small and thin yet i have cellulite... what to do?

I posted this as well in the "weight loss" forum, but was hoping people in here could give me advice as well. 

I am a 26 y/o femal, 5'2 and 106lbs.

I am not looking to loose any weight, yet i have a cellulite problem on my thighs and im not sure what to do or how to go about lessening this without weight loss...

i eat 12-1400 cals a day, 30 mins cardio 4x a week with weights (upper body and lower body two days each a week)...

does anyone have suggestions or a similar problem with successful tips to share?

thx

i recently talked to a trainer about this very thing.  He suggested a detoxification program.  I guess cellulite comes from toxins in the environment as well as chemicals we ingest.  The toxins surround the fat cell and dimple the skin creating cellulite.  There are several types of detox, but probably the best and least expensive is altering your diet to include organic and "whole" foods.  In other words, foods that as close to their natural state as possible.  Don't quote me on this, I just asked a couple of guys in the profession. 

I think all you can do is step it up a bit with the weights and maybe even another 15-30 min cardio when you work out. How long have you been at this? If it's possible to lose it, it may just take more time. 

Eat more, and make sure it's all healthy... and "whole", as mama57 said.  12 - 1400 calories is a bit low for maintenance if you work out several times a week.

Wikipedia (not THE greatest source, but not so bad):

"Numerous therapies have been tried. There are no published reports in the scientific literature showing that any of these therapies work. The most beneficial therapy is to control lifestyle factors. Controlling stress and anxiety are of considerable benefit."

Original Post by chris1208:

Wikipedia (not THE greatest source, but not so bad):

"Numerous therapies have been tried. There are no published reports in the scientific literature showing that any of these therapies work. The most beneficial therapy is to control lifestyle factors. Controlling stress and anxiety are of considerable benefit."

yep, i have had it since i was 16 and between the ages of 16-24 i was skinny. it got worse because i gained weight & well im getting older too.

you may find a therapy that does work, but to tell you the truth after much experience, im just not convinced. i did velasmooth about 20 times & while my thighs did shrink a little, the cellulite was still there at the same intensity. but i did find the therapy pleasant, like getting a massage. detox diets, well, they are good in some respects but not long term cellulite reduction.... but i think its important to do something about it, like not gaining any weight & exercising to stop it from getting worse.

i find that having muscle in the legs helps to give my legs a little smoother shape & even though i am a bit brown, if i go on holidays i always do a fake tan on my legs & keep them shiny looking. all this helps to give an illusion of smoother legs & unless people are scrutinizing your legs it can work.

but maybe one of those therapies will work for you but to be honest i wouldn't want to see anyone else waste their money & hopes on these therapies.

fyi, they kind of classify cellulite as a skin disorder not a weight disorder. its basically fibrous strands that are stretched or get out of shape in some way in the subcutaneous fat layers that gives one a dimply appearance.  i read this some where (trying to find where) of where they did a biopsy of people with cellulite.

I was surprised that it is classified as a 'disorder' at all. I thought it was just sort of an unsightly fact of life -- like wrinkles.

I don't think there is anything you can do about it. Maybe pray and that is all.

um....

hello? 1200-1400 and you are maintaining? Damn. I'm doing the same and trying to lose! are you sure this is maintaining? I thought maintenance had to be around 1800 or 2000 or something...I know its different for everyone...

lift weights.

cellulite is fat. it looks different, but it is still fat. if you do a whack of cardio, you run the risk of burning off muscle - which is the opposite of what you want.

for that toned, sculpted, healthy look (without cellulite) you must lift weights :)

read around in this forum for tips, certainly the stickied threads at the top like the pink dumbbell myth - also checking Kristas site - highly recommended.

Thanks for the replies!  i'm going to focus on eating fruits/veggies/whole foods and drink lots of water and see where it goes - i've heard the excess water can flush out the fat toxins that cause cellulited? who knows but it cant hurt.. and maybe a few more leg exercices in addition to the ones i do.

rsrs: i'm pretty small, only 5'2 (barely) and 106 lbs so yes, 12-1400 is pretty much maintaining for me.. as I'm not a teenager, i would gain weight on 1800.

Found a very informative article about cellulite -

http://www.drlenkravitz.com/Articles/cellulit e.html

Its written by a phd - and he's not trying to sell anything just spells out what it is, why some of us are cursed with this more than others and the fact that even skinny women can get it

I found it interesting that he says liposuction is the worst thing you can do for it -- I have to agree having an aquaintaince that had her butt and thighs sucked and she wasn't fat by any means and worked out but her legs look 10X worst than mine IMHO

I'm afraid sometimes the tendency towards cellulite is a bit of a genetic / body type thing. That is, some people are more prone to it than others, no matter what you weigh or how you work out, some people seem to have more of a challenge with it.

I have to give an additional vote (++) to the previous posters who said you might want to consider increasing your calorie intake and adding weight training to your workout. On the calorie intake front - there is such a thing as skinny fat people, who have low weight, but their bodies still hoard fat and aren't toned. They don't have a lot of lean muscle. You can get into that kind of problem by eating too few calories, especially if you follow a cardio or workout program.

Think about it - you're probably burning at least 1400 calories a day just existing, and a minimum of another 200 on workout days. Those are conservative estimates, but consuming 1200-1400 calories a day barely covers that. You'll need more to build muscle (with weights) and get a lean appearance. Your current weight workouts may not be building much muscle, but if you increased your calories (healthful foods, complete protein, etc.), it might help.

Oooh!  Cellulite is the main reason I am on here.  I cut down on my running, gained a few pounds and all of a sudden I had cottage cheese thighs.  I refuse to wear shorts and everyone thinks my legs are so thin, but my thighs are unsightly!!!  Even my sister agreed and she would be honest with me.  I am trying to lose those few pounds and I am getting back into the running.  Good luck to us both. 

you really should eat more. i weight about as much as u and eat about 1800 on average (more or less, depending on level of activity). i used to have alot of celulite, it started when i was about 13 especially. now (at 17) i still have some, but its barely visible. u know how i got rid of it? i just started to follow a more healthy lifestyle - regular exersize, healthy food, lots of water, etc.

i think its to do with the amount of greesy things u eat, and also the blood circulation in ur thighs. soo cut out greesy foods, and move your legs more!! (doesnt even have to be cardio excersize. if u just lay on ur stomach and lift ur legs up and down 100 times a day or something, even that would help)

that being said...no exact method has been proven for celulite, but it seems to have worked for me. i also swam alot during the time my celulite decreased.