Get rid of cellulite

Try these helpful diet and fitness tips to get rid of cellulite.

No more cellulite!

Cellulite is the number one beauty concern for most women. It occurs when pockets of fat are trapped in the layer of connective tissue under the skin, causing a dimpled effect on the thighs, buttocks and tummy. A common myth is that cellulite is linked to obesity, but lean women can have it too.

‘Cellulite is not a fat problem, it’s a skin cellular problem,’ says Dr Howard Murad, associate clinical professor of medicine at UCLA and founder of Murad Inc. ‘You can have full liposuction and still have cellulite.’ Poor nutrition, lack of exercise and dehydration can exacerbate the problem. In The Cellulite Solution , Dr Murad suggests adding foods rich in lecithin, essential fatty acids, amino acids and antioxidants to your diet to encourage skin cells to squeeze out excess fluid and increase circulation. Fill your trolley with lecithin-rich eggs, peanut butter, spinach and tomatoes; essential fatty acids in the form of flaxseed, walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts and oily fish, and amino-acid-rich berries and citrus fruits.

Reduce or cut out tea, coffee, alcohol, fried food and junk, adds Lorna Driver-Davies. ‘These contribute to our toxic load,’ she says. ‘The higher the toxic load, the more likely you are to have cellulite.’ Driver-Davies recommends Dr Schulze’s Organic Superfood Plus , with spirulina, beta carotene, chlorella and vitamin C to support your immune system, detoxify and encourage a healthier glow. ‘I also recommend following a low-GL diet to help you lose pounds and manage your blood sugar. Many people who reduce or cut out sugar find their cellulite reduces.’

It might be the most over-emphasised beauty must, but drinking plenty of water helps flush away toxins that build up in our cells. Driver-Davies also suggests dandelion tea to eliminate water retention. ‘Viridian Cleavers Tincture , and BioCare Ginkgo Plus, will also boost circulation,’ she says.

Exercise can also help reduce cellulite by stimulating blood flow. Working out on a Power Plate has been shown to be very effective. A study by the Sanaderm Clinic, Germany, found women who used the Power Plate two or three times a week, for 8–13 minutes at a time, saw a 25.7 per cent reduction in the appearance of cellulite. Those who combined it with cardiovascular exercise saw a 32.3 per cent reduction in cellulite. The Power Plate is acceleration training that allows you, to an extent, to spot-reduce problem areas.

‘If you do specific exercises on the Power Plate where your problem areas (bottom, thighs) are in contact with the platform, the vibration stimulates blood flow and lymphatic drainage in these areas,’ says Power Plate master trainer Caroline Pearce. She suggests static or dynamic exercises, such as squats, lunges, gluteus bridges and plié squats on the Power Plate. Replace a couple of your weights sessions a week with a 30-minute Power Plate session, says Pearce, and you should see results within five or six weeks.

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