Cellulite - What can you do against orange peel syndrome?

Oh, the wonderful orange. We enjoy its juice for breakfast, it sweetens the Christmas season like nothing else and its high vitamin C content keeps us healthy and energized. The orange is one of nature’s greatest gifts isn’t it?

In fact, over 85% of women would probably disagree with this statement and instead claim the orange (or rather its peel) is one of the least attractive of nature’s offerings. Well, the poor orange can’t really help it – here we are talking about cellulite, which is also called orange peel skin because of its similar texture.

The characteristic curvatures of cellulite can only be formed by the special structure in the female connective tissue, which enables women to prepare themselves for the changes that occur during pregnancy. So women owe this purely cosmetic problem to the miracle of life.

Cellulite occurs predominantly in women because their outer layer of skin is thinner than that of men and the subcutaneous tissue in women contains more, and larger fat cells, which increase in size during pregnancy to form food reserves. These enlarged cells push upwards through fine strands of connective tissue and create the typical dimples known as cellulite. In men, however, the connective tissue has a different structure and the fat cells remain firmly anchored in the subcutis. The predisposition towards cellulite is therefore genetic.

Slim women can also be affected by cellulite if they have inherited pliable connective tissue. The hormone oestrogen promotes the formation of fat cells and water retention, which makes the tissue softer. The combination of stress and smoking also promotes cellulite. In addition, factors such as obesity and a lack of exercise encourage the process.

As so many women are affected by cellulite, the beauty industry has been able to gain a large number of customers who want to get rid of the unwelcome dents. Whether its special creams, teas, powder, tights, body oils or massage equipment – the promise of fast and effortless solutions to cellulite is overwhelming.

Special creams and oils can care for your skin, but they do not reach the connective tissue in the subcutis. So, they cannot prove scientific success. Weakened skin structures can be strengthened by blood circulation-enhancing measures such as dry body brushing, but they will not get rid of cellulite completely.

Many things that weaken the skin structure promote cellulite.

UVA light causes the fibres in the skin’s connective tissue to lose their tension, making it easier for fat cells to expand. A high level of UV protection will help protect against this. Nicotine also constricts the vessels, which prevents the supply of oxygen to the tissue. The free radicals contained in cigarettes also damage the skin cells. Therefore, it is best not to smoke.

If up until now you haven’t been doing any sport to combat your cellulite, then now is the time to start! A combination of endurance and strength training is ideal. Not only do you burn fat, but the fat cells cannot expand as easily due to the formation of muscle tissue. Especially effective is intensive interval training, in which several calories are burned in a short time and new muscle mass is formed by exertion.

But none of this helps if you neglect your diet. Meals high in salt such as ready meals and fast food lead to water retention in the body. The answer: a balanced diet. Rapid weight loss, through crash diets, weakens the fibres and increases the problem as soon as fat cells are replenished. In order to avoid the yo-yo effect, it is better to reduce weight slowly and sustainably through a balanced low-fat diet. It is important to pay attention to the right composition of nutrients, because the right supply of vitamins can also help to strengthen the connective tissue. (Tip: You can easily determine your optimal nutrient requirements with our BMI calculator)

So if the way to combat cellulite is through sport and nutrition, you need to know which diet and exercise is best for you and your body. Upfit is there to help you with this. With our tailor-made nutrition and training plans we will create a plan for you that is structured according to your wishes and needs and will help you to achieve your goals!