Fighting Cellulite and Fluid Retention!

Use these steps to fight cellulite and fluid retention. If you do nothing else to fight cellulite and fluid retention, these six steps will make a difference.

Cut down on calories: If you’re overweight, losing weight will shrink the fat cells. Aim for 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day, focusing on low-fat, higher-protein and fruit and vegetable packed meals.

Fight fluid retention: Areas of cellulite contain higher than average amounts of water-attracting cells: if you have excess fluid in the body this will gravitate to these cells causing them to swell (a major cause of cellulite in thinner women). Cutting down on salt and drinking at least eight glasses of water a day helps fight this.

Increase antioxidants: The walls that surround the fat cells are made from collagen and therefore get damaged by free radicals (produced by things like smoking, sunbathing, pollutants etc). This makes them tougher and causes them to shrink, which stretches the skin more tightly over the top of the fat cellss making them more noticeable. Aim to eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day, to help supply antioxidants that fight free radicals.

Reduce toxins: While it’s not entirely true that cellulite is stored toxins it doesn’t mean that saturated fat, sugar, coffee, alcohol and cigarettes don’t play a role in its formation. All of these trigger free radicals, and they also put pressure on the lymph system (which flushes toxins from your body). This is bad news, as when the lymph system is sluggish it actually creates fibres which bind to the walls of the fat boxes, making them thicker. This is turn creates extra pressure on the fat squishing things further upwards.

Excercise Regularly: Exercise allows the body to oxygenate and by improving blood and lymph circulation. This will help moving fluid around the body more efficient. Brush your body in upward motion working towards the heart. This will also help circulation.

Relaxation and Sleep: Have time-out and de-stress the body. Try and get good quality sleep. This is probably the most important part of the program, because your body repairs itself when you are relaxed and sleeping.