Hey all! In the last post we discussed what Nivea’s “Bikini Challenge” is and it’s first component, nutrition. Now we’re gonna take a look at the other three components; fitness, cellulite and style.
Fitness
Under the fitness tab, there are three different types of exercise routines in The Bikini Challenge: Cross training, bikini circuit and cardio interval. To break it down in Earn Your Cheat Day terms, it’s basically steady state cardio, circuit training, and High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) in the same order.
The “cross training” section calls for an hour of cardio workout such as biking, swimming, running, or doing yoga. Given the goals that women are looking to get out of this program, I would recommend that you take biking out of the picture. Riding a bicycle or exerbike will tend to build your leg muscles more, creating more muscular, yet larger leg muscles. The idea of yoga is an awesome way to lengthen and lean your muscles out, among other benefits.
The “bikini circuit” starts with 3 minutes of cardio to get your heart rate up, followed by a series of different circuit exercises in succession. From what I can see, this exercise hits every muscle except triceps (only gets somewhat of a workout on the push up portion). So, maybe alternate between regular push ups and push ups with your hands closer together (some people like to connect their index fingers and thumbs to create a “diamond” shape with their hands while doing this type of push up) in order to tone your triceps as well.
The “cardio interval” section is basically HIIT or High Intensity Interval Training, which is fantastic for toning up and gaining endurance. It’s exactly what it sounds like:
HIIT… is an exercise strategy that is intended to improve performance with short training sessions. A HIIT session involves a warmup period, several short, maximum-intensity efforts separated by moderate recovery intervals, and a cooldown period. The period of alternating effort and recovery intervals typically lasts a total of 15 minutes.” (Wikipedia)
Also, the fitness tab provides little suggestions along the way as well as some instructional fitness videos to help with form (yay!).
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Cellulite
Here’s where the products come into play, hahaha. Well, let’s look at the claim that Nivea makes about it’s “Goodbye Cellulite” gel:
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L-Carnitine is a substance which is naturally present in the skin. It is known to be involved in the fat metabolism – more specifically it supports the conversion of fat components into energy. A sufficient amount of L-Carnitine in the skin is therefore beneficial.
Let’s break this down one part at a time.
- First claim – “L-Carnitine…is naturally present in the skin” That’s true.
- Second claim – “It is known to be involved in… the conversion of fat components into energy” That’s true too!
- “A sufficient amount of L-Carnitine in the skin is therefore beneficial” That’s true too, but only that it’s beneficial to the skin in and of itself (and not the cure to cellulite)
So what then is the answer to reducing cellulite? In an article on Cellulite USA, they describe their take on cellulite reduction and specifically with creams:
In order for cellulite reduction to occur, one or more of these factors must be met. First, the fat cells in the subterraneous layer of fat must shrink significantly. Secondly, the fat cells must become separated from each other and have enough space between them for proper lymphatic drainage to occur. The body’s ability to drain unwanted toxins and lymphatic waste from the body must improve, reducing undesirable swelling in those areas of the body. Third, the connective tissues must stretch and become elongated, thereby improving skin tone and elasticity. Lastly, hormonal conditions must stop fluctuating and stabilize, reaching a better hormonal balance.
You may benefit from a mult-prong approach to cellulite reduction, because some of these treatments improve some of the above-mentioned factors, whereas other treatments focus primarily on the remaining elements.
Mostly, the cellulite creams are applied topically, directly on the individual’s skin, temporarily giving the illusion for a few hours that the skin holds a smoother, less dimpled appearance. Thereby, if you stop applying the cream, the bumpy, unslightly cellulite returns. In comparison to some of the other possible treatments, topical creams are a relatively inexpensive choice. ”
So it takes fat cells shrinking, fat cells separating, and connective tissues stretching to get results in reducing cellulite. Does the Bikini challenge accomplish this?? After carefully looking at all the parts (applicable to the body, hence no “Style” section needed) of the program, I would say yes it does, as long as you actually do the yoga part! The well-thought out exercise program will indeed help you reduce fat, while applying the Nivea cream will improve your skin, but only if you massage it into your skin using a good amount of force, and activities like Yoga and stretching before workouts (which you should always do) will help stretch the connective tissue. There you have it! In my humble opinion, The Bikini Challenge can be an effective program at reducing your cellulite appearance. However, it’s important to note that in order to prevent the occurrence of more cellulite in the future, the only proven method is a healthy diet and exercise regularly and consistently.
Style
This section is sort of the icing on the cake, so to speak… it doesn’t mean go eat cake! Rather, it provides cool little tips on fashion and appearance for women who are undertaking the bikini challenge. It helps you figure out what types of sunglasses you should buy for your face type, tanning suggestions, pedicure dos and don’ts, and of course, how to pick out the best bikini!
I would really recommend to everyone who decides to do this program that it’s a good idea to participate in this section of the program. It’s a great way to get excited about your first day on the beach or at the pool after you have attained your goal. That’s really an important part of health and fitness that shouldn’t be overlooked. That way, once you see the benefits of reaching your bikini challenge goal, you’ll want to set more loftier goals like leading a healthier, fitter and more fulfilling life!!!
Bikini Challenge Overall Rating
After researching and understanding the different parts of The Bikini Challenge and how they fit together, I would be inclined to recommend this to those people who may be scared of taking the first step into a healthier lifestyle. This seems like a very fun way to take those first steps into health and fitness. That’s a big message that I want to let people in on… health and fitness should be fun!! I really enjoy the benefits that being healthy and fit have provided me. I can join a sports league now and KNOW that I will be competitive from the get go. It’s a great feeling that makes me want to push even harder day in and day out. I hope that this program can give that feeling to you!!
photos by flickr users Eric Hamilton and karpidis
