fat

It’s the one kind of dimples that are less than adorable—cellulite. What exactly is it? As we age, we lose elasticity in our skin, which causes the fat cells directly under it to be more visible. As the fat cells push up against surrounding fibrous connective tissue, leading to the “orange peel” appearance of cellulite. As we gain weight, the fat cells tend to bulge more and rise to the surface. Men have cellulite as well, but it is less common and not as obvious, as men tend to have thicker skin.

Spot reduction—what a great concept—the idea that working a specific muscle group will also reduce the amount of fat in the specific area. This would mean that doing nothing but sit-ups will eventually give you that oh-so desirable flat stomach. Unfortunately, spot reduction is a myth. Why? Building up a specific group of muscles will never get rid of the layer of fat in that area. Chalk it up to genetics—we simply do not have control over where we lose fat in our body. We are all unique individuals and therefore we all lose fat in different areas in different ways.