Leg and butt exercises, such as squats, lunges, leg presses and leg extensions are great for shaping your legs and butt, diminishing the appearance of cellulite, and giving zest to your walk.

However, there is an old school of thought among women, that makes them reluctant to give their legs and butts any serious training, especially using weights (gasp!) for fear they will get too big. Well, nothing could be further from the truth. By combining proper nutrition with proper exercise routine selection, you will get slender and firm legs and butt that you always wanted. This will also significantly reduce the appearance of cellulite!

Every effective leg and butt routine should involve the use of squats. But the fact is, most women do not like to squat.

Well, they may be hard, but they are also the most effective exercise for shaping tights and butts! They also have a great anti cellulite effect.

Some excuses for not doing the squats are:

• “They are hard on my lower back.” Well, this means that you need to strengthen your abdominal region and lower back, as they provide torso support. You may also be descending to quickly, leaning too far forward. If your lumbar region is stiff, look into doing exercises for lower back and abs. You may want to look into yoga, for example, which has some great exercises for making your back stronger and more flexible.
• “I don’t want my butt to get too large.” Actually, it’s the opposite. Squats sculpt, firm up and slenderize excess fat when combined with a proper diet.
• “I’m afraid I will hurt my knees.” The truth is with proper exercise form and correct weight selection, squats strengthen your knees.
• “They are hard on your spine.” Squatting should be done in a slow, controlled movement. When done in a proper form, they are not dangerous to your spine at all. There is no jarring action as in diving, basketball, tennis, or jogging.

Top reasons why you should squat

• You will see significant improvement faster than with any other leg exercise. Doing squats requires a high degree of neuromuscular control – this translates into more innervation than conventional movements and more muscle stimulation. This produces a rapid body change.
• Squats are great for stimulating your basal metabolic rate. They place a big work load on your body, literally turning it into a fat-burning machine.
• They increase your overall strength. Thanks to muscle synergism, other muscles are stimulated too, making you firmer faster. They will make your bones stronger too – especially if done with weights.
• Although they are an anaerobic exercise, by simple increase in the repetitions and shorter rest periods between sets, they can turn into a great aerobic routine.
• You will use a large amount of calories for squatting. They involve the biggest body muscles pushed to their max. Although sessions are usually short, the stimulating effects last hours after the workout. This translates into more calories used.
• They create a lasting physical change, giving a beautiful look to your legs and butt – firm and cellulite free. It’s a fact!

How to do squats for best results for toning and cellulite removal

Initially you can perform squats without any weights, but for best results you should be doing them with dumbbells in your hands or with a bar with weights, increasing the load as you get stronger. When using a bar, position it across your shoulders. You may want to use a rack to help you. Hold each end comfortably to steady it. Lift it off the rack and step away.

If you experience problems keeping your balance when squatting flat-footed, place a board under your heels.

Killer Squat – the Basic Squat. Place your feet about 6 inches apart and point your toes straight ahead. With your head up and back straight, bend your knees and lower yourself until your tights are parallel or below parallel. While squatting down, keep looking straight ahead and allow your upper body to bend forward a little. Control the movement all the way down. Push yourself up to return to the erect position. Repeat the motion 8-12 times. Take care not to bounce up from the bottom, lock your knees at the top or descent too quickly.

Killer Squat Variation 1. Place your feet 16 inches apart and point the toes strongly outward. With your head up and back straight, bend your knees and lower yourself to below parallel. Push yourself up again to return to the erect position. Take care not to lean forward; lock your knees at the top or descent too quickly. Repeat the motion 8-12 times.

Killer Squat Variation 2. Stand with your feet about 4 inches apart and with your toes slightly inward. Elevate your heels by stepping onto a three-quarter inch board. With your head up and back straight, bend your knees and lower yourself to below parallel. Make it a slow and controlled motion. Push yourself up again to return to the erect position. Repeat the motion 8-12 times.

Killer Squat Variation 3. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Point your toes straight ahead. Hold on to a steady object. Rise up on your toes, bend your knees, and slowly descend toward the floor. Tilt your upper body strongly backward. Keep going down, until your butt almost touches your heels. Pause for a moment, then come back up the same way. Don’t lock your knees at the top. Repeat the motion 8-12 times.

In conclusion

Squats are hard, there is no question about it. Many women prefer to continue to use the various ant-cellulite wraps, anti-cellulite creams, and lotions, or even liposuction surgery; hoping they will do their magic and reduce cellulite without any work or effort involved. If you are one of them, then good luck. But think about what your body may look like with a proper exercise routine. Is it worth the effort? I definitely think so!

To see real benefits from this you must also follow a healthy diet and make other lifestyle changes, or your results will be very limited. Read more in and Top Hamstring Exercises for Cellulite Removal, How to Get Rid of Cellulite the Old-fashioned way. To learn about other methods that you want to try, visit Body Wraps for Cellulite Removal and How to Get Rid of Cellulite.

Liposuction is a surgical procedure intended to remove fat deposits and shape the body. Fat is removed from under the skin with the use of a vacuum-suction canula (a hollow pen-like instrument) or using an ultrasonic probe that emulsifies (breaks up into small pieces) the fat and then removes it with suction.

If you have localized fat you may decide to have liposuction to remove fat from just one specific area. Keep in mind, thought, that liposuction is a procedure for shaping the body and is not recommended for weight loss.

Liposuction may be performed on the abdomen, hips, thighs, calves, arms, buttocks, back, neck, or face. A liposuction surgery may include more than one site, for instance, the abdomen, back, and thighs all on the same day.

Who performs liposuction and where is it performed?

Most liposuction procedures are performed by plastic surgeons or dermatologists. However, all that is required to perform liposuction is a medical degree, so any licensed physician may perform liposuction. It’s a good idea to find out all you can about a particular physician before considering him or her to perform your surgery. Check with your local licensing board, ask your physician how many procedures like yours has he/she done and request to see before and after photographs. Some professional organizations recommend special training for physicians, but it isn’t required by law. So the more information you can determine, the better you can feel about your procedure.

Don’t be afraid to ask your physician detailed questions about the surgery. Remember, you deserve to know the answers. Ask for in depth explanations of what your procedure consists of, what the risks are, and what results you can realistically expect.

Liposuction is a surgical procedure, so remember even the best screened patients under the care of the best trained and experienced physicians may experience complications as a result of liposuction. Emergencies may arise during any surgery and access to emergency medical equipment and/or a nearby hospital emergency room is important. These are things that you should ask your physician before the liposuction procedure.

Don’t base your decision simply on cost and remember that you don’t have to settle for the first doctor or procedure you investigate. The decision you make about liposuction surgery is an important one but not one that you must make right away.  Take your time to decide whether liposuction is right for you and whether you are willing to take the risks of undergoing liposuction for its benefits.

When is Liposuction not for me?

If you are considering liposuction as a means to lose weight, then liposuction is not for you. This is a procedure designed to shape the body and is not recommended for losing weight.

Cost is a huge factor to take under consideration. Since liposuction is primarily considered “cosmetic,” most medical insurance companies will not pay for the procedure placing the burden directly on you.

Complications can arise and are unavoidable in a percentage of all patients.

If you are on certain medications this may not be a procedure you should risk. Some of the considerations are:

Current infection
History of bleeding
Heart disease
Edema
Blood clotting medications
Anti-inflammatory agents
Anti-coagulants
Any medications that may interact with the drugs used during liposuction.

Your skin elasticity may not be adequate. Your doctor will evaluate the skin at the site where you are considering liposuction to determine if skin is elastic enough to shrink after liposuction. If it is not, it will be baggy after liposuction. This may cause you to have to consider plastic surgery to eliminate the excess skin.

Liposuction Risks

It is important to remember that liposuction is a surgical procedure and that there may be serious complications, including death.

Before you have liposuction, you should be aware of these risks and should weigh the risks and benefits. Don’t believe that complications “only happen to other people.” Try to avoid being influenced by friends that have had the procedure or doctors encouraging you to do so. Take your time deciding if you are willing to accept the risks of liposuction.

Before you undergo liposuction, you should have a complete physical exam so that your doctor can determine if you are an acceptable candidate for liposuction.

It is important for you to discuss any medical conditions that you have and to tell your doctor about any medications that you are taking including any herbal or other non-prescription ones. If your doctor decides that you can have liposuction, discuss the procedure thoroughly with him or her. Just because a physician says that you may have liposuction does not mean that you must decide to have liposuction. You may still change your mind even after discussing the procedure with a physician.

Your physician should be able to answer any questions that you have about liposuction including questions about what to expect during and after liposuction and the complications or problems that sometimes occur with liposuction. Some physicians will provide written information about liposuction.  

Have Realistic Expectations

While medical complications are important, the reason that people have liposuction surgery is for cosmetic reasons. The cosmetic effect after liposuction may be very good and many patients report being satisfied. However, it is possible that the cosmetic effect will not be what you expected. In other words, your appearance after liposuction may not be what you expected or wanted.

Some cosmetic shortcomings after liposuction include:

• There may be scars at the site where the doctor made the cut to insert the liposuction canula. These scars are usually small and fade with time but in some people, scars may be larger or more prominent.
• The liposuction site may have a wavy or bumpy appearance after liposuction.
• Liposuction results may not be permanent. If you gain weight after liposuction surgery, the fat may return to sites where you had liposuction or to other sites.
• Results may be less dramatic than what you were expecting and you may be disappointed.

The “make over” programs you may be watching on television give the impression that anyone and everyone is a candidate for a dramatic make over. Don’t enter into a decision based on what you see on television. The patients you see on television are the very best candidates in terms of health and other factors. They are selected based on the fact that their “before” and “after” will show drastic results. That just isn’t true for the average person.

What Are Some of the Alternatives?

Some of the alternatives to liposuction are:

• Eat a healthy diet with lots of fresh raw fruits and vegetables to lose some excess body fat and toxins
• Exercise more to strengthen muscles
• Learn to accept your body and appearance as it is
• Use clothing or makeup to downplay or emphasize body features that you don’t like
• Try some of the other methods that we discussed such as creams or body wrapping.

Read more on my blog How to Get Rid of Cellulite. To learn about other methods that you may try, visit Body Wraps for Cellulite Removal and other methods to Get Rid of Cellulite. Also readTop Hamstrings Exercises for Cellulite Reduction , Killer Cellulite Exercises For Your Legs and Butt.