Summer is just around the corner and soon many of you will be donning your bathing suits. One of the main complaints I hear from women is about cellulite. Cellulite is prevalent in many women. The dimply cottage cheese-like skin often causes many of us to keep our lower body undercover. There are some measures through diet and exercise that you can do to minimize the appearance of cellulite. First you want to avoid processed foods and eat foods mainly in their natural state. Phytochemicals found in many fruits and whole grains can also help. Drink plenty of water and some research even supports that adding green tea to your diet as a diuretic can help get lessen cellulite. Below is a lower body workout from my Fitness Answer Workout Plan that can help decrease your bottom line:
(You should do two sets of 10-15 reps for each exercise, unless otherwise specified. Rest 1 minute between sets.)
Quads
Band Squats
Stand on band, feet hip distance apart. Hold handles of band, so that band runs behind your arms, with palms facing forward at shoulder height. Stand upright with knees slightly bent. Slowly lower your hips down as if going to sit on a chair. Try not to bring your knees past your toes. Slowly come back to standing without locking out knee.
Lunges
Place one foot in front of the other in a split stance, with back heel lifted. Bend front knee, lunging forward and keeping upper body upright. Keep front knee and toe at a 90 degree angle as you lower down. Push up through front heel, coming back up without locking out the knee. Repeat on other side.
Weighted Ball Squats
Place ball on a wall directly behind mid-lower back. Hold weights for added resistance in either hand at sides. Lean against the ball (slightly) and bend knees, lowering the body until knees are at a 90-degree angle. Push back to starting position.
Hamstrings
Leg Curls on Ball
Lie on back on the floor and place heels on the ball. Lift hips until your body is in a straight line. Contracting the hamstrings, press the heels into the ball and roll it towards you while keeping the glutes and abdominals tight (Stay up, do not drop glutes to the floor).
Glutes
Pelvic Tilts on Ball
Lie on back on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on ball. Lift and lower hips while pressing feet into the ball, keeping your abdominals in tight and contracting your glutes.
Joanne Sgro is a Television Fitness Expert, Certified Personal Trainer and Sport Nutritionist. She is Certified in Pilates, Pre-natal/Post-Partum, Yoga and Senior Fitness. She specializes in Weight Loss, Post-Rehab and Post Cancer Training. Joanne's fitness plans and recipes are available globally on her website www.fitnessanswer.com. She resides in the Phoenix, AZ area with her fiancé, where she runs her personal training business, Fitness Answer, LLC.