How to Tighten and Tone Your Butt and Thighs Forever

One of the most feared words by any woman is "cellulite".
Cellulite is a particular type of fat that has found its way to

millions of female buttocks and upper thighs. Unfortunately for those who have it, cellulite is one of the most unsightly forms of body fat. Its appearance can best be described as resembling cottage cheese.

But perhaps the worst thing about cellulite is that once it finds its way to your body, it is very difficult to get rid of. Even though it is essentially just body fat, it does not go away with normal fat loss methods. Instead, staring in the face of a solid diet and exercise routine, it stubbornly hangs on for dear life, refusing to give your butt and thighs the tight, smooth appearance you are working so hard to achieve.

There are many theories about what causes cellulite. Some experts believe that estrogen may play a role in its development. This would explain why women get cellulite much more commonly than men. Others believe that toxins in the body affect the fat cells and cause cellulite to form. Still others just attribute it to the fact that you may simply be carrying too much body fat in the affected area.

In an attempt to get some clarity on the "real" cause of this problem, I recently interviewed a world renowned plastic surgeon about his take on the topic. His opinion does carry some weight (pardon the pun) since he has performed countless liposuction procedures on women who suffer from this very problem.

He strongly believes that the appearance of cellulite is caused by the flexibility of the connective tissue. So he basically believes that, if your connective tissue flexibility is compromised, your fat cells can bulge upwards to the surface of the skin, giving the area the classic cottage cheese look.

Since there is no consensus of opinion on this topic, it is clear that the true cause of cellulite is not fully understood by the scientific community. Perhaps one of the above theories is correct. Maybe it's a combination of all of them. Personally, I am most comfortable attributing it to genetics.

The good news is that whatever the precise cause may be, I have developed a multi-faceted approach to virtually blowtorch the cellulite right off your butt and thighs! My system addresses all of the potential causes of cosmetic hardship. Here it is in a simple, step-by-step format.

1) Improve the integrity of your connective tissue. This is best done by eating foods that are rich in vitamin C and bioflavonoids. Some foods that are particularly good for this are: citrus fruits, peppers, all types of berries, cherries, grapefruits, oranges and green leafy vegetables.

2) Flush the toxins out of your body. The easiest way to begin this process is to drink plenty of pure water. Be sure to drink at least half of your bodyweight in ounces daily.

3) Minimize the amount of toxins going into your body. Being exposed to some level of environmental toxins are unavoidable. But there are many toxins that can easily be avoided. This list would include cigarette smoke (first or second hand), excessive alcohol consumption, unnecessary medications, etc.

4) Keep estrogen levels in check. Eat plenty of cruciferous vegetables daily. Cruciferous vegetables such as brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage contain a substance named indole-3-carbinol (I3C). This substance has been shown to positively affect estrogen metabolism. In addition to this effect, these vegetables also assist in detoxifying the body.

5) Lose excess body fat...the right way. Although cellulite has some unique characteristics, it is still body fat. So if you were to lose body fat correctly, you would minimize or completely lose that cottage cheese appearance.

Let's start by addressing your diet. You should use a diet that doesn't allow your insulin levels to get too high. High insulin levels prevent cellulite from being burned, thus making your fat loss efforts much more difficult. To keep insulin levels in the optimal range, you should eliminate sugar, red meat and processed foods from your diet. Now let's address the exercise protocol.

It's no secret that traditional exercise does nothing to reduce cellulite. In a desperate attempt to lose cellulite, most people perform daily aerobic workouts. I've actually known aerobic instructors who teach 6-8 classes per day and still have that stubborn cellulite. This is obviously not the most effective approach.

Instead, you should engage in high-intensity sprint training. Sprinting works the hamstrings (back of the legs) and glutes effectively while elevating your metabolism a great deal.

Couple this with resistance exercises that targets the affected area while simultaneously stimulating lean muscle, and you have a powerful exercise program that will enable you to lose cellulite quickly. Some of my favorite resistance exercises for losing cellulite are: KB Swings, Single Leg Romanian Deadlifts and Band Good Mornings.