5 Cellulite-Blasting Exercises

Author: E.C. LaMeaux

Cellulite is actually fat deposits just beneath the skin. It appears as lumps or dimples, usually near the buttocks and upper thighs, and is most common in women. Building muscle can make cellulite harder to notice, and it helps you burn more calories. That poses the question: does exercise help cellulite disappear? The answer: although those cellulite deposits might never go away completely, burning body fat will make them shrink. Here are our top five workouts for cellulite to blast those stubborn fat deposits.

1. Cardiovascular exercise

As long as you're expending more calories than you're taking in, you'll begin burning into your fat deposits. Since cardio burns calories, it can reduce your overall body fat, which makes cellulite harder to notice. Anything you would normally do for exercise, such as walking, running, hiking or cycling, can help in the overall battle to burn calories and blast cellulite.

2. Stair climbing

Stair climbing burns at least 10 calories a minute, according to the National Wellness Institute, an organization dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyles throughout the world. And stair climbing has the added benefit of really working all the muscle areas that tend to get hit with the greatest amounts of cellulite.

3. Leg lifts

Janet Wallace, Ph.D., associate professor of kinesiology at Indiana University-Bloomington, says that leg lifts are the best thing to do for toning the outer thighs.

• Lie on the floor on your side, place your elbow on the ground and prop your head up with that same hand. Place the other hand on the floor beside your waist.
• With legs straight and toes pointed, lift your leg up as far as it will go, then slowly lower it back down.
• Do 10-15 reps, and then turn over and work the other leg.

4. Back kicks

MSNBC Health recommends this fat-busting move to target all those areas most susceptible to cellulite. While on your hands and knees, lift a leg up behind you until it's pointed upward at a 45-degree angle. Slowly bring the leg back down and repeat the movement with the other leg. Start with 15 reps and work up from there.

5. Squats

• Stand comfortably, with your feet about a foot apart.
• Slowly bend your knees and lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
• Gradually stand back up, squeezing your glutes and the backs of your thighs as you rise.

If performed consistently, these workouts for cellulite will build muscle in your thighs and butt, which will help burn fat, according to Mayo Clinic. And less fat equals less noticeable cellulite. As with the other cellulite exercises, start with around 15 repetitions and work your way up to more.