Bootylicious: How to get rid of the "licious"
By Thea Shoemaker 10/30/2008
It’s something we all think about.
Although it usually occurs by the time we reach our teens, kids can have it.
It’s not gender specific: Guys get it too! We find it on our stomach, thighs and arms; I’ve even seen it on the calves.
There are tons of gimmicks and potions that promise to take it off. In fact, one time I even used a device that promised to massage it all off my thighs!
It’s the dreaded CELLULITE!
Some of us are prone to it. I know I am. If I don’t watch it, I can totally have a “badonka butt” with “cottage cheese thighs.” What’s really depressing is that you can be thin but still have dimples on your legs and thighs.
On the other hand, I’ve seen people who are overweight but don’t really seem to have a whole lot of cellulite. Why is that?
I can tell that you after almost 18 years of working as a personal trainer, I have seen some specific patterns. As I mentioned, some of us are unfortunately prone to cellulite, depending on our body type. There are three body types: mesomorph, ectomorph, and endomorph.
Mesomorph body types are naturally muscular with broad shoulders. They tend to gain muscle quickly and usually have very little cellulite.
The ectomorph is typically tall and thin. They can gain a little muscle but have to work very hard to get it. They can much more easily gain fat. This body type can be a “skinny fat”; in other words, thin with dimples.
Endomorph body types are rounder and naturally more fatty. They are more typically overweight and carry cellulite.
The naturally muscular people are in the clear where cellulite is concerned, but luckily there is help for the rest of us. I am going to share with you my secret to minimizing cellulite!
First of all, you do need to understand that if you have it now, you may always see a little, so accept it.
The No. 1 secret to smoothing your thighs is: Drink water! Water flushes toxins and helps your skin look and feel healthy. A simple way to know how much you should drink is to divide your body weight in half. This will give you the number of ounces you need per day. If you are overweight by 30 pounds or more, my personal rule of thumb is to calculate your ideal weight. For example, if you weigh 170 but your ideal weight is 140, you should aim to drink 70 ounces per day.
The second secret is: Watch your sodium intake! Too much salt makes you bloated, which means extra weight. I can’t say this enough. If you drink soda, ditch it! Even diet soda causes cellulite. Try cooking with herbs and spices instead of salt. After a while, you will enjoy the natural taste of food. An added bonus: Your blood pressure will go down.
No. 3 is: You guessed it — exercise! At the very least, just get your body moving. In order to effectively burn fat, all you need to do is walk for 30 to 40 minutes at a pace that is somewhat challenging, five to six days per week. For most people, that’s the daily dog walk. Just think: When you’re walking Rover, kick it up a notch, and you can burn some cheese, too!
Watch what you eat, drink plenty of water, and keep your body moving! Simple ways to take the ‘licious’ off your booty! But most importantly, remember: You’re worth it!
Thea Shoemaker, CPT, has provided in-home personal training in Ventura County since 1996. You can reach her at thea@tsfitnesssystems.com or (805) 985-7867. Or visit her Web site at www.TSFitnessSystems.com.
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