Cellulite is caused by the way fat is deposited on a woman’s body. The fat pushes through a honeycomb of tissue connectors giving it the notorious orange peel appearance. Therefore to reduce the appearance of cellulite, you must eliminate fat from your body. Dieting alone won’t eliminate as much fat as possible. In the typical diet, you lose fat, but you also lose muscle. The lost muscle means your body is even more likely to store fat should you regain weight.

Rather than simply dieting in hopes of losing fat, you must build up your strength and develop more muscle. The more muscle you have on your body, the greater the fat-burning will be when you do exercise.

Exercise and Reducing Cellulite

In studies, it has been shown that dieting will help to reduce fat, but that dieting and combining strength exercises will help to burn fat more quickly and prevent it from returning. Increasing muscle also will increase your fat burning over time.

The Best Exercises for Cellulite

If you’re looking to reduce or eliminate cellulite, reduce your calories to begin losing weight and then start a basic exercise routine. You should exercise at least three days a week for thirty minutes total using an aerobic exercise. This might be walking, jogging, climbing stairs, the elliptical machine or swimming. In addition to cardiovascular exercises, you should also include strength training.

Strength training doesn’t have to mean lifting heavy weights or even touching a dumbbell. The most effective strength training exercises are those that work the most prominent muscle groups for this is where you will gain strength more quickly. In men, the largest muscle groups are in the chest and shoulders. In women, the largest muscle groups to be exercised are in the lower body – in the same places that cellulite develops.

Squats – One of the best exercises to build muscle and eliminate cellulite are squats. You can do squats while holding additional weight, but they are also effective without weight. Spread your feet to hip distance and then sit down as if you’re able to sit in an invisible chair. Sink deeply into the chair while raising your arms for balance. Hold the position for a few seconds before returning to standing. Be sure to breathe and to hold your abdominal muscles tightly while doing this exercise. Shoot for 2 sets of 10 squats every day.

Lunges – A lunge is an exaggerated step. Place your hands on your hips and tuck your tummy in to support your back. Take a large step forward and lower your body carefully over your leg being sure that your knee stays at a ninety degree angle. Your thighs should be parallel to the floor. When you’ve completed the lunge, carefully pull yourself back up to a standing position. Repeat the lunge 10 times in 2 sets per day. Weights held in your hands can improve the impact of the lunges as well.