Monday, February 6, 2012

Cellulite Creams, Wraps & Rubs

by Kris Pitcher

Let's talk about fat today. We've had this conversation before. We've talked about belly fat, and we've talked about quick fixes. We've talked about how we lose and how we gain. Get a cup of tea, because we need to just go over this a little more.

When we eat in excess of what we need (expend), our body converts that excess fuel into a very stable source and stores it. It is stored in special cells, fat cells. We convert it to fat because it has a high value for use later. Should we ever be faced with a famine for instance.

Now, some of us store it in our thighs, others in our rear ends, some just all over. We are all shaped a little different thanks to our genetics. And that determines where and how we store fat.

One thing we need to be reminded of is that fat cells never become muscle cells, and muscle cells never become fat cells. Read that again. Think of a fat cell like an empty bag. You can fill that bag with potatoes (for instance) - stuff it full, or half full, or three quarters. Get the idea? We'll always have that bag, or cell.

The only way to get rid of that cell is to surgically remove it. We can however fill it up, and empty it as much as we want to. That's about as simple as the physiology gets. The way we empty the fat cells is by expending energy during cardiovascular exercise, by increasing our metabolism (the rate at which we burn calories) by building lean body mass, and by creating a deficit in calories by taking in less than we expend.

That is the science. It's not my opinion. I didn't discover the science...I wish I had, there would be stars named for me, or something. There is nothing we can do FROM THE OUTSIDE of our body that will empty that cell.

There is not a cream, rub, wrap, or massage that will make your fat go away. I'm sorry if that's like hearing there is no tooth fairy. You can't "detox your fat cells" with a heated wrap...

So here's what those products do. They bring blood flow to the dermis (skin layer), causing changes in hydration at the location where applied. This temporarily changes the appearance of your cellulite. It does not make fat cells go away. There. Is. No. Tooth. Fairy.

My point is not to knock the wind out of your sail, or to snatch the hope from your bouquet. It's important to understand the physiology, the science, so that you can make an educated decision about where you spend your money. If there where an easy way...believe me I'd be the first to take it. There's not.

It's commitment to the basics that works. It's a long term approach to making changes in your life. It's eating clean, exercising most days of the week, and lifting like you're super woman. Because you are. And there's no cream for that.

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