Starfinancer

Does physical activity help against water retention and cellulite? Let’s find out which are the effective exercises to prevent and fight cellulite, and the strategies to apply to our lifestyle

How to fight cellulite with physical activity

Before diving into reading all the useful tips on anti cellulite exercises that you will find below, we want to tell you: learn to love your body because it is not an enemy. Don’t be hard on yourself when you look in the mirror and notice lumps and porous and soggy skin, remember that 90% of women have cellulite and water retention, this also applies to thin people, so you are not the only one to have this aesthetic imperfection.

Cellulite is not easy to get rid of but the good news is that there are many ways and strategies to reduce the appearance and to counteract it, and all these strategies also contribute to our physical well-being.

Healthy habits, targeted nutrition and exercise – in addition to being good in general – they allow you to improve the skin, muscle tone and in turn reduce the dreaded cellulite. Anti-cellulite creams and anti-cellulite pants can also help improve the appearance of the skin.

Work out progressively and get back to having a healthy body in proportion to your bone structure and physique. Improve yourself on who you are, do not try to become the perfect figure proposed on social networks, find the body harmony that represents you.

What is cellulite

There cellulite it is not a particular type of fat and it is not always caused by an excess of fat deposits, even thin women can suffer from cellulite. Water retention is one of the factors that contributes to the formation of cellulite.

Below the superficial layer of the skin there is the connective tissue made up of fat cells that store energy and fibroblasts that represent the entire state of the skin and have the task of synthesizing and forming: collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid.

Collagen together with elastin forms a mesh that has the task of holding the fabric together and giving the skin support and elasticity. Within this mesh are the blood and lymphatic vessels. To maintain the appearance and firmness of the skin and make cellulite less visible, it is necessary not to alter the balance between blood, lymph, fat cells, collagen and elastin.

If the balance is lacking, the fat cells enlarge, consequently slowing the blood flow, the metabolism and the lymphatic drainage and water retention and cellulite are created in the skin.

Very often cellulite begins in adolescence, with bad habits repeated over the years. So cellulite does not come suddenly, but develops due to:

• Incorrect feeding
• Stress
• Sedentary life
• Age
• Wrong posture
• Bad circulation
• High heels, tight dresses
• Little exercise

Techniques to improve the skin and reactivate circulation

Stimulating and maintaining healthy skin intensifies the results against cellulite. Perform the self-massage with creams or specific oils for cellulite and water retention. Practice dry brushing or “Body Brushing” excellent for reactivating lymphatic circulation, eliminating dead cells and reducing cellulite. Massage the muscles with the foam roller, focus on the thighs and buttocks. Use an acupressure mat to stimulate points on the skin. To have the most effective results, also perform professional massages and treatments, entrusted to the experts in the sector. Also try having elastic taping applied to drain liquids and activate circulation.

Effective workouts to reduce and prevent cellulite

To have evident and lasting results it is necessary to decrease fat mass and increase lean mass, increase muscle mass, tone the body, reactivate the metabolism and circulation.

Are you already worried about everything that needs to be done? Don’t worry, to get everything you read above, you just need to exercise regularly and be more active.

Physical activity together with a healthy lifestyle allows you to effectively eliminate and reduce cellulite, but how to plan your training?

Small guide to choosing the most effective activities to reactivate blood and lymph circulation and to improve the appearance of muscles and skin. Depending on your physical level and age, choose the one that’s right for you.

1. Low-intensity cardio workouts: walking, swimming, cycling, cross-country skiing, climbing, skating, bodyweight functional circuits or with small, low-intensity functional tools.
2. Exercises to purify, oxygenate, regenerate the body and reduce stress: yoga, pilates, meditation, autogenic training and stretching.
3. High-intensity cardio workouts: circuits and free-body workouts or with small high-impact functional tools, spinning, walking interspersed with running.
4. Muscle workouts with load: circuits and exercises using external loads.

Example of anti-cellulite training

Make sure you warm up properly before performing the exercises.

1st day: 40 minutes of walking or cycling, skating, swimming, skiing, climbing etc … 20 minutes of total body free body circuit or with small functional tools.

2nd day: 30 minutes of walking or cycling, skating, swimming, etc. 30 minutes of total body weight training. Do 10-20 repetitions for each exercise and repeat the same exercise 2/3 times. Adapt the exercises and the load according to your fitness level.

Day 3: 40 minutes of walking or cycling etc… 20 minutes of Pilates.

4th day: 30/40 minutes of total body exercises with load. Do each exercise for 3 sets and repeat 10 to 20 repetitions. Continue with 10/20 minutes of bodyweight circuit or with functional equipment and 10/20 minutes of stretching, yoga or meditation exercises.

To reactivate circulation, improve muscle tone, skin appearance and reduce cellulite, choose exercises that involve both the upper and lower body in each workout.

Effective exercises for legs and buttocks

Since cellulite tends to accumulate mainly on the legs and buttocks, include in your routine exercises that target these parts of the body such as: squats, sumo squats, plie squats, deadlifts with two or one leg, lunges in all variations (forward, behind on the side, when walking), buttocks bridge with 2 feet or only 1 foot in support, leaps and movements of the legs on the side or in quadrupedal upwards, to the side, etc …

Train the core with: plank in all variations, crunch, leg raises, russian twist etc …

Train your arms with: push ups, dumbbell curls, ground dips, arm extensions for triceps, rowing, upward thrusts for the shoulders, crosses and chest thrusts, pull-ups etc …

End your training sessions with a few minutes upside down or against a wall.

Other effective strategies to prevent and reduce retention and cellulite

Cellulite needs to be treated both inside and out. To take action and have lasting long-term results, you need to understand a few things.

Below you will find several pieces of information that will help you once and for all to understand why all your attempts to fight cellulite have so far been in vain. Remember that there are no secrets, the key is you, your mind and your attitude will lead you to success.

Here are some basic tips to prevent and have gradual and permanent results.

Patience

To obtain results it is necessary to respect the physiological and natural times of our body. The results do not come in a short time, moderation and common sense will help you to make the bumps and swellings disappear. By adopting healthy habits in 3-12 months you will notice that your skin will become healthier, smoother and firmer.

Proper nutrition

We are what we eat, nutrition is the fundamental basis for keeping the body’s cells in balance. Make room for fresh, nutrient-rich foods in your diet. At the table priority to: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, foods rich in potassium, vitamin C, vitamins E and A, raw foods, fruit and vegetable smoothies. Reduce your consumption of: processed and ready-to-eat foods, salt, sugar, fat, dairy products, meat, fried foods, bread and pasta.

Waterfall

L’water it is the main element contained within our cells, it serves to purify and hydrate the body. In addition to eating water-rich foods, drink plenty of water throughout the day, even if you don’t feel the need. Choose waters with a low fixed residue, it will be lighter and easier to drink. If you can’t drink just water, supplement with unsweetened herbal teas.

Check your weight

Keep a ideal weight that mirrors your bone and muscle structure. Do not overeat with food beyond your dietary requirement, this way you will avoid accumulating unnecessary fat.

Exercise

Food and water help cleanse and build a beautiful and healthy body inside and out, but physical activity is required to shape and sculpt the body. Movement is essential to fight cellulite, by acting on the muscles and circulation with aerobic, muscular and stretching activities, you will improve blood and lymph circulation and you can tone and reshape the points where cellulite is present.

Incorrect posture

Prolonged and incorrect postural attitudes create imbalances in the body and circulation. In the long run, slowed circulation contributes to the formation of cellulite. For example, most women who tend to carry weight on one side, rather than distribute it on both, often find themselves having more cellulite and lumps on the side of the thigh where they tend to have the wrong posture. Be aware of your posture and do exercises to improve it.

Stress

A hectic life, stress, anxiety and tension, create an imbalance in the body and mind, interfering with sleep, food, circulation, digestion, evacuation and the elimination of waste substances. Practice relaxation exercises, yoga and meditation and find your balance.

Tight clothing and accessories

Do not use tight clothes, belts, underpants, bracelets, bras, socks and shoes, to avoid interfering with blood circulation and retaining liquids in the parts of the body compressed by clothing and accessories. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes that are neither too high nor too low for too many hours.

Breathing

Proper breathing promotes better lymphatic circulation and helps to properly oxygenate the cells, tissues and organs of the body. Practice deep breathing exercises with the diaphragm, this will help you eliminate toxins and improve lymphatic circulation and microcirculation.

Regularizes the intestine

Stay active and get your gut moving with healthy eating habits and exercise. Constipation does not help cellulite.