No tags yet.
Cellulite
and why it shouldn't be upsetting
Now, I've never eaten extremely healthily in my life, nor have I ever been exactly slim, but there was also another thing that was negative - cellulite. I had never had cellulite in my life (which was good for me because I used to believe that it was a cause of being too 'fat'). But recently after my awfully depriving diet (which I stopped just before Easter this year) I decided (didn't decide) to start binge eating chocolate. Due to my low carb diet, I rarely had carbs, so when I decided to not reverse diet (because I was naive and stupid and didn't even know reverse dieting was a thing) I couldn't stop eating chocolate because my body wouldn't stop craving it (and my weak will wouldn't ignore my bodies cravings). I was under the stupid illusion that my body was still the same as it was on the diet, until I started comparing photos and I realised how unhealthy I looked on my diet because I was so slim and looked really gaunt, and realised I no longer look that way, but in fact, am bigger than I was before my diet.
Anyway, the point is that I now have cellulite on my upper thighs/butt, but why, some of you may ask? Well, (hopefully) all shall be explained in this post.
But, wait, what is cellulite?
Cellulite is, as described on the internet, 'Lumpy, dimpled flesh' which can be found on your thighs, butt, stomach and hips. Cellulite is fat deposits, it's not a disease or a virus or anything.
But, fun fact, even those instagrammers you follow will probably have cellulite because it "affects nearly 90% of women at some point during their lives, even women who are otherwise slender and fit. ".
Cellulite is due to the fat deposits under your skin becoming enlarged, making them push up against the tissue. Basically, when the fat enlarges it will eventually take up all the space under the skin, placing a lot of upward pressure on connective tissue. This forces the fat up, which pushes everything upwards and it creates a dimply look on your skin.
Photo source: How to Reduce Cellulite from Thighs and Buttocks
For a more in depth read, check out this website: What is Cellulite and How to Get Rid of It - Lean it UP
Wait, so it's because of fat... does that mean I'm overweight if I have cellulite?
Not necessarily. Of course, you may be overweight, but you don't have cellulite purely because you may be overweight. As aforementioned, even "slender" and "fit" women can have cellulite.
Slimmer women can get cellulite as well, because cellulite actually doesn't need a lot of body fat to be present. In people if the connective fibres between skin and muscle weaken, causing fat to push towards the skin, the skin dimples and BAM cellulite. There are actually two different types of fat - subcutaneous and visceral. Cellulite is caused by subcutaneous fat, and everyone has it, even slim people.
Hopefully the diagram below can help you visualise what I mean and what cellulite actually is.
Photo Source: What is Cellulite and How to Get Rid of It - Lean it UP
And once again check out this website for a more in depth read: Do Skinny People have Cellulite?
But, who actually has cellulite?
Now, because this is a completely non-judgemental zone I will name some names but we shall not shame these people because that's not what anyone is here for. This is purely to show you that celebrities and instagrammers (the people who are meant to be 'perfect' and 'role-models') also have every day problems, because they are, believe it or not, everyday people - we're all the same species.
Some of these people include Beyoncé, Jlo, Kate Moss, and Kim Kardashian. Of course there are more, but I don't feel comfortable singling out so many people for being famous and having cellulite, that feels a bit unfair. Of course, if you wish to find out more there are multiple of websites on the internet doing what I have just done but in larger quantities, you can start here if you wish to.
There are also a lot of instagrammers who are at the moment purposefully posting pictures of their cellulite to show everyone that it's normal and that even fitness bloggers and athletes and etc. can get it too.
So, does that mean that cellulite is ok?
Even though a lot of people think that cellulite looks bad and it may be a bit scary to have it, it is no indicator of bad health. As I mentioned before, there are two types of fats in our bodies - subcutaneous fat and visceral fat. Cellulite is because of subcutaneous fat which isn't the fat that causes health concerns, visceral is actually the one to watch out for. It is the type of fat that is found surrounding your vital organs and in your abdominal cavity. This fat can lead to high cholesterol and blocked arteries.
So in a health sense, cellulite is ok. But in a social sense, is it ok?
Well, a lot of people have different views on the subject. But seeing as 90% of women get cellulite, I would like to say it is perfectly fine and normal. And seeing as some of the worlds most influential and 'hottest' women have cellulite, I'd like to say that that also means that cellulite doesn't make a difference. And besides, should some dimpling and the way you eat really affect the way people think about you? No. Believe it or not, in this day and age there are still nice people and dare I say there are more nice people than rude and unfair ones, just those are the ones that get more attention. So, you know what? If you want to eat chocolate and sweets, go the heck right for it. Because in the end, you only live this life once and you only have one go at it, so why not be happy and full, than sad and hungry/craving food!
Here is a photo of me with my cellulite (and my quad and booty gains DAMN), as you can see it's directly under my butt.
But my butt (hehe) also has a bit of dimpling on it too. But I am no way saying that my cellulite is awful and I hate it, I don't really mind mine (or anyone's, because who am I to judge) and mine is actually quite good for the way I was eating post-diet, I am very fortunate.
I actually saw a thread on Twitter a while back, and I've been in love with it ever since. You can check out the thread here or look at the images of it below.
But I absolutely love how she says "I'd like to take a bet that you too are unhealthy, perhaps you drink too much, smoke, sunbath with no sunscreen, get too little sleep" because it's true, in our own ways we're all unhealthy so what makes one person more deserving of respect than another. I think this is the best twitter thread I have ever read and I absolutely agree 100% with her.
So, there you have it. Cellulite, it may not always look pretty but it's there and it's ok to have it. You should not be upset to have it and you should never be ashamed of your body.
ALL PHOTO CREDIT BELONGS TO ME UNLESS WHERE RECOGNISED