Cellulite is one of the things that plagues many people these days. While we believe that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes, it is also necessary that one is healthy.
You might not be a gym junkie and may not have the most toned body, but health should always be the number one priority.
It has often been said that cellulite is caused by an imbalance in the fat in a person's body, but diet, hormones, and genetics too play a key role.
For years, many have been trying out simple remedies such as sugar and coffee scrubs, dry brushing, detox food and many more, but nutritionist Dr Marilyn Glenville believes that one can get rid of cellulite with the intake of just one simple ingredient — lecithin.
Lecithin helps repair tissue cells in the skin and prevents fats from depositing on the surface of the skin. "Foods rich in lecithin include eggs, apples, peanuts and cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and spinach," Glenville told the Daily Express.
"You may also want to consider taking a lecithin supplement, which is best in granule form and you can sprinkle a tablespoon on your food each day. The lecithin can be taken for the long term as it will not only help with your skin but also can help control cholesterol."
Glenville also suggested the intake of essential fatty acids, which improve tissue cell hydration and minimise the appearance of cellulite. These essential fatty acids are commonly found in flaxseeds, walnuts and even oily fish.
While Glenville spoke at length about foods to consume to get rid of cellulite, she also listed out a few things to avoid such as caffeine, saturated fats and processed and refined foods.
"Watch your alcohol intake and if you haven't quit smoking already, give up now because it creates free radicals which can cause damage to your skin," she noted.
Apart from dietary restrictions, one of the best ways to lose cellulite is exercise.
Glenville believes that aerobics with a few toning moves works best to get rid of cellulite.
"It boosts blood and lymph circulation, encourages sweating and removal of waste materials and restores a slim subcutaneous fat layer," she explained.
Speaking about how one can lose cellulite, celebrity fitness trainer Joe Dowdell believes "exercise, seven to eight hours of quality sleep, and proper nutritional habits, which also includes staying well-hydrated", is the key factor.
He also explained how exercise helps in losing cellulite. "The real key is to combine strength-training moves with regular high-intensity-interval-training sessions. Strength training not only improves the tone of muscle tissue, but it also helps maintain and/or slowly increase the amount of lean muscle tissue in your body over time, meaning your legs and butt will eventually look smoother," Dowdell told Shape.
"Finally, by incorporating high-intensity interval training, you'll burn more calories in a shorter amount of time while also keeping your metabolism elevated for hours after you leave the gym."
