Q&A Wednesday: Cellulite Trauma

Yes, yes… first it was stretch marks, then it was cellulite…

Q: How does one get rid of all the cellulite?  I wasn’t sure if I should submit this question because I remember your commentary on stretch marks and something about not caring if the map of the world was on your body…that made me lol by the way.

At any rate, I’m in the process of losing weight (22 pounds down thus far) and I’m wondering what I should be doing more of to get rid of some of the cellulite.  I am weight training in conjunction with cardio, hoping to tone up and maybe that will help.  However, so far I notice my thighs getting smaller, but the cellulite doesn’t seem to be dissapating.

What say you?

People swear cellulite looks like the rind of an orange… really?

First and foremost… congratulationnnnnnnsssss! I lift my glass of water to you!

Make no mistake about it – I don’t care about stretch marks because there’s very little that can be done to change that. I accept that and simply do what I can to take care of my skin.

I, personally, believe that cellulite is a different story.

Before I say anything, let me actually define cellulite in as clear terms as I can… that way we’re all working with the same perception and definition.

Fat collection – and reduction – doesn’t happen in a “smooth” process. Let me back track for a minute.

We all have fat cells. In weight gain, those cells expand as fat enters the body (do not read this as the kind of dietary “fat” – as in low fat, fat free, no fat – in foods, though) and aren’t told to go any place specifically… they just go wherever there’s space. There’s debate about whether or not certain chemicals in our food actually dictate what particular region of the body fat may be stored… but then again, that’s just another argument for not eating food with chemicals as key ingredients. If the fat cells become full to a point where they can no longer expand, then fat cells will multiply. In fat reduction, a similar reaction takes place, if only in reverse (though I don’t know that fat cells can be destroyed, but merely emptied.)

Cellulite is what occurs during these processes. It’s fat trapped in small clusters between the skin and the muscle beneath. The more fat you have, the more likely you are to have cellulite and the more visible it’ll be.

Cellulite is a “girl problem” because of estrogen – because a part of estrogen’s job is to help ready us for childbearing, it causes fat to be stored in the hips, booty and thigh area. Since the fat is supposed to be there, this makes it that much more difficult to remove… because should you ever gain weight again (and it not be weight derived purely from sugar, which tends to go straight to the gut), it’ll go straight to those hips and thighs. Again, the blessings of womanhood. Gotta love it.

There are people who endure invasive treatments to get rid of cellulite… buy pricey creams, wrap their legs in mayonnaise and duct tape… I don’t know. I tend to think these kinds of products are selling pipe dreams, and those who claim to experience benefits from them may simply be attributing the results of actual fat burning to a topical cream.. which is unlikely – especially for an over the counter cream. Even if any of those did work, you’re still going to have to deal with preventing the fat from ever returning… which requires you to still do the work you would’ve had to do before you bought the cream or had the procedure: learning how to eat and stay active. So really.. regardless of how efficient a “procedure” or “cream” is (and trust me, they’re not), you’ll still have a ton of work to do.

Doctors often talk about there being nothing that can be done about cellulite… but I think that has more to do with “prevention after a procedure.” No, a procedure cannot prevent cellulite from coming… especially when its origins are related to something that has nothing to do with the procedure! It’d be like interfering with your body’s natural instinct to protect your reproductive organs. So no, you cannot prevent cellulite from occuring… specifically when you have a crappy eating regimen.

Can you reduce cellulite, though? My experiences tell me yes, it is possible. If cellulite is fat trapped between muscle and skin in small (or meaty) clumps, then reducing cellulite would happen by… burning fat! Not only that, but the best way to prevent cellulite from occurring is regular activity that burns fat combined with building muscle mass.

Why is muscle so important in fat burning? Look at it like this: Between a 200lb body with a body fat percentage of 20% (meaning the body only carries 40lbs of fat) and a 200lb body with a body fat percentage 35% (meaning the body carries 70lbs of fat)… the 20% body will burn more calories throughout the day, because it takes more calories to manage and maintain muscle than it does fat…. which means the body is burning more energy when it carries muscle than when it carries fat.

For me, cellulite hasn’t been much of an issue, as I get further along in my journey. The more I run, the less cellulite I see… but then again, that could also be simply because I’m seeing way more muscle fill out my frame, too. I still have some on my inner thigh and upper outer thigh, but that’s okay. With time, my legs have cleared up starting at the knee and working its way up… so while I anticipate it going away as I reach my goal, I’m okay with it if it doesn’t. You should be okay with yours too, and not let it deter you from working to reach or approach your fitness goal.

You won’t be able to control where the fat is burned from, but you will be able to [somewhat] control how much you can burn by staying on top of your eating habits, drinking tons of water and keeping your cardio game tight. If you keep at it diligently, I promise you’ll see more of what you’re looking for. 🙂