Losing Cellulite vs. Losing Inches

[deineira]

Greetings,
I would love to hear from other Cathletes to see if your personal experiences mirror what I am experiencing...

About a year or more ago I decided I wanted to make a dent (no pun intended) in my cellulite problem. I tend to be "bottom heavy" and wanted to see if I could trim my lower half and reduce the cellulite I had by toning up. I also wanted to lose some inches. I lost about 30 pounds 5 years ago and just could not seem to lose those last 10.

So, through changing my diet, counting calories and ramping up the exercise, I can honestly say I've managed to get rid of a good percentage of my cellulite, especially in my legs. The bum is more stubborn, but it's getting better. I also got rid of my saddle bags completely.

However, I have not really lost much in regards to inches in those areas, which was my other goal. I would have assumed that when I lost fat, then my legs would get smaller. They are a little smaller, but not alot. I'm changing up my exercise regimen to see if I can achieve the inches lost goal, but I was wondering if anyone else has experienced something like this. You've lost significant fat as evidenced by getting rid of cellulite, but your legs and/or rear are not really significantly smaller. They are more toned, but not a lot smaller.

Thanks in advance.

 

[mini-natty]

I think we may be soul sister's Eva .

From one pear to another pear, I feel ya . I'm finding that for *me* the only thing that is actually reducing inches off my thighs and booty, is heavy lifting -- not just for my LB but my entire body. That along with a clean diet (I follow the 80/20 rule, but lately it's been close to 90/10 with the Body Beast rotation I'm doing ). I know people swear by other methods (high reps, body weight, barre, yoga, ect.) and please don't get me wrong, I love and appreciate all forms of exercise. BUT from my own personal experience, I was never able to see a drastic change in my LB until I starting lifting into the higher #'s and adding plyo into my exercise regime. This may be helpful: Bodybuilding.com - Pregnant Pause: An Interview With Bodybuilding.com's Jamie Eason (scroll almost all the way down).

I'm still working towards my own goal at the moment. I know results take time, hard work, consistency, and don't happen overnight (FYI-I'm not the most patient person in the world ). For now, I'm just trying to be the best me I can be, enjoy the journey, appreciate and accept everything my body can do, and just have fun with it .

Don't get discouraged Eva! And for the record, I think what you've managed to do so far is AMAZING. You should be really proud of everything you have accomplished . Give yourself props, girl!

Take care

Natasha

 

[farrahalex]

I'm in the same boat as you. I've lost 20 pounds since November mainly because of XTrain and clean eating. My thighs and rear are getting better you can see muscle in my thighs but my measurements are moving down slowly. That's just the way my body has and always will be. Right now I'm doing Cathe's Rock bottoms rotation and eating super super clean, so we'll see how that helps. For us pear shaped people it just takes time. I'm with Natasha on the heavy lifting, it works. A few years ago I was doing a lot of heavy lifting and got great results. I hurt my back moving a box of shoes (not lifting heavy )and had to lay off my workouts for a while. Now my back is better and I'm going to be starting STS in June so excited. Just keep at it and don't get discouraged. You have had great results so keep up the good work.

 

[RapidBreath]

Running seems to help. I'm also a pear. I'm impressed that you got some of that cellulite to bust-a-move!! I am prone to having larger/bulkier muscles, maybe as you were working towards zapping the fat, you built some muscle.

 

[nckfitheart2009]

Hi Eva,

I relate to your story--- I am on the same boat.

Not sure if you have read my previous thread but to cut the story short, I am coming as far as being 99 pounds overweight/obese!

Few 8 to 10 pound and I am off with weight loss campaign. What worked for me if a combination. I did long steady pace back when it was on trend. I did loose but was left with a lot of muscle breakdown and a flat bottom. This drove me bonkers lol What truly worked for me is Hiit high, low and multi impact. Steps programs and plyos love IMAXES
Weight training and clean nutrition. I need to increase water consumption too.Adjusting my nutrition has proven to be the key!

Weight training moderate to heavy is what work the best for my lower body. I am so happy i now have a squat rack. I just came off STS and I can confidently state my bikini area has finally defined. For my thigh I went from 72 cm to now 55 cm. About 7 inches overall loss just on my thigh!!!! I am off heavy training for few days and will be back on it very shortly. I am intending to carry on one session of heavy squat rack on top of Feb rotation to target my upper thigh. Heavy squat and lunges plus weighted vest is hitting my upper thigh big time. Once I completed this cycle for two month, I will do the infamous Rock bottom AKA "Diamond cut bottom rotation"
Next step will be to do barre workout and see what I can get from them!

All these exercise target my legs better. I do gain quicker response and result from glute than from my legs. We all have to hang in there when it comes to LEGS. Yes i have significantly gotten rid of cellulite and saddlebags. I need to book sport massages cause it help too.

Thanks for posting this.
Can not wait to hear from fellow cathletes on similar issue.

All the very best,

 

[farrahalex]

Hi Eva,

I relate to your story--- I am on the same boat.

Not sure if you have read my previous thread but to cut the story short, I am coming as far as being 99 pounds overweight/obese!

Few 8 to 10 pound and I am off with weight loss campaign. What worked for me if a combination. I did long steady pace back when it was on trend. I did loose but was left with a lot of muscle breakdown and a flat bottom. This drove me bonkers lol What truly worked for me is Hiit high, low and multi impact. Steps programs and plyos love IMAXES
Weight training and clean nutrition. I need to increase water consumption too.Adjusting my nutrition has proven to be the key!

Weight training moderate to heavy is what work the best for my lower body. I am so happy i now have a squat rack. I just came off STS and I can confidently state my bikini area has finally defined. For my thigh I went from 72 cm to now 55 cm. About 7 inches overall loss just on my thigh!!!! I am off heavy training for few days and will be back on it very shortly. I am intending to carry on one session of heavy squat rack on top of Feb rotation to target my upper thigh. Heavy squat and lunges plus weighted vest is hitting my upper thigh big time. Once I completed this cycle for two month, I will do the infamous Rock bottom AKA "Diamond cut bottom rotation"
Next step will be to do barre workout and see what I can get from them!

All these exercise target my legs better. I do gain quicker response and result from glute than from my legs. We all have to hang in there when it comes to LEGS. Yes i have significantly gotten rid of cellulite and saddlebags. I need to book sport massages cause it help too.

Thanks for posting this.
Can not wait to hear from fellow cathletes on similar issue.

All the very best,

I just finished my 2nd week of the Rock Bottom rotation. Needless to say I will be taking a long hot soak in the tub tonight and I hate baths. This rotation is brutal but hopefully it will be worth it. That bonus butt workout sneaks up on you. And I think after this I will really hate walking lunges and they use to be one of my favorites.

 

[Candiceena]

Hi girls...

first off, I'm so glad this was posted. I haven't had this problem..YET...but I am a pear and very well could have this issue. I'm glad to see you girls sharing what worked for you. It's so motivating to see people here talk about lifting heavy, incorporating different types of exercise, and most of all, CLEAN EATING.

Good luck to you! I would second the ideas for lifting heavy B/C I had success w/ that a few years ago and lost inches all over when I lifted my heaviest (which still was not actually that heavy, but it was heavy for me).

 

[deineira]

Thanks to all who shared their experiences with me regarding this topic. I will keep plugging away, as I am by no means discouraged. I'm happy with the changes that I have seen, and they are very motivating. I was just curious to see if anyone else had a similar experience.

I'm actually doing more barre type workouts and I am seeing more changes from those than the weight focused training I've been doing for years...which could be due to the fact that this is a new type of exercise for me that's shocking my body.

Running is also an approach that I have intuitively thought might work for me, but I have some issues with my feet that rule that out as a consistent form of exercise.

Thanks again! It's nice to know other folks are fighting the good fight out there as well.

Eva

 

[nckfitheart2009]

Thanks to all who shared their experiences with me regarding this topic. I will keep plugging away, as I am by no means discouraged. I'm happy with the changes that I have seen, and they are very motivating. I was just curious to see if anyone else had a similar experience.

I'm actually doing more barre type workouts and I am seeing more changes from those than the weight focused training I've been doing for years...which could be due to the fact that this is a new type of exercise for me that's shocking my body.

Running is also an approach that I have intuitively thought might work for me, but I have some issues with my feet that rule that out as a consistent form of exercise.

Thanks again! It's nice to know other folks are fighting the good fight out there as well.

Eva

Hi Eva,

I would be grateful if you could precise what part of leg you have managed to hit while doing barreworkout.

I am under the impression it target small area of legs which heavy lifting do not hit.For this reason I will need to do a cycle and see how my body respond.

I am glad to hear you are having results with barre workouts

Kind Regards,

 

[deineira]

Hi Nathalie,

I am most interested in my quads and in my rear end. My calves are fine the way they are and I don't think I need to either increase or decrease those, so I don't focus on them specifically.

Now, I have only recently changed my routine, so I am not expecting anything dramatic. I usually don't expect to see any real changes in fewer than 90 days, so for me, I am going to stick to my current rotation through the summer and then see what happens. I am now doing workouts that are high rep and low weight, using workouts like Tonique and Dream Body. Tonique is basically an hour of squats and lunges of all varieties, mixed with floor work, and Dream Body is a fusion workout that mixes barre, pilates, bodyweight exercises, and other aspects that I probably am missing.

So far I am seeing some slight shrinkage in the thighs, a little more toning, and some lifting in the rear. I am also seeing some flattening of the area between the back and the rear, which is a good thing for me, it's what I call my "butt shelf" and I'm not happy with that part of my body at all, so I'm particularly excited about that. I'm also experiencing some slimming in my torso. I was starting to look very block-like and wanted more of a tapered look to my waistline, which is coming along. I've been on my current rotation for a little shy of 30 days.

Eva

 

[complik8td]

I am in your camp too. *sigh* I have really unsightly legs plagued with cellulite, veins, skin spots, you name it! I ramped up my exercise regimen and am pleased with my results, but I know the cellulite is never going away. I am learning to accept the things I cannot change. Boo.

ETA ~ I neglected to address the issue of thigh size in my first post. For all the effort I've been putting in to my exercise regimen, I too, am discouraged that the circumference of my thighs has not budged, although my legs appear slimmer to me. I will continue plugging away though!

 

[nckfitheart2009]

Hi Nathalie,

I am most interested in my quads and in my rear end. My calves are fine the way they are and I don't think I need to either increase or decrease those, so I don't focus on them specifically.

Now, I have only recently changed my routine, so I am not expecting anything dramatic. I usually don't expect to see any real changes in fewer than 90 days, so for me, I am going to stick to my current rotation through the summer and then see what happens. I am now doing workouts that are high rep and low weight, using workouts like Tonique and Dream Body. Tonique is basically an hour of squats and lunges of all varieties, mixed with floor work, and Dream Body is a fusion workout that mixes barre, pilates, bodyweight exercises, and other aspects that I probably am missing.

So far I am seeing some slight shrinkage in the thighs, a little more toning, and some lifting in the rear. I am also seeing some flattening of the area between the back and the rear, which is a good thing for me, it's what I call my "butt shelf" and I'm not happy with that part of my body at all, so I'm particularly excited about that. I'm also experiencing some slimming in my torso. I was starting to look very block-like and wanted more of a tapered look to my waistline, which is coming along. I've been on my current rotation for a little shy of 30 days.

Eva

Eva,

Thanks so much for sharing your result. Well done on the "butt shelf" That is a difficult area to hit. I am okay with that area. Not sure what I did to get rid of the shelf. I call it "love handles" Another area i did found hard to hit is the intersection between lower abs and mid back. For me personally barbell row with supine grip has worked wonders. I truly used to have a roll there. so happy it's gone!

Well done on slimming the torso. I am not personnally looking for anything in particular but would like to build up technique pressing heavy load for the chest. I am so envious of women of have built a nice cleavage at the top of the chest
That is going to be one of my goal

I will check both Tonique and dreambody. An hour of varied squat and lunges sound awesome!

hmmm I like this thread of yours.
Hope more fellow cathetes share their experience.

All the very best,

 

[Candiceena]

Eva,

I did a search for dream body and I found a couple... Is it the one with the Fusionistas? And the pop-ups?

 

[deineira]

Hi Candice,
That workout is by the same team, but that's not the one I have. They also have a series of 5 workouts that they just released and those are the ones I've been doing. Here they are, Dream Body Workout Series 5 DVD Set.

Eva