Cellulite: Just Plain Fat?

There are plenty of supposedly quick fixes for the nasty stuff women call "cottage cheese" or "orange peel" - aka cellulite. The biological explanation for it is the connective tissues that separate fat into compartments. These patterns tend to be horizontal or crisscrossed in men, but women's compartments tend to be honeycomb-shaped, resulting in that cottage-cheese effect. Genetics may not be your friend when it comes to being "blessed" with cellulite.

{relatedarticles}

So what can you do about it? The answer is simple, and it doesn't involve creams, brushes, pills or wraps. Creams are unable to penetrate the skin, as many claim. Wraps may minimize the appearance of cellulite temporarily by smoothing and exfoliating your skin, but it's not a permanent fix. Even cosmetic surgery, like liposuction, won't do it. Liposuction won't change the appearance of fat; it simply removes excess deposits of it. The only true cellulite fix is exercise and diet. Spot training - simply focusing on those cellulite-afflicted areas - doesn't work.


Those moves will build muscle under the cellulite, but only the combination of strength training, cardio and a sensible diet can burn fat. Adding more muscle to the large muscle groups, such as those in the legs, will help your metabolism burn more calories, even while you're at rest. {relatedarticles}Exercise works as prevention and as treatment for cellulite, so try squats, dumbbell work and resistance exercises. If you're not sure where to start, consult a personal trainer to get on the right track.