While most of us have cellulite, for some it can be incredibly bothersome and even cause some self-confidence issues. During the summer months, when it’s most common to be exposing our arms and legs, cellulite becomes more noticeable. I’ll never forget my mother constantly looking for wraps or bathing suites that covered up her thighs because she had some cellulite. While it never bothered me any, and I’m sure nobody else cared- she certainly did. So what exactly is cellulite and how do you get rid of it?

Cellulite is a lumpy fat deposit most commonly found on your legs in the upper thigh area around the buttocks. It can cause your skin to look indented and bumpy, instead of the smooth and firm skin most people desire. Women are more likely to have it then men, and much more likely to be bothered by it then men. Though most people think it’s due to excess fat- that’s not the case. Cellulite is hereditary, and has more to do with hormones. Estrogen and thyroid hormones seem to be the ones that effect it the most- so when those levels are off cellulite is more likely to form. However, no matter how someone gets cellulite- most don’t want it. There are a lot of products and procedures we can use to get rid of cellulite but I tend to lean towards trying the home remedies first.

Dry Brushing

OK, so this may not be the most scientific, but it feels good and certainly won’t hurt. Make sure to have a dry bristled brush and always flow towards the heart to avoid clots of any kind. Now- get that brush and on your dry skin (hence the term dry brushing) brush the heck out of the cellulite! It’s important to never get that brush wet too, so keep away from the shower and kids that like to get into things. I learned that one the hard way. Always use real bristles- nothing fake- so boar bristles would work well. Here is a step by step for you.

Make long sweeps going in a circular motion- remember always towards the heart and no back and     forth. Start at your problem area or even at your feet and work your way up- yes, towards the heart. Continue doing this all over your body and keep it gentle- do not irritate your skin.

What the dry brushing should accomplish is increasing blood flow to the problem area and get things moving in there, hopefully breaking up fat cells. It’s also a great exfoliation for your skin. Dry brushing promotes firmer skin, cell renewal, and helps the lymphatic system release toxins. While there is no actual proof this helps cellulite, it certainly does do a lot of other things so it’s a good thing to do no matter what!

Gelatin

Consuming gelatin has shown to help a lot of skin problems. It’s been shown to help nail and hair growth, joint recovery, tighten loose skin, can improve digestion, and of course- help with that annoying cellulite. Gelatin is also am awesome source of dietary collagen and protein, who knew?! Another great thing gelatin can give is is more amino acids, which we always need more of. Back when we use to eat more animals organs we would get the amino acids we needed, but not anymore with our modern diet. Gelatin really helps with that, which help regulate weight, which helps with that unwanted cellulite!

Massage

A lot can be said about massage and just getting the blood flowing to those areas more. So rub rub rub the area that has cellulite. If you have a foam roller, or tennis ball, you can even roll your legs on it and get that tissue to break up and get the cellulite to become less. This process is a bit more painful but could be worth it!

Coffee Scrub

Seriously, could coffee get any more awesome? Not only does it help take the morning attitude away but it can also help get rid of cellulite. Just like before, run the scrub where the cellulite is towards the heart! Here are the material you will need:

1/4 cup of coffee ground

4 tablespoons of brown sugar

3 tablespoons of melted coconut oil

Now- get to scrubbing and enjoying that heavenly smell!!

Kettlbells

Go to your local crossfire gym and buy a kettle bell- then ask for some workouts with it and get to work. Again, strengthening that area is always good, and the work out will also get the blood flowing to the area as well, so it’s a double win.

Omega-3’s

Get in all the good fats, and keep out the bad. So eat fish (not white) and avocados instead of cheese and milk. You can take Omega’s in pill form as well if you’re not a fan of fish!

If non of these remedies seem to do the trick for ridding you of the cellulite then it might be time to consider some over the counter products- we’ll look at those on the next blog!