) and incorporate these foods and
supplements into your regimen. Smooth thighs are waiting for ya!

A lot of my clients struggle with the conundrum of fruit. Fruit has vitamins,
anti-oxidants, fiber and it tastes great. Many people are baffled when I
recommend cutting back or cutting it out completely from their diets. A lot of
people have become conditioned to skip down to jamba juice or their gym’s juice
bar to down a “healthy” shake with fruit after their spin class. Though
post-workout is an optimal time to give yourself some carbs to recover, the type
of carbs is everything. Fruit and juices are made up of a sugar called fructose.
Fructose mainly restores the glycogen in your liver which can have you feeling
like you’re giving your body exactly what it needs but when it comes to body
composition that is not the case. After a hard workout, the muscles you worked
are begging for their glycogen levels to be restored. Glucose does a way better
job of this than Fructose does. It skips past the liver the way you skipped to
jamba juice and goes directly to your muscles. Carb sources such as potatoes,
yams, corn, legumes and maltodextrin-based drinks will restock the glycogen in
your muscles nicely. This will allow for longer, harder subsequent workers.

Does Fruit equal Fat?

Well….yes. Its molecular structure causes the liver to turn it from a
long-chain fatty acid to a long-chain triglyceride which is easily stored in the
body as fat. Try to limit yourself to one serving of fruit a day and when
possible get the vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants from other foods.

Easily the most popular health and fitness goal is how to lose weight fast. Now before we go any further let’s make a couple of things clear: Oftentimes people associate losing weight with losing bodyfat and gaining a more aesthetic looking physique. Recognize that losing weight and losing bodyfat are two completely different goals. Sometimes they both occur simultaneously but that is not always the case and it is not always necessary to lose weight to lose bodyfat.

Muscle does not weigh more than fat. This bears repeating: Muscle does not weigh more than fat. It is denser in volume, thus takes up less space than fat. You can find my favorite analogy in any gym. If you look at the big, soft, bouncy stability balls and the smaller, harder medicine balls you can see that they take up more space than the heavier, smaller medicine balls. So if improving body composition aka looking better naked are part of your fitness goals, then just using the number on the scale and nothing else could set you up for failure. (more…)