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Dealing with cellulite during pregnancy is not fun, and it can seem like pregnancy makes all the cellulite way worse. I personally have an increased amount of cellulte during pregnancy, and it can be very difficult to deal with when you aren’t used to it. All the cellulite can also be emotionally hard if you are gaining a lot of weight.
Being on my fourth pregnancy now, I can tell you I know exactly how hard it is to deal with the extra weight gain and appearance of cellulite. Let’s get into a chat on how to deal with this excess cellulite, understand why it is happening, and go over some possible ways to diminish it!
First things first, why does cellulite increase during pregnancy?
Cellulite increases as our fat cells expand underneath our skin. The extra fat gain during pregnancy is going to increase the appearance of cellulite. But, what if you haven’t gained much fat? Many mamas don’t gain much extra fat and still see an increase in cellulite. So, what is going on?
Additional factors besides weight gain that cause cellulite during pregnancy:
Pregnancy also causes extra liquid to remain in your cells. This fluid is stored in fat cells and other cells under ths skin. As your cells increase in size underneath the skin, you can see more dimples popping through. The fluid is stored because of the increased estrogen during pregnancy, as well as the extra fluid needed for producing breast milk when baby arrives.
Hormonal factors can also effect the elasticity of your skin. The increasead estrogen, and varrying hormonal levels during pregnancy can cause a difference in your skin. This can make cellulite more visible than when you aren’t pregnant. Just keep in mind this is a temporary experience, until your hormones, bodily fluids and weight get back to normal again.
How I deal with cellulite during pregnancy:
I acknowledge that over 90% of women deal with cellulite – pregnant or not!
Instagram, YouTube and other social media outlets can give the illusion that many women don’t have cellulite. Not very many fitness professionals or influencers post photos in a lighting that shows cellulite. I love that one fitness influencer, Emily Skye, specifically posts her cellulite with her pregnancy to help encourage other mamas. Everytime I see my own cellulite, and I remember that almost every other woman has cellulite, pregnant or not. So, by just remembering that, you can happily deal with your own.
I focus on protein and lower carbs:
Many women don’t realize that carbs can contribute to swelling and water retention. Eating lower carb can help your body let go of water, both in pregnancy and after. Besides the first trimester, when things are all haywire, I like to eat lower carb, clean and higher protein. I have a Youtube video up on everything I eat in a day, when I am not on an eating clean challenge. This is a very basic, and fairly low carb day for me.
I am not a huge fan of meat in the first trimester or second, and sometimes all pregnancy, so my protein shakes are super helpful! I love them really, and because I use Bump Dust, they are full of delicious flavor and very low carb. Not to mention all the fabulous nutrients for pregnancy. In my video I show you a super yummy smoothie bowl I love to make on the mornings when I have more time.
I do cardio and strength:
Working out during pregnancy is so helpful to managing your weight gain and feeling good. A lot of the weight gain comes because mamas start feeling discouraged, big, slow and uncomfortable – so they don’t workout at all. Cardio is essential to keeping the blood flowing, your heart strong, your blood pressure down and burning any extra calories you are consuming. Strength work is essential for maintaining your muscle mass, which will help keep your metabolism up! Just cardio will help you keep your calorie consumption in check, and overall weight gain in check, but you will want to keep your muscle mass too. Muscle can also help diminish the appearance of cellulite by giving you a more toned appearance! If you let your muscle mass decrease, then your metabolism can slow down. My program involves quick, efficient strength workouts with cardio bursts to help you get all in at once. I often post workouts on my Instagram too, to help give you more ideas on what you can do to try and stay in shape.
I drink a lot of water:
This is the boring tip that is so helpful! The more water you drink, the more you can flush out of your body. I think it is easier in the summer to drink more water because it helps cool us off here in Florida. Water is essential for pregnant mamas, especially in the summer to ensure you don’t get dehydrated. Find a big bottle you like and keep it full!
Foam rolling and stretching:
Foam rolling and stretching can help a bit with your fascia that is between your fat/muscle tissue and your skin. If this is super tight with knots, it can also increase the appearance of cellulite. Sometimes foam rolling and increasing mobility to areas like your hips, glutes and thighs can alleviate knots and increase blood flow. Circulation has been associated with cellulite, so I do some rolling and stretching just to help!
Overall, remember the increased cellulite during pregnancy is temporary.
I have to tell myself every day that pregnancy in general is only temporary. I refuse to allow myself to get depressed with the weight gain, soreness, back issues, fatigue and cellulte. I try to make nutritious food choices and stay as active as I can every day.
If you are struggling to stay fit and healthy during your pregnancy, definitely download my free, 7-day workout challenge, and try my eating clean challenge. There are sign ups for the eating clean challenge on every blog post, and I promise you will not forget it!
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