Dear Cassey: What’s the best exercise to get rid of cellulite?

Dear Cassey,Can you recommend the best exercises to get rid of cellulite?Searching For The Secret

Hey Searching!

I get this question A LOT! Cellulite makes anyone feel a little self-conscious, but it’s actually muchhhh more common than you might think. And there are some misconceptions about where it comes from and how to deal with it! So let’s do some myth busting and then I’ll give you a few tips that might help!

First, EVERYONE has cellulite. Everyone! And listen to this – it wasn’t even a “thing” until the early 1900’s. Before this, women were commonly painted with beautiful, dimply thighs and it was a celebrated part of being feminine. But then, the term “cellulite” was created basically just to sell spa treatments. And that’s when it became “unattractive.” Crazy, right?!

Now, there’s this idea that only people who are “overweight,” or have a higher body fat percentage have dimply thighs, hips and tummies, but that’s not necessarily true. It’s totally normal for people with a LOW body fat percentage have cellulite too. Cellulite itself isn’t actually fat! It’s the result fat cells pushing up between the fibers that connect muscle to skin.

It IS possible that having more fat cells in your body might actually just make the cellulite more prominent and noticeable, but body fat isn’t the only factor that determines if you have more or less cellulite than someone else. Other things that can cause more cellulite include:

GeneticsHormonesYour skin type/complexionAging

 

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I know – the fact that cellulite is purely cosmetic doesn’t make it any more loveable, right? We all want smoother, tighter skin! So back to your question – are there any exercises that specifically help to get rid of cellulite?

Not exactly.

So many factors go into what causes cellulite. Exercise COULD help. Since the appearance of cellulite really comes down to overall body fat, the best way to get rid of cellulite with exercise is …to reduce body fat! And doing that means you need a healthy diet, regular activity, and consistency. It’s not an overnight thing.

And remember – there is no spot training body fat! If you’ve been trying to lunge and squat your way to smoother thighs, it’s time to change your strategy a little Yes, building muscle can help with cellulite, but you can’t choose the area you want to target.

But the most important thing to remember is this: 80-90% percent of women have cellulite (!!!). Even though the highlight reel of social media may make it SEEM like a cellulite-free body is the norm, it’s really not. What you’re seeing most of the time is the work of good lighting, a tan, and probably a filter

PS – If you have a burning question you want to ask me, leave your questions below! I may answer it in an upcoming Dear Cassey post!