Cellulite: Please tell me the truth about it

Hm, I can only really give anecdotal example of this.

But I'm pear shaped and yes, I do get cellulite, quite a lot actually. I have noticed however than when I get to the lower end of my BMI it reduces drastically. To lose the weight I do cut out cheese and dairy to maybe just a couple times a month (not including milk in my coffee!).

But now, it seems to have gone completely. I can only put this down to exercise, specifically cardio. I usually work out 5 times a week for about an hour. During this, I do a high-resistance on the elliptical for 20 minutes and the maximum resistance on the stepper for twenty minutes.

Bye cellulite! So. Yea. I think it's a lot of factors to take in with it. I don't think caffeine has an impact, which the girlie mags will tell you is a big cause of cellulite, because I take in a LOT of caffeine on a daily basis and it's gone now.

For me, it's a combination of a low fat/low dairy lifestyle and some intense cardio.

It's about reducing overall body fat percentage, whether with cardio, weightlifting, or a mix of both. I prefer both (or boxing as my "weight lifting" - the muscle building from boxing 3x a week is intense) because both are beneficial. Just keep on reducing body fat overall.

Thanks for your feedback. I honestly cannot cut out cheese completely; I can cut ice-cream, yogurt, butter,and I do not drink or add milk to any of my drinks.
I was confused about Cardio because I did not think it could help with celullite, I thought only weight training could do it. I am totally wrong I guess :-(

Neither cardio or weight training helps directly with cellulite, and neither does eliminating dairy. Cellulite is fat which you can gain or lose just like any other fat with a calorie deficit. It looks like it does because of the structure of the connective tissues which is mostly genetic and age related.

You are partially correct. But weight training has greatly reduced the appearance of my cellulite. Mine was WORSE after I lost weight. Now it's barely perceptible. I'm super pale so you can still see a little bit. When I tan you can't see it at all.

Cellulite is a condition that happens when the connective tissue that holds your skin in place becomes tight. It pulls the skin back at the connected points creating "pockets" where the skin is loser. When this happens the fat at the surface of the skin pokes through into these pockets. It happens far more often in women because we have less connective points than men, making the pockets larger.

It is speculated that once this happens the blood supply to the pocketed fat is greatly reduced making it 1) more difficult for your body to access, and 2) making it harder because of the reduced water and blood flow. The only way to get rid of this fat is to reduce your bodyfat%.

Some believe increasing blood flow to the skin by foam rolling can help your body access this fat easer, or at least soften it so if feels less marbly. Many also take vitamins that help with skin and tissue health hoping it give the connective tissue back it's elasticity, reducing the appearance of the pockets.

My best advice is
1) lose body fat
2) stay hydrated
3) increase blood flow to area (lifting, and foam rolling both may help)
4) make sure you are getting the vitamins and minerals your body needs to stay healthy.

Thanks so much, that was a very easy explanation, makes perfect sense. I am definitely going to follow your points.
I barely drink water, take no vitamins, and have not exercised in 2 months. Small steps should get me in a better place soon. Thank you :-)

Small steps are the best ones to take! Happy cellulite slaying!

Where did the cellulite-dairy connection come from? Did you read that somewhere or just make it up? Dairy doesn't make you gain fat, a calorie surplus does. Fat in your diet does not directly correspond to fat on your body. There is no need to cut dairy or limit dietary fat as long as you are under your calorie goal and getting enough protein.

We HAVE to have some fat on our bodies. Women need more than men. Our bodies cannot function properly without it. And yes, where the skin attaches to the muscle through the fat we can get dimples. This is not unhealthy, this alone does not indicate unhealthy amounts of fat.

Good read:

https://gokaleo.com/2013/03/06/cellulite-its-time-we-all-just-get-the-hell-over-it/

Cellulite is a condition that happens when the connective tissue that holds your skin in place becomes tight. It pulls the skin back at the connected points creating "pockets" where the skin is loser. When this happens the fat at the surface of the skin pokes through into these pockets. It happens far more often in women because we have less connective points than men, making the pockets larger.

It is speculated that once this happens the blood supply to the pocketed fat is greatly reduced making it 1) more difficult for your body to access, and 2) making it harder because of the reduced water and blood flow. The only way to get rid of this fat is to reduce your bodyfat%.

Some believe increasing blood flow to the skin by foam rolling can help your body access this fat easer, or at least soften it so if feels less marbly. Many also take vitamins that help with skin and tissue health hoping it give the connective tissue back it's elasticity, reducing the appearance of the pockets.

My best advice is
1) lose body fat
2) stay hydrated
3) increase blood flow to area (lifting, and foam rolling both may help)
4) make sure you are getting the vitamins and minerals your body needs to stay healthy.

^ this!

You don't need to eliminate anything specific from your diet...,but to reduce it these are the key points!

I'm working on it myself . Progress...

I just wanted to share my own anecdotal experience. I actually joined this site because of cellulite. I was what they call "skinny fat". I was thin but had fat bulges in my trouble areas including cellulite on the back and sides of my legs and butt. It was pretty bad. I couldn't even take a picture because I didn't want to ever see it again. I was mortified by it.

Over three months I was able to reduce the appearance of it by 85%. I'm not sure how much of it is truly gone. It looks a million times better though. Now I just have to get rid of my saddlebags. They are not very big but I know it's a very stubborn area to lose fat.

I just wanted to share because I came to these boards when I first started looking for motivation. Reading about other's success stories was very motivating to me. Good luck!