Cellulite is a stubborn and often mysterious problem. And even though most people associate cellulite with carrying excess pounds, this isn’t necessarily accurate. Let’s take a quick look at what is known to cause cellulite, and how certain exercises can reduce the problem.

Almost all women past puberty age carry some degree of cellulite, although it may not be visible. Cellulite is a progression and occurs in stages. As mentioned, most people think cellulite is a direct result of being overweight, but medical research disputes that notion.

Per medical researchers, genetic and hormonal factors are the top causes of cellulite. Genetics play a role because circulatory patterns and body composition factor greatly into cellulite. Hormonal factors like estrogen levels appear to be a leading cause of cellulite, and fluctuating estrogen levels can make the problem worse.

How Certain Exercises Can Help

While there’s no proven connection between spot exercises and cellulite reduction, diet and exercise do have a direct cause and effect relationship with cellulite. Poor diets contribute to circulatory problems and can affect hormonal levels, so it’s best to regulate one’s diet and reduce excess fats, salt, alcohol and other readily known health risks.

Let’s be clear … exercise alone can’t eliminate cellulite, but it can help reduce the problem to minimal levels. The effect on reducing stress levels alone should not be underestimated, even though stress reduction is another topic entirely. However, exercise, and specific exercises, have positive benefits on several levels, both mental and physical.

The Specifics

There’s an exercise called the stiff legged deadlift, which might sound somewhat intimidating but it’s really easy to do. This exercise will attack the area where cellulite is commonly found … the back upper part of your legs, i.e. the upper hamstring area. First, stand tall with feet should width apart. Place two dumbell weights in your hands (start light at first, then increase the weight as you become more comfortable with the exercise). Then, with weights in hand, bend over at the waist, keeping your knees straight, until the weights touch the floor or get close to touching the floor. You’ll feel this movement in the back of your thighs and the upper hamstring area. The stiff legged deadlift also burns a surprising amount of calories. Try 2-3 sets of 10 and increase as you gain proficiency. This is an excellent exercise to improve your appearance.

If you belong to a health club, be sure to try a spinning class. Also called indoor cycling, these classes are fun, challenging, and burn a lot of calories. Their effect on cellulite reduction is twofold: you’ll burn calories, tone your legs and rear end, and reduce your stress level … all in a 45 minute or one hour class.

In summary, a number of combined factors cause cellulite, so to combat cellulite a similar approach is necessary. Reduce your stress levels, introduce moderate to brisk exercise in accordance with your fitness level, and institute a healthy diet. You’ll find that within a matter of weeks or months, the cellulite problem will greatly dissipate.

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