Cellulite is definitely the most frustrating fat on your body. It can be ugly and difficult to get rid of.
Cellulite is basically a side effect of having a higher percentage of overall body fat. I wouldn’t waste money on creams and lotions that claim to reduce the appearance of cellulite. They can be expensive and, frankly, how well can they work?
The best way to reduce cellulite is to reduce your overall body fat percentage by building more muscle. Muscle burns more calories than fat, plus building muscle is a step in the right direction for keeping your body strong and healthy. Some of the major benefits of building muscle include:
- Increased after burn – High intensity strength training can actually help you burn extra calories for hours after your workout
- Prevents loss of lean body mass that happens from dieting and/or aging
- Burning calories – While strength training doesn’t burn as many calories in one sitting as cardio, it does contribute to your overall calorie expenditure
- Changes your body composition, which helps shape your body and keep you healthy
- Strengthens bones, connective tissue, and muscles
- Keeps you strong and fit as you age
- Improves coordination, balance and may help prevent injuries
You can’t spot reduce, but you can pay special attention to a specific body part you want to shape and define.
The leg muscles are the largest muscles in the body, so building muscle in the legs will give you the biggest return on your investment because you’ll burn more fat over your entire body. I get my best results with strength training 3x a week. I do one intense session for the legs each week plus another moderate/intermediate leg session on one of my other strength training days. For maximum benefit, I choose exercises that work the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, abductors (outer hip), and abductors (inner thighs). Squats, bench step-ups, lunges, and leg lifts (with a toning band) are my go to leg exercises.
I primarily use Beachbody home fitness DVDs because they’ve given me my best results over the years and there are tons to choose from for beginner to advanced fitness levels. Some of my favorites are Chalean Extreme, P90X, and Body Beast.
Helpful Resources:
Reduce Cellulite With Weight Training
Jiggle Free 30 Day Fat Burn Challenge
Happy Lifting!
XOXO
Coach MaShelle
