Cellulite

[octopusrus]

Oh my gosh I have just left the shops almost in tears. I am a 10/12 with a flat-ish tummy, I run 4-5 times a week (only 5k) and do squats, kettlebell routines.....why on earth is my cellulite so bad! It's front and back and I'm not exaggerating when I say I have NEVER seen anyone's worse than mine.
We are going on holiday at Easter and I know this is very much a first world problem but after looking at my reflection today I am utterly mortified.
I could probably lost about half a stone before we go (am currently 9) but I don't think it's going to make a huge difference to the cellulite.

Has anyone got any magic tips to help me?

Last year I had really bad cellulite, the majority of it disappeared with a combination of going to the gym 3/4 times a week, cutting down on carbs/eating cleaner and body brushing

I thought I had a nice bum until I tried on some clothes in TK Maxx the other week! Jesus those mirrors!!

The running will help. What has also worked for me is cutting out processed added sugar and drinking more water. My thighs are much much smoother after 18 months of this.

You could increase your running to build muscle mass in legs. 5km is very short. Even adding one longer run at an easy pace will help - long slow runs burn fat well.

Fake tan helps. No one else notices it as much as you do though

I’m sure mine is worse than yours! Fake tan helps.

overhead shop lighting is the worst - it won't look that bad in daylight honestly.

Thank you for the (lovely) messages and tips.

I had kind of forgotten about body brushing so will definitely start doing that again.

I have a fake tan booked for the day before we go, despite DH moaning about the smell!

I could possibly run for a bit longer but as I try to do it most days, I can only really fit in about 40-45 mins so after I've done the kettlebell squats and about 5-10 mins abs I haven't really got time to do a longer run.

If anyone can recommend any specific exercises which might help that would be great!

I just want to say that 5k a few times a week is ace - pp saying 5k is ‘very short’ is just wrong.

Running helped my cellulite along with fake tanning as someone else suggested. It’s really true though that nobody else will bat an eyelid, we are our own harshest critics.

Thank you I'll stick with it, got another month to see if anything helps!

If you think you look bad then NEVER try clothes on in NEXT. Those three way mirrors are a killer.

@Bunty55

If you think you look bad then NEVER try clothes on in NEXT. Those three way mirrors are a killer.

OMG yes, this is so true!

Shop mirrors are bloody awful. Your cellulite is probably nowhere near as bad as you think it is. And, most importantly, on your holiday, no one else will care about it.

Body brushing definitely works.

If you think you look bad then NEVER try clothes on in NEXT. Those three way mirrors are a killer.

Yes, but at least you look thinner.

Or you do in my local Next.

Don't waste money on creams. Body brush dry twice day is the only solution

Some thoughts on what does and doesn’t work here…

www.healthline.com/health/dry-brushing-cellulite#bottom-line

First of all, be calm! The mirrors and lighting in the changing rooms bouncing off winter skin are pure evil. If you've never noticed it before, it's not that noticeable. Practically, I've shifted most of mine by accident (I'm 52 so thought there was no point trying) with a combination of a vegan whole food diet and brisk uphill walking, which shed 2 stone taking the cellulite with it. I have very little fat at all now and the cellulite was the last to go. It was a drastic change of lifestyle which I made for health reasons, so not a quick fix, but I've had cellulite since I was 13 and this is the first time in my life I'm almost free of it.

Oh, and given cellulite is just normal fat coming through the skin layers that are meant to hold it all in, some people swear by collagen either in food or as a supplement to improve the integrity of the skin.

I have some on the back of my thighs and I’ve noticed that I have to keep my body fat right down to stop it showing. As soon as the fat goes up, the cellulite starts to show again.

I’m not convinced it has anything directly to do with muscle tone. I lift heavy weights and my muscle tone is the same with a higher or lower body fat percentage.

It goes with clean eating. Rather than running 5k try HIIT sprint for a minute uphill and then 30 seconds jog.
Good luck I'm sure you probably think its worse than it actually is.

I wear shorts over my cossie .

Sarongs are your friend.

This stuff worked for me. I dry brush then use a nodule massager after I’ve put this on with my hands. I’ve used it for years & really makes a difference.

www.boots.com/nivea-q10-body-gel-cream-firming--goodbye-cellulite-200ml-10064007

Massager type thing:

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Anti-Cellulite-Body-Massager-Deep-Tissue-Muscle-Soreness-Improves-Circulation-/185253424984?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l6249&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

I'm very very slim and even when I was exercising 5 times a week the cellulite on my thighs (front and back) was hideous. Even at a size 6 I won't wear anything above the knee. It's genetic I think. You're not alone just get a nice sarong and try to enjoy your holiday!

90% of women have cellulite.

Two things that work IMO are dry body brushing and fake tan.

Remember most women on the beach will have it, yours probably isn't as bad as you think it is!