Cried at my own reflection?

the_fat_monkey
the_fat_monkey Posts: 106
in Health and Weight Loss
So today I went to the store to get some pants. The last time I went shopping for pants I was 20 pounds lighter but it wasn't the bigger size that made me hate my reflection. I know that 145 at 5'3" is technically "overweight" but I'm alright with my size to a degree. I don't hate my reflection because of my size. What upset me and is bugging me right now is all the cellulite I saw!!! I've seen my reflection at home plenty of times but the light in my bathroom is a bit dim so it never looks half as bad as it did there! I'm 18 years old and my legs look horrible! I never had cellulite before and my Mom only recently got some after she gained some weight. So, maybe my weight gain caused it but I don't know if I'll lose it when I lose weight. I've always wanted to wear short shorts and I thought I could after I lost some weight, but I just can't see that happening now!! :sad:

I'm cutting out all junk food besides a small treat here and there (every 2 - 3 weeks if I'm craving something --- and keeping it small). I'm gonna start eating more fruits and vegetables and drinking more water.

For exercise, I already do weighted squats and lunges, of various types, too. I lift weights 30 minutes 3x a week and walk at a fast pace for 35 - 45 minutes 5x a week. I can't do anything too intense because of my asthma and a knee condition I have.

Is there ANYTHING I can do!? I don't want creams and silly products either. I can't buy that kind of stuff and I don't want anyone in my family knowing about this issue....They'd laugh. So please, anyone have any advice? Has anyone seen any results themselves?
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Replies

  • hooperkay
    hooperkay Posts: 463 Member
    only thing is to keep working out and watch diet. It will go away.
  • yankeedownsouth
    yankeedownsouth Posts: 717 Member
    Heredity plays a big part with cellulite, and my family is rife with it. It sucks! But I've found it greatly reduces and is hardly noticeable when I lift heavy. Back in the spring, i could barely see any at all. Then I got lazy, stopped working out, and gained weight and it's back. Sigh...
  • Smurfette1987
    Smurfette1987 Posts: 110 Member
    Hiya, if I put on a bit of weight I get it awful, but as I lose, it goes down. Especially if I keep up resistance work on my legs, which you are doing. I don't know alot about it, only that it's fat and water under the skin? so would love to hear some replies to this... all I've ever been told is "no caffiene" are you joking????
    BUMP
  • Rogue_Minx
    Rogue_Minx Posts: 71 Member
    Exercise and diet are the biggest factors here. It sounds like you're doing well with exercise but fat builds up due to diet. When too much fat occurs in an area, you get the cellulite. I used to have it too! All over my thighs and butt. With the proper diet and weight loss, it went away. Keep track of your foods. Track your calories. You'll be alright. =)
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
    Keep out what your doing. I've starting doing a kettlebell workout called kettleworx and after a few short weeks I'm already seeing a difference in my legs!

    Good luck!
  • the_fat_monkey
    the_fat_monkey Posts: 106
    Does anyone think that walking the way I do with 5 pound ankle weights would help?
  • Gwen_B
    Gwen_B Posts: 1,018 Member
    I turned 40 in June with the mission to get rid of my cellulite! 4 months later, my legs and butt are rock hard and the cellulite is still there. Btw, I have always eaten healthy. Hope yo have better luck than me!!
  • laurachristina92
    laurachristina92 Posts: 9
    Drinking plenty of water will help reduce the appearance of cellulite, along with a healthy balanced diet and exercise regimes. Try toning exercises as well as cardio!!! x
  • Polparrot
    Polparrot Posts: 54 Member
    Hiya,
    I have cried over and battled the cellulite too and believe me it is possible to wave goodbye. Your exercise sounds ideal and cutting out the naughty foods while drinking plenty of water is the way to go. If you keep this up for a couple of weeks i´m sure you´ll see some changes. I was a chocolate and coke addict ( cola not COKE!!!!) as well as crisps etc, pretty much all the bad stuff but now I try to have treats in moderation, and don´t under estimate the power of pure water. I don´t have the dreaded dimples anymore and with exercise the flab is slowly slinking off too. Don´t get down about it, look forward to the results!!! :bigsmile:
  • the_fat_monkey
    the_fat_monkey Posts: 106
    Hiya,
    I have cried over and battled the cellulite too and believe me it is possible to wave goodbye. Your exercise sounds ideal and cutting out the naughty foods while drinking plenty of water is the way to go. If you keep this up for a couple of weeks i´m sure you´ll see some changes. I was a chocolate and coke addict ( cola not COKE!!!!) as well as crisps etc, pretty much all the bad stuff but now I try to have treats in moderation, and don´t under estimate the power of pure water. I don´t have the dreaded dimples anymore and with exercise the flab is slowly slinking off too. Don´t get down about it, look forward to the results!!! :bigsmile:

    Thank you ma'am! That really lifted my spirit!!!
  • Slimchickinthemaking
    Slimchickinthemaking Posts: 8 Member
    hi hun, body brushing! get yourself a soft bristle body brush and make a habit of brushing every morning before you shower. Brush in long deep strokes from the knee upwards ( you should always brush towards the heart ). Google it and see!
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    If you're lucky, it'll go away. Mine will never go away unless I weigh like 90 pounds. And that ain't happenin' since I'd be horribly anorexic.
  • the_fat_monkey
    the_fat_monkey Posts: 106
    If you're lucky, it'll go away. Mine will never go away unless I weigh like 90 pounds. And that ain't happenin' since I'd be horribly anorexic.

    That's not true, I don't think. Lift weights and see :)
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,674 Member
    only thing is to keep working out and watch diet. It will go away.
    Agree!
    After your shower, give yourself a little massage in that area with your lotion. It helps to bring circulation too/from those clogged tissues.
    Continue with your exercise and healthy eating routine.
    Don't punish yourself!
    Enjoy your fitness endeavor, and it will clear up.
  • invisibubble
    invisibubble Posts: 662 Member
    Everyone has cellulite, some lights show it more than others. Don't go mental and feverishly try to rid yourself of it, all you'll do is drive yourself mad.
    Dry brushing is supposed to help. You could try upping your weight/resistance training, make sure you're pushing yourself and not getting complacent with effort it takes and stuff. Other than that, there's not a lot you can do. I bet it's not as bad as your mind thinks it is.
  • Flixie00
    Flixie00 Posts: 1,195 Member
    I no longer have celulite. I reckon its due to lower body fat and lots of strength training. I still drink coffee and diet coke. I do have some loose skin, but even that is improving.
  • amberaz
    amberaz Posts: 328 Member
    I am the same height as you, and started out 6 years ago at the same weight that you are at now (I was around 25 years old). I had cellulite all the way from my butt to the back of my knees...HATED IT!!! I initially lost about 35 lbs and the cellulite diminished somewhat and it seemed to be higher up on my thighs, but it did not go away completely. Fast forward a few years, I started lifting weights and I lost most of the cellulite except for a little just below my butt. I could actually wear short shorts without fear of showing my lumps :laugh: Then...I got lazy again, put on about 10 lbs and it came back :blushing: cellulite halfway down my thighs and only "mom-length" shorts were acceptable this summer. I've now been lifting weights, eating right and doing some cardio for the past 9 weeks and it seems to be chasing the cellulite back up the legs, but it is a SLOW process. I will probably be shorts-ready by sometime next spring, hopefully :bigsmile: I will always have some cellulite, I will never be in a high cut bikini (not that I would wear one anyway), and my legs will NEVER be perfect. BUT, there is a huge improvement, and what I do can make a difference.

    Anyway, moral of the story... I have been where you are now, and you have an advantage over me that makes a big difference...you are young! It's a struggle; you WILL have to exercise, you WILL have to lift weights, you WILL have to watch your diet, and you WILL have to lower your body fat percentage. You WILL see results. You legs may never be perfectly smooth and you may never have zero cellulite, but you WILL make a difference and that is really all we can ask for.

    Good Luck and Happy Cellulite Fighting!
  • onyxgirl17
    onyxgirl17 Posts: 1,722 Member
    only thing is to keep working out and watch diet. It will go away.

    really? really? REALLY?

    It's genetic. I had it working out and watching my diet and 100 pounds
  • hughtwalker
    hughtwalker Posts: 2,213 Member
    You are 18! and a bit over 10 stone

    No worries. First thing you should do is go to your profile and change that user-name - change it to something positive.
    then log everything you eat - be honest, you can keep your diary private if that worries you.
    That way you'll pick up things that are sneaking under your "food radar"

    be selective about the advice you receive and don't be intimidated by the Mr, Mrs & Ms "You don't want to do it like that" s

    If your knee hurts, go for walks instead of jogging. Cross-trainers are good and swimming (though I do find swimming utterly boring and I can't even listen to a podcast - other people tell me it is wonderful exercise).
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,674 Member
    I turned 40 in June with the mission to get rid of my cellulite! 4 months later, my legs and butt are rock hard and the cellulite is still there. Btw, I have always eaten healthy. Hope yo have better luck than me!!
    Massage (the therapeutic kind)....those are clogged tissues.
  • the_fat_monkey
    the_fat_monkey Posts: 106
    only thing is to keep working out and watch diet. It will go away.

    really? really? REALLY?

    It's genetic. I had it working out and watching my diet and 100 pounds

    I never had it until I gained weight and neither did my Mom so maybe it's not all genes ;P
  • the_fat_monkey
    the_fat_monkey Posts: 106
    I am the same height as you, and started out 6 years ago at the same weight that you are at now (I was around 25 years old). I had cellulite all the way from my butt to the back of my knees...HATED IT!!! I initially lost about 35 lbs and the cellulite diminished somewhat and it seemed to be higher up on my thighs, but it did not go away completely. Fast forward a few years, I started lifting weights and I lost most of the cellulite except for a little just below my butt. I could actually wear short shorts without fear of showing my lumps :laugh: Then...I got lazy again, put on about 10 lbs and it came back :blushing: cellulite halfway down my thighs and only "mom-length" shorts were acceptable this summer. I've now been lifting weights, eating right and doing some cardio for the past 9 weeks and it seems to be chasing the cellulite back up the legs, but it is a SLOW process. I will probably be shorts-ready by sometime next spring, hopefully :bigsmile: I will always have some cellulite, I will never be in a high cut bikini (not that I would wear one anyway), and my legs will NEVER be perfect. BUT, there is a huge improvement, and what I do can make a difference.

    Anyway, moral of the story... I have been where you are now, and you have an advantage over me that makes a big difference...you are young! It's a struggle; you WILL have to exercise, you WILL have to lift weights, you WILL have to watch your diet, and you WILL have to lower your body fat percentage. You WILL see results. You legs may never be perfectly smooth and you may never have zero cellulite, but you WILL make a difference and that is really all we can ask for.

    Good Luck and Happy Cellulite Fighting!

    Thanks for this!!! I'll stick with my walking (with ankle weights now!) and my weight lifting! I hope my summer of 2014 my legs will look great!
  • Yes2HealthyAriel
    Yes2HealthyAriel Posts: 453 Member
    I agree with another user about changing your username to something positive, lose the "fat" part. I have cellulite in my legs also but I notice that now that I have lost a little weight and my leg muscles are getting firmer from jogging and using exercise bike, that my cellulite is decreasing.
  • the_fat_monkey
    the_fat_monkey Posts: 106
    only thing is to keep working out and watch diet. It will go away.
    Agree!
    After your shower, give yourself a little massage in that area with your lotion. It helps to bring circulation too/from those clogged tissues.
    Continue with your exercise and healthy eating routine.
    Don't punish yourself!
    Enjoy your fitness endeavor, and it will clear up.

    I'll start massaging :)
  • amberaz
    amberaz Posts: 328 Member
    That's a great plan! For the first 35 lbs I lost, all I did was walk. I was on the treadmill every day for 30-60 minutes. I don't know if you walk on a treadmill or outside, but inclines (or hills) really help with intensity in walking when you can't run. Walking uphill really will get your heart rate higher.

    I really believe that you will be successful if you stick to your plan.
  • the_fat_monkey
    the_fat_monkey Posts: 106
    That's a great plan! For the first 35 lbs I lost, all I did was walk. I was on the treadmill every day for 30-60 minutes. I don't know if you walk on a treadmill or outside, but inclines (or hills) really help with intensity in walking when you can't run. Walking uphill really will get your heart rate higher.

    I really believe that you will be successful if you stick to your plan.

    I don't have a treadmill, can't afford one so I have to walk around in my huuuge backyard. No incline but I think ankle weights will suffice for intensity. I sure hope I can be as successful as you believe I will be! :smile:
  • Josette89
    Josette89 Posts: 244
    Haha. I'm 23, 191.5 pounds now. I started at 224 pounds. I've been big all of my life :) at 18 I was around 188 pounds. At 16 I was around 154. I've never really had much cellulite though. My sister, who has always been smaller than me, has a lot more cellulite than I have ever had. It really depends on the percentage of fat that is in your body. Eat healthier foods with less bad fat in it and you will get rid of the cellulite.
  • Morningstar93
    Morningstar93 Posts: 161
    I feel your pain also 18 and 5'3" it does get better.. but the effort in and work those legs stay away from junk food and you will see after a while :)
  • a13xkd
    a13xkd Posts: 2 Member
    Please don't give yourself a hard time! I train extremely hard and run 30 miles plus a week! I only started gettin cellulite when I was pregnant but as soon as start training did reduce! Unfortunately I also drink wine, way too much, even though am healthy in every other way, but hey a breakdown will do that to you! Unless you are planning to wear hot pants on a daily basis I really wouldn't worry! Only after a year of using MFP I am starting to realise us females give ourselves way too much grief about how we look and men really don't notice these things! But unfortunately shops o use horrendous lighting! Lol! Keep up Hun, remember your beautiful!!!!!!!
  • hellohappylisa
    hellohappylisa Posts: 141 Member
    I'm 23, I had a bit of cellulite on my thighs. I worked on my legs almost exclusively for a couple of months to get them toned and it's been reduced dramatically!

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