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Do you wear short shorts?
Tuesday July 29 2008 BY Ross O' Donnell, Tips from the Trainer With summer comes shorts and … cellulite! Unfortunately, many women don’t like to wear shorts because of cellulite, which is a common problem that is largely misunderstood. Many people attribute cellulite to some hormonal imbalance, a skin disease, poor circulation or lack of proper diet.
First off cellulite is “fat” nothing more, nothing less, so don’t think that you are going to solve it with mystery creams and wraps from the cosmetics counter. Diet is a part of the solution, but not the only part.
Before you can try to eliminate your cellulite you should understand what it is and why it appears. Muscle fibers and connective tissue form patterns under the skin and are different in men and women. Men’s muscle and connective tissue form a horizontal/criss-cross pattern which tends to hold fat under the skin. However women’s muscles and connective tissue forms a honeycomb pattern forming little pockets which allows the fat to accumulate just below the skin. Once the fat goes beyond what the layers of skin can maintain, it bulges out as cellulite.
As we get older our bodies lose lean muscle tissue and the percentage of fat increases, taking up more space in these “pockets.” If you factor in that as women age they lose muscle and gain fat at a higher rate than their male counterpart, and that the skin gets thinner with age, the result is more pronounced cellulite.
Now the solution, which is a four-part plan, involving cardiovascular training, strength training, stretching and flexibility training and, last but not least, a proper balanced diet.
Increased cardiovascular activity will help to burn off the excess calories. Begin with as little as 30 minutes a day, breaking it down to three 10-minutes intervals, if necessary, without losing much benefit. With the warmer weather, it’s easy to get out and walk, cycle or run.
Increased strength training will tone up and increase lean muscle, which will tighten up the connective tissue in the supportive layer beneath skin. It will also increase the metabolism to assist in burning off calories and fat while at rest. Since cellulite is most prevalent in the lower body, you may want to concentrate on exercises like squats, lunges and step-ups. Start by performing one set of 12 to 15 repetitions of slow, controlled movement and build up to three sets of 15 repetitions to tone, not to build.
After your cardio or strength training, be sure to stretch the muscles worked to assist in recuperation. Hold each stretch for 15-30 seconds, gently reaching and never bouncing.
When it comes to proper diet you can obtain copies of the Canada Food Guide from the local health unit or consult your physician about a referral to a registered nutritionist.
Remember to be patient as there are no quick fixes!

 Ross O’Donnell, author of, “The Ultimate Fitness Boxing & Kickboxing Workout” is a certified Can-Fit-Pro PRO-Trainer and owner of Fitness Kickboxing Canada Inc. He can be contacted at 942-1625 or info@fitnesskickboxingcanada.ca.

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