By Muscle Media
When Mike turned 65, he was 25 pounds overweight (and probably with some cellulite). After a period of strict dieting, he managed to shed the extra pounds. But he was concerned when he continued to lose more weight. He began to lose his energy and vitality. He was always exhausted. His friends, upon seeing his gaunt, drawn face, worried about his health. By the time volunteered for a particular fitness program two years later, he had put 25 extra pounds back on. After 6 months of exercise and some willpower, Mike slimmed down again. This time he felt better than he ever had. He was brimming with energy and glowed with good health.
It’s important to understand what made the difference. The first time Mike simply lost weight. While in the structured fitness program he lost fat. The distinction is important. According to research, a large portion of the weight lost by dieting alone is active muscle and connective tissue. Only a small fraction of the weight lost is excess fat. Exercise has the opposite effect. It increased his lean body mass and decreased his excess fat.
Association
The same principle applies to cellulite. Most people tend to think that cellulite is only present in people who are obese. That is why they sometimes associate cellulite with fats and obesity. Actually, cellulite refers to the chain of wrinkled “fat cells” and “subcutaneous connective tissues” beneath the layer of the skin. It should never be associated only with people who are fat or obese. In fact, there are many people who have cellulite but are not fat at all.
In reality, nobody knows the main reason why some people accumulate cellulite. However, there are some factors that health experts are considering. The structure of the fat cells or toxins that have entered the body are under investigation. Some experts say it may be caused by hormonal changes in the body. But none have been shown to be the cause of cellulite.
Visibility
Most cellulite is found in women because the connective tissues of women are more rigid and firm than men. Hence, whenever a woman accumulates fat, the fatty cells tend to swell and enlarge. This creates a protruding appearance to the skin producing the characteristic “orange peel” look. Because it is usually more visible, women appear to be more prone to cellulite than men. It’s important for women to be more careful on their body as they have higher chances of accumulating visible cellulite.
With the many cases of obese people having visible cellulite, most of them believed that their cellulite is caused by being too fat. Although not all of them go on to develop cellulite, being overweight may actually trigger the development of cellulites. Too much fat under the skin tends to push the connective tissue creating a strain on the skin. Thus, visible cellulite forms.
Exercise
However, this is still dependent on the structure of the cells. If the cell structure does not inhibit the tendency to bulge or expand as fat deposits accumulate, there will be no cellulite. It is important to keep the connective tissues firm and strong. Avoid accumulating excess fats so as to avoid the development of cellulite. The single best action to take is to start a regular exercise program.
The apparent transforming of food into fat seems all too easy for many of us. Losing fat is difficult. To accomplish this, we have only three alternatives:
(1) Decrease food intake and keep activity constant,
(2) Increase activity and keep food intake constant, or
(3) Combine both approaches: diet and exercise.
Physical activity can help reverse the results of inactivity. An hour of vigorous exercise burns up 300 to 600 calories. If you also cut 300 to 500 calories from your daily menu, you can also safely lose weight at the rate of one to two pounds a week. Without exercise, you would have to eat 500 to 1,000 fewer calories a day to lose the same number of pounds in a week. But exercise is not for everyone who is over-fat. The severely obese should only exercise under medical supervision to prevent strain on the cardiovascular system and connective tissues. No one should restrict food intake drastically without consulting a medical professional.
Lose the fat
Resorting to this kind of activity without guidance may only make matters worse. Remember; Mike thought that when he started dieting, he would eventually lose all his excess fats. The problem is that he lost muscle and connective tissues rather than excess fat. For people who are prone to developing cellulite, this will be a greater problem. Losing connective tissues instead of fat by strict dieting can make the skin more prone to greater problems. But the fat cells are still there. That means that the problem has not been solved at all.
So, if you want to lose that cellulite, it would be better to lose the fat first. The idea is to burn fat by increasing your metabolism by 10% to 20% more than your normal rate. This is the reason that exercising is an important factor in losing cellulite. For a more cellulite free body, always engage in an exercise routine.
