A
female
age
51-59,
anonymous
writes:Can anyone help with any tips about cellulite? It is really affecting my confidence and has been a life-long problem, really puts me off beginning a relationship.Since puberty, I've had terrible cellulite. I am otherwise 'skinny' and, fully clothed, manage to disguise this so that I probably look more like the classic 'ballerina' type figure. I am only a 32B chest size and my hips are about 34". However, the problem is my thighs - literally every ounce of fat on my body gets to my thighs (front, sides and back) and I am driven crazy by this. I am only just within healthy weight range but my thighs look almost like they belong to a different body type.Twice in my life I have achieved 'perfect' body shape and felt fanastic - but this meant no sugar, very little fat in foods, and rigorous daily exercise - both cardiovascular and stretching e.g. yoga. The problem is that I would love to keep up this regime but am plagued with very heavy periods that knock me for six - even though I take supplements like fish oil and iron, I am so tired I cant exercise. I also find if I get sick - like a cold or flu (recently I had 2, one after another) this can mean one or two months without exercising - by which time my thighs are back to looking awful and I have to start all over again. I actually enjoy exercising and healthy eating, but constantly have to keep re-starting my diet and exercise regime due to my heavy periods and / or becoming ill with a flu; I get so weak at these times. All the doctor has suggested is varying my exercise (which I do anyway). Does anyone else have a similar problem? It really gets me down. I don't want to resort to starving myself so that I am permanently thin, I actually just want a toned, balanced body shape and I am prepared to put in the hard work, but keep getting undermined every month or so.
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female
reader, anonymous, writes (12 February 2019): I also have the same "pear" shape, where most of my body fat seems to go to my thighs and butt. I have a small waist, and am fairly slim except for those parts too. Big butts are great, thighs not so much, if you look at media images.I think you should start accepting that you may never have a "balanced" body like pictures in magazines or on TV. You are pre-programmed to store fat in your lower body. The good news is that this is a much healthier state than the "apple" shape folks who tend to store it around their stomachs and internal organs. I have not personally found much to help my cellulite either; I have a lot on my thighs but not really anywhere else, but I am trying to accept it. It does reduce a bit when I lose weight, but since I had a child it has been worse and never gotten really better since even when I do weigh less. I would recommend you try some weight bearing exercise and activities when you are able to exercise, instead of just Yoga and cardio. That was what worked the best for me. If you build up your muscle mass a bit, the fat tends to reduce and you look much leaner, though you may weigh the same. I did martial arts, but you could do any kind of circuit training or activities that use your body weight as resistance instead of weights.Also there are some lazer treatments,like Cellulaze, that supposedly treat cellulite by breaking the bonds under the skin and over the fat cells, which is what causes cellulite to appear. Not sure how you feel about plastic surgery, but please do your homework and find a very reputable doctor who is licensed and has been doing that particular surgery for a long time, before you decide on a drastic step like that. Check with your dermatologist first.Hope this helps, I mostly wanted you to know you aren't alone, I feel the same about my body often, and we all deal with these trials of nature as women. I hope you do love yourself overall though. It is ok to want to improve your looks, just don't go overboard. I am sure you are beautiful the way you are.R
A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (11 February 2019): Like you said, its diet and exercise. But you DONT need to eliminate fats from your diet - it would be healthier to cut back on carbs as opposed to fats. Carbs are essentially sugars. Have a go at the Keto diet - it's so satisfying as a diet - you definitely dont feel like you are starvign your self. Drink lots of water too and also lift weights instead of yoga or cardio. If you look at marathon runners / yogis - they are usually skinnier and their skin is more drawn looking. Lifting weights will help to fill out your butt, tone your muscles underneath the skin and essentially reduce cellulite... where cardio will make your body look older as it is quite hard on the system. My husband is a PT and he always says - the one thing women do (and it's so bad for us!) - is starve ourselves and think we need to do rigorous cardio exercise daily. It destroys your metabolism, and in tunr - skin tone and muscle tone. Give the weights a go - and trust me, you wont end up bulky! :)
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A
reader, anonymous, writes (11 February 2019): Considering your age (I'm in the same age group), I think it's pretty normal to have some cellulite. Thighs are the area we women get the most cellulite as more fat collects in that area. For general health reasons we should all cut back on bad fats and way back on sugary foods, however, that likely will only help a little reducing cellulite. Drinking lots of water may help somewhat as it helps remove toxins that lead to fat accumulation. Regular massage therapy and bioactive collagen peptides may be of some help. Also, talk to a dermatologist as there may be some procedures that can reduce cellulite.
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A
male
reader, anonymous, writes (10 February 2019): Read this.https://www.mamamia.com.au/what-is-cellulite-body-posi-panda/Has anyone else complained about it?If not. Then this is internalised misogyny. Cellulite is pretty normal. Most sensible guys know this is a thing that most women have to a greater or lesser extent. You're in your forties now- when are you going to allow yourself to know that your value/attractiveness/self worth is not just about the smoothness of your skin on your thighs? Why are you trying to achieve this? Most men like a women to be curvier than the media would have you believe so if that is the case who are you doing it for? The very fact that every month your natural period stops you achieving what you want kind of proves its an impossible dream so cut yourself some slack- you aren't going to manage this naturally, and it seems like no one is asking you to- so just stop. Only twice in your adult life have you achieved this-let it go. Be thankful for the great things your body gives you- it's reliable, it lets you exercise regularly, you don't have a disease, debilitating allergies, or chronic pain. You are relatively naturally slim even in middle age. You love exercise-you are so lucky! Luckier than 85% of people. Take stock of what you do have rather than the things you don't want. There's always surgery but you'd be better off spending the money on therapy to find out why you are fixated on what's not perfect about you rather than appreciating what is. Good luck.
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