Cottage cheese thighs. It’s a pretty gross way to describe cellulite but unfortunately it’s the harsh reality of it. Cottage cheese legs have kept many women, and even some men, covered up in even the warmest weather. It can plague fit folks too. Don’t worry though, I’m here for you! I’ve done the research and experimented with many ways to get rid of lumpy legs and I’m ready to tell you all the tricks.
In this post I’ll tell you how to get rid of cellulite on thighs once and for all but first let’s talk about why and how cellulite forms in the first place.
What is Cellulite?
Cellulite is lumpy or dimpled flesh on your skin, mainly on the butt, hips and thigh areas. Cellulite is technically harmless but can do a number on your self-esteem. If you often feel like you’re the only person at the beach trying to hide your dimpled body, you’re wrong. Cellulite currently affects over 3 million people in the US.
Cellulite occurs when the fat under your skin pushes up on your connective tissue. The connective tissue that lies beneath your skin is like a web. The problem is that everybody’s webs are different, therefore you might be prone to worse cellulite thanks to your genetics. A good indicator of your propensity for cellulite is to check out your mom’s legs. If she deals with lumpy legs, you’ll likely be at risk too.
The good news is that cellulite can be treated and even reduced entirely by putting a few important practices into place.
How to Get Rid of Cellulite on Legs and Thighs
Even though the makeup of your skin can contribute to the appearance of cellulite, the root of the problem is usually an unhealthy lifestyle. Of course, the more fat you have on your body the more it’s going to push up under your skin causing a lumpy and bumpy appearance. This means getting rid of cellulite is going to take some work on your part.
Diet, exercise and proper hydration are the only true ways to get rid of cellulite. Luckily there are some other temporary solutions I’ll touch on later. That way you can reduce the appearance of cellulite while you work to eliminate it completely!
Clean Up Your Diet
Following a “clean” diet will work wonders in reducing the appearance of cellulite on your legs. This is the first (and more important) step when it comes to eliminating this condition. Getting rid of excess fat through a healthier diet will definitely bring you results. Plus, the vitamins and nutrients in the clean food you’ll be eating will provide additional benefits to your skin.
When people come to me for advice on cleaning up their diet, I start with these 3 basic rules:
- Eliminate processed foods
- Say no to sugar
- Reduce carbohydrate intake
Many people don’t realize the damage that the 3 things above do to your body. Too much sugar, fake food and bad carbohydrates make your body sluggish and can cause you to gain weight easily. Let’s face it, processed foods are full of junk. They’re loaded with chemicals, fake ingredients and hardly any nutrients.
Your body needs whole, plant-based foods that are packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that will help keep your skin looking fresh. A great place to start is by only shopping on the perimeter of the grocery store. This will help you stick to fruits, vegetables, meats and fish. Also never go to the grocery store hungry! We all know where that lands us.
As for sugar, that’s a major no-no in my diet. Sugar hides in tons of places you might not think of like your coffee creamer, tomato sauce, and even “healthy” granola bars. Why is sugar so bad? Well it’s more addictive than cocaine and it sends our blood sugar levels into a spike and crash cycle that is incredibly difficult to break. To see what sugar does to your brain and body, check out this YouTube video from TED Talks. Excess sugar, turns into fat and fat causes cellulite!
As for carbohydrates, I like to caveat that I don’t mean for you to completely avoid carbohydrates, just be more aware of the type you are eating. Avoid things like white bread, cereals, bagels, pasta and the like. Anything that is “white” is likely bad for you and full of bleached flour. Instead, you’ll want to eat complex carbs like sweet potatoes or quinoa. A great system for figuring out if a carb is a “good” one, is by looking up it’s glycemic index.
Glycemic index (GI) is a measure of how much impact a food will have on your blood glucose levels. Choosing carbohydrates with a glycemic index of 55 or lower will ensure you are not eating something that will cause your blood glucose to spike and crash. Low GI foods are digested more slowly and metabolise more efficiently which means your blood sugar will rise at a safe and normal rate.
Changing your diet can feel overwhelming at first but it’s the only way to truly eliminate cellulite once and for all. There are some creams and additional tactics that can help reduce the appearance of cellulite temporarily but only a proper diet will make it go away completely. That being said, exercise is my next tip and that has to go hand-in-hand with proper diet for the most effective cellulite treatment.
Exercise Often
Exercise is another integral tactic for eliminating cellulite forever. As you know, exercise burns calories, reduces fat, and increases muscle. All these things are amazing cellulite fighters. Burning calories and fat will allow you to drop weight. As your fat gets replaced with muscle, your skin will no longer have to stretch out over such a large area.
Incorporating 30 to 60 minutes of moderate intensity exercise a few days per week will put you on the right track. If you’re new to exercise, you can start slowly by walking around the block or to a local park.
As you become more comfortable walking, try to pick up the pace a bit. I know when I first started exercising I was a bit overwhelmed and decided to hire a personal trainer. This can help eliminate fear and ensure that you don’t hurt yourself in the process.
Unfortunately, we women lose muscle quickly as we age so it’s highly important that we keep training our muscles as we get older, especially if we want to avoid cellulite. According to Dr. Westcott of Prevention Magazine, “As that muscle layer becomes thinner, weaker, and less firm, that overlying fat layer now doesn’t have a stable base. The fat crinkles and wrinkles and goes in any direction because there’s not a solid, smooth foundation underneath it.”
Want to know the best way to tone legs right now? Check out the following YouTube video for a quick 10 minute cellulite blasting workout.
Hydrate
Your skin loves it when you drink water! Hydrating efficiently will keep you skin clear of toxins and provide the moistue your skin needs to look its best. Not hydrating enough will cause your skin to look dry, flaky and wrinkled, making your cellulite appear worse!
According to UW Health, “…skin cells, like any other cell in the body, are made up of water. Without water, the organs will certainly not function properly or at their best.” You should aim for at least 8 glasses of water per day – even more if you are getting in a good sweat session each day.
Hydration is extremely important for your body overall. Your body will take all the water it can get and often there’s not enough left for your skin. This is why it’s so important to hydrate efficiently. You want to make sure there is enough there for everything! I notice a difference in my skin in just a few days when I make sure I’m properly hydrated.
Now that you know how to truly eliminate cellulite through diet, exercise and hydration, I want to share some easy ways you can reduce the appearance of cellulite right now.
Incorporate Massage
Massage is a great way to combat cellulite temporarily. Getting a deep-tissue massage will help drain your lymph nodes which will make your skin appear smoother for up to a few days. According to dermatologist Jeanette Graf, “the more often you get the massage, the better it’ll work and the longer the results last.”
The problem with massage is that it can be pricey. I’d suggest saving it for when you have a big vacation coming up. Book a massage or two in the week leading up to your big trip. This will help you reduce the appearance of cellulite. Mix that with my next tip and you’ll be on your way to seeming cellulite-free.
Apply a Self-Tanner
This is one of my favorite temporary cellulite fixes. Applying a self-tanner to your problem areas can help even out your skin tone and reduce the appearance of cellulite immediately.
The best approach is to rub the tanner into your trouble spots and then do an all-over spray tanner to really even out coverage. This is actually my go-to trick before a vacation or day at the pool. For the best results, get a massage and then use my self-tanner trick and you’ll be looking great and feeling good about yourself in no time!
Make a Coffee Scrub
Coffee is a daily life-saver for most of us. I can’t start my morning without it. When I found out I could also be using coffee to help fix my cellulite issues, I was very excited. Caffeine is the number one enemy of cellulite. It helps tighten and provide much appreciated antioxidants to your skin.
Coffee also acts as an amazing exfoliant for your skin, removing dead particles and helping your skin appear more fresh and healthy. What I love about this cellulite solution is that you can make it at home. I found this amazing recipe on Elle Magazine’s website. Ingredients include:
-
- 1 cup coffee grounds
- 6 tbsp coconut oil
- 3 tbsp sea salt or sugar
Mix the ingredients together in a jar and then apply by hand or with a dry brush. The coconut oil will help soothe your skin. The sea salt gives added exfoliation while the coffee jolts your skin with caffeine and antioxidants. Massaging this trio of powerhouse ingredients will help stimulate your blood flow and give you smooth, firm skin.
Try Dry Brushing
Speaking of dry brushing, have you heard about this popular trend? Dry brushing is another tool that exfoliates your skin, making it appear bright and smooth. It helps your skin stay clear and absorb moisture more efficiently when you apply a moisturizing lotion.
The manner in which you brush your skin also helps move your lymph fluid into your lymph nodes so waste and toxins can be eliminated. According to Lake Austin Spa Resort Director Robin Jones, your body technically does this naturally but dry brushing helps speed along the process, while improving your circulation bringing oxygenated blood to your skin and other organs.
When it comes to cellulite, dry brushing helps remove those stagnant toxins that collect in your body and cause your connective tissue to break down. Removing those through dry brushing gives you healthier skin overall and many pros claim it can smooth your lumps and bumps for good.
If you’re ready to give it a try, grab yourself a dry brush online and start brushing! Let me know if it works for you.
Final Thoughts
So what do you think? Are you ready to get rid of those cottage cheese legs once and for all? You learned that you can banish cellulite forever with a clean diet, exercise and proper hydration. If you need some tactics for hiding cellulite in the meantime, try massage, self-tanners, homemade coffee scrub and dry brushing!
Do you know any other ways to reduce cellulite that I haven’t mentioned here? I’d love if you’d share them with me in the comments below!
Very good information, specially the video is very helpful for cellulite reduction exercise. Thanks for posting.
Dermalmd Cellulite Serum! I was VERY skeptical and dealing with cellulite for a long time, but I was desperate and decided to give dermalmd cellulite serum for a try! I was shocked and so was my husband! I love this stuff!
I have also incorporated a lot of squats and leg/butt work outs also to help