The war against Cellulite...
Dancing in front of a room full of strangers in a g-string for over ten years has made me a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to my body. Making a living this way prompted me to improve every area of my body that I could. So not only did I watch my diet and exercise, I also got liposuction. In spite of these efforts, I still find myself fighting to keep my legs cellulite free. The first cellulite cream I discovered was one made by Clarins. Clarins Total Body Lift, which is reformulated now, was in 1997 a peach colored gel-cream that had no tingly properties. The product was pleasantly scented and seemed to be somewhat effective. The market at that time was not flooded by these types of products. For at least a year I used the Clarins Body Lift twice a day with a texturized massager they created to compliment the cream. I saw some results, not a dramatic difference, more of a subtle but noticible change. This routine was costing me over $50 a month. Eventually the drug store companies started introducing similar products starting with Roc, then Sally Hansen, Nivea and Healing Gardens. Over the years I have used all of these products for many months at a time. I can't say I ever saw really dramatic results, but a small improvement was enough to keep me using them. I've seen that Nivea now has not only the cream, Goodbye Cellulite, but also Cellulite patches, and a 30 day kit with supplements and cream. Have any of you given this a try? I've used two bottles of the Goodbye Cellulite Cream and it left a sticky residue that drove me nuts. With swimsuit season right around the corner I figured I would see what all of you had to say about the topic. Anyone have an anti-cellulite product they really like? Anyone tried the supplements? Have you joined the war on cellulite yet?
I hope I don't sound like a complete moron here but I have heard that none of these creams ever work. Period. What does (supposedly) work better than anything is lifting "free" weights. For legs, thighs, booty, (basically lower body) you need to hold your weights while doing lunges and other tricky leg exercises a trainer once had me do. The theory is that increased muscle mass goes a long way in disguising or hiding the appearance of cellulite. This system really worked for me, at the time I had just had my first daughter (65 freakin' pound pregnancy). Pre-pregnancy I was a size 2 or 4, following her routine, post pregnancy/c-section I got back down to a size 4 with great abs too. She had me do a 5 min. warm up, 35 min. of various upper or lower body work out with free weights (no machines ever, she told me those machines do not allow our bodies to use our "stableizer" sp? muscles, which are responsible for that lean, smooth, toned look we all crave), ab exercises (using the cardio ball) thrown in during weight lifting and then END with 25-30 minutes of cardio. In that exact order. She told me cardio had to come last. I guess that is when the body burns the most fat. Worked beautifully. Total bikini body after I followed her advice. DISCLAIMER: I did that with baby #1. Since baby #2 I am still 20 pounds over weight and have not taken my lazy somewhat larger, cellulite riddled behind back to the gym and employed all of the amazing techniques that my amazing trainer once taught me. End disclaimer......
Have any of you tried the tracy anderson method,it sounds intriging and finally you can get the dvds here,also theres this machine called the leg master thats supposed to be great,wow stylemama those are great results,free weights are supposed to be way better for results and obvious that is worked for you,my brother lost one of my free weights for months only found it under his bed the other day,welcome back my old friend,the donkey kick is supposed to be a good exercise for legs,the shape magazine website is a great website for exercise clips.Have you tried the mbt trainers,you just wear them going for a walk,and your body has to stabilise itself,because of the soles and so works your legs out.Finally a serum seems to be popping up in all the magazines lately called adonia leg tone,its got great reviews http://www.adonialegtone.com/ there's a 60 day money back guarantee.Info spew over,phew!
PotionPrincess♥
About 15 years ago I had a five year episode of bulimia and at this time I was a work out fanatic (lots of cardio and lots of weights/squats/deadlifts/kickbacks etc.). If I had gotten paid for the time I did legs/butt exercises I would be a millionaire. At one point I was 115lbs., at 5'8" and 11% body fat (incredibly low for a female). I looked terrible. I was muscles, bones and skin. Even at this time I had cellulite. From the research I've done, it seems genetic and it does not necessarily have much to do with your percentage of body fat. It basically results from the layer of fat that is right below the skin pushing against the connective tissue of the skin. I am pretty happy with my weight right now (about 140 and a size 6) and the amount of cellulite I have at the moment is not bad at all. But I like to imagine getting rid of all of it.
Indi
Also, my best exercise results have come from pilates. It gives you a very sexy dancer's body. A lot of toning but in a very feminine way. I think it gives you very balanced muscle tone and in the long run it looks more youthful and elegant than the results from weightlifting.
Indi
Well your profile pic looks amazing,prob like most women we all see things other people dont,female paranoia and all that.
PotionPrincess♥
Too true potionprincess! If only we could love ourselves as others love us, right? BTW, How do you find all of these amazing products? You seriously amaze me, you are the master. Indi, I have heard the same thing about cellulite and pilates, and I agree. I think it is awesome that you share your personal experience with bulimia with all of us. You offer a great deal of encouragement to others in doing so. You just never know who is reading what we are writing. OMG! I have to step away from this computer, MMU is just way too much fun! My family needs me, sniff....
My cousin tried endermologie (a kind of suction machine). She said it worked great while she was doing the treatments, but the effects don't last. It's quite expensive tho' - don't know if anyone else has had any luck there......
Rie
I have never known anyone who didn't have cellulite. I am a very petite woman and I have some cellulite. I think we all do the best we can and cover it up lol I also do Pilate's I love it it kind of painful at first but you feel so good the next day.
Ditto at Pilate's. That's the thing - you dont even feel like you're doing work when you are doing it - but the next day, OUCH!
Katie
Dont you wish there was a magic pill to take away cellulite...completely...forever!! I have tried all the creams, I dont think they really work, and if they do, it doesnt last. I have heard mesotherapy works but only for a short period of time, you have to keep getting it for it to stay. A tan helps.
Unfortunately, I think there is no magical cure for cellulite. I wish there were. I haven't had much luck with any products that are supposed to help.I did get some Glytone for my arms. I thought that maybe it made a tiny bit of difference, but I wasn't so sure. It didn't make a dramatic enough difference for me to go and repurchase anyway.Your best bet is exercising. Whenever I did yoga I noticed a big difference in my muscle tone. Plus you get all the mental benefits.
indi - I love the sound of pilates! I think I'll definiltey have to give it another shot :)
Here's some more information on cellulite creams -
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/25/the-truth-about-cellulite-treat...
"Anti-cellulite creams offer temporary benefits, essentially by irritating the skin so that it swells, which camouflages dimpling. Liposuction removes fat, but doesn’t solve connective tissue or skin thickness issues that contribute to cellulite. Massaging combined with laser, lights and radiofrequency treatments also may have a temporary effect by inducing swelling, but the results don’t last."
It seems like it works just because it's irritating your skin - I think it's better to just live with your cellulite than constantly irritate your skin :\
xoxo
even victoria beckham had cellulite so we can rest assured its not a weight thing! i think its just something us women have to deal with :( i think the creams can help abit but not get rid of it completely (i would say a good moisturising routine works just as well) i heard that coffee is good for it?! not drinking it but rubbing it on problem areas (like make a paste from coffee and water and rub it on-wrap in cling film and sleep) i will try at and report back!oh and ditto on the pilates i like to use the excersise bike for cardio (i have asthma so running nearly kills me and the bike woeks me hard without hurting my chest) and pilates on alternate days i use windsor pilates and when i have been doing it often i can really notice the difference.over and out!
has*it*works*ha so many mistakes all the time!
i type like i talk-motormouth!