What is Cellulite?

If you suffer from cellulite you are certainly not alone. In fact over 90 per cent of women, of all ages and sizes are cursed with this problem.

There are a huge number of celebrities who haven't been able to escape the horror that is cellulite and are often snapped on the beach with their orange peel circled for the world to see.

Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Scarlett Johansson, Sandra Bullock and Elizabeth Hurley are just a few celebrities who suffer from cellulite.

So what exactly is cellulite and how can you prevent cellulite?

The body has a layer of fat which is attached to the muscles below by a network of connective fibres. Cellulite is caused by clumps of fat cells which enlarge with age, these push up against the surrounding fibrous connective fibres which stay the same size. This can cause the connective fibres to become stretched and weaken, allowing patches of fat to appear and consequently causing the unsightly dimples which make up cellulite.

There are a number of reasons why cellulite appears along with many myths and old wives takes. Some of the true reasons include :

Poor Circulation: Poor circulation can result in poor lymphatic draining as the lymphatic system depends on the blood pumping to get it to work effectively. The lymph gets under the skin but because of poor drainage it cannot remove toxins or excess fluids. The excess fluid prevents blood from reaching the tissues so excess fat is not absorbed properly and becomes visible in the form of dimples.

Lack of exercise: Although athletes can get cellulite too, exercise is a sure way to prevent cellulite and improve the appearance of present dimples. Exercising helps to improve the circulation and removes any excess fluid. It also tones muscles so the skin will look smoother even if there is already some signs of cellulite.

Hereditary Factors: If your mother and grandmother suffered from cellulite it is likely that you will too, don’t worry though you can prevent cellulite and the earlier you start the more likely it is that you’ll escape the curse.

The biggest false claim regarding how to prevent cellulite is that liposuction or surgery is the only solution. In fact there are much cheaper ways to prevent cellulite without having to go under the knife and the easiest is to simply change your shoes!

HOW DO SHOES HELP CELLULITE?

Cellulite shoes not only look great, they're also a fantastic beauty treatment and a great way to treat and prevent cellulite.

If you swap your normal shoes for a pair of cellulite shoes you'll be exercising all the areas of your body where cellulite is normally found - your thighs, bum and stomach.

More good news is that, depending on the style, you'll burn up to five times more calories than you would if you wore a normal pair of shoes or trainers.

As these cellulite shoes work your problem areas (bum, thighs, and stomach) harder, your circulation also improves so your lymphatic system can remove toxins and excess fluids to improve the appearance of cellulite. Research has shown that an increase in circulation can significantly improve the appearance of cellulite.

Here is a round up of our favourite cellulite shoes which will help prevent cellulite and leave your legs free from orange peel!

Cellulite Shoe 1: Earth Shoes are designed with Negative Heel Technology, which means that the heel of the shoe is LOWER than the front. Stepping into a pair is like nothing else you've ever experienced, similar to when turning up the incline on a treadmill, Earth shoes have been proven to burn up to 4 times as much body fat than standard footwear.

Cellulite Shoe 2: Skechers Shape Ups have a curved sole which improves your gait when walking so that you roll your weight to the centre and push off with the toes. This movement means that your leg, buttock and stomach muscles have to engage to keep you balanced, encouraging both toning and weight loss.

Cellulite Shoe 3: Tonewalkers are renowned for being an “extreme exercise shoe” and they feature a unique moulded platform which has been designed based on the core yoga principles. Tonewalkers give maximum results while they offer a low impact workout. They target the muscles in the core and the legs and give 5 times the same exercise value as standard shoes!

Cellulite Shoe 4: Reebok EasyTone feature balance pods underneath the forefoot and heel to create a natural instability so that your leg and buttock muscles have to work harder to retain balance when walking. They have been proven to increase muscle usage in the legs and buttocks up to 28% more than when wearing standard foam trainers and with fashionable styles they look great too!

If you opt for a pair of cellulite shoes then your whole body will feel the change. Your calf and thigh muscles will stretch, your bum will tighten and your stomach will be sucked in!

We've put together some cellulite-busting tips for you to combine with the use of cellulite busting shoes to get the smooth skin you want!

• Drink lots of water. Medical experts recommend 8 glasses a day.
• Eat fresh fruit and vegetables.
• Avoid high fat foods
• Cut down on caffeine and stop smoking
• Increase your daily exercise to get your blood pumping and tone your muscles for a smoother appearance.