Oh cellulite. How you graze thy legs in delicate waves.
I have random thoughts, as you all know, on a pretty frequent basis. Today I thought of cellulite.
For those of you who don’t know what cellulite is for some reason, here is the official definition according to the Mayo Clinic:
Cellulite refers to the appearance of dimpled skin on the thighs, hips, buttocks and abdomen of most women and some men, too. Cellulite is most common in areas of fat deposits and is the result of the unevenness of this fatty tissue beneath the skin surface. It is not a serious medical condition, but cellulite can be unsightly, and it may make you self-conscious when wearing shorts or a swimming suit.
Anatomy of cellulite
As fat cells enlarge, they push up against the skin. Tough, long connective cords pull down. This creates an uneven surface or dimpling, often referred to as cellulite.
Cellulite is much more common in women than in men. In fact, the majority of women — at least 8 out of 10 — have some degree of cellulite. This is because fat is typically distributed in women in the thighs, hips and buttocks — common areas for cellulite. In addition, cellulite is more common with aging, when the skin loses some of its elasticity.
Weight gain can make cellulite more noticeable, but cellulite may still be present in lean individuals. It tends to run in families, so genetics may play the biggest role in whether you develop cellulite.
Other factors that may increase your chances of having cellulite include:
- Stress
- An inactive lifestyle
- Using hormonal contraceptives
There is no way to prevent getting cellulite. Keeping off excess pounds and strengthening your muscles through regular exercise, however, can go a long way toward maintaining your skin tone and texture.
There is no way to prevent getting cellulite.
There is no way to prevent getting cellulite.
Here’s the reason I thought of this today. I saw a girl recently. She was young, in her twenties, sporting a teeny-weeny mini skirt. And the cellulite was there, all in full view. Honestly, almost everything was there in full view as this was a teeny-weeny skirt.
I didn’t used to have cellulite. I didn’t know what it was. Then one day, it started cropping up. And now in my 30’s it’s just a part of my body like an arm would be or something. When it started happening, I kind of panicked and freaked out. But then, at the beach, I saw something. Fifteen year olds, skinny as rails STILL with cellulite. I realized, if a 98 pound highschool freshman has cellulite, then there is zero hope for me.
And it turns out, the odds are against us. 8 in 10 women have cellulite due to the way our muscle and fat cells interact. And of course, women need fat cells for baby making and keeping warm, staying curvaceous and all that. So it really is common. If you don’t have it, consider yourself lucky. And if you do have it? Don’t give up on life just yet.
See, there’s a bright side to all this.
If you have cellulite:
1) There are some things you can do to tone the appearance of it… hence the squats, lunges, running stairs, running, etc. It doesn’t necessarily remove it, but builds up your butt muscles for a smoother look and texture.
2) Not that I am advocate for tanning, but if you are tanner, cellulite appears less visible.
3) Embrace yourself anyway. I always believe the things you hate will hate you right back- tenfold. Hate American Airlines? They’ll make you pay for food in their lounge and lose your iPhone in the seat crack. Hate cellulite? It’ll show up in spades the more you hate on it. Learn to accept it, live with it, and if it really bugs you, do #1.
I am a very slender girl, I look way younger than my age, have a great job, friends, life and amazing adventures, and yes, I have cellulite. There are people out there with zero cellulite and that’s all they got. I’m thankful for this package I have received.
It’s difficult for people to really know the truth about cellulite- and that just about everyone has it- because we Photoshop the crap out of every photo ever published. Of course you won’t think it exists because you don’t actually see it anywhere on famous people. Oh, they have it too, trust me. So you see, it is just a natural part of us. Whether you choose to keep it as is or tone up the butts and hammies to make it less visible- it’s still there.
And dudes who want to complain about it? Bend over. I guarantee the squeakiest wheel has the most cellulite they didn’t even know existed. Those ripped body guys with 2% body fat aren’t going to date a ‘normal’ girl anyway. And I’m not interested in them either. Even if they have no fat, usually that means they’re lacking somewhere else… like their brains. Or other parts.
I think the girl in the mini knows her body and doesn’t care anyway. Although I noticed the cellulite and maybe wouldn’t wear a cloth for a skirt myself (I’m just modest, in general), she’s got the comfort level (although I would question her fashion sense) to pull it off, and I know I’m not the only one out there.
Life, Love and Yoga 
Reblogged this on The healthiest beauty.