Ugh. Cellulite. Yes, that unsightly, dimply-looking skin that everyone hates, yet so many of us deal with. To make matters worse, it is often on our thighs and buttocks. You work out hard, real hard. But is your cellulite getting worse with exercise? Many think so. In this article, I will share what causes cellulite and ways to reduce it with leading experts.
Let’s get started.
From the Mayo Clinic, “Cellulite is a very common, harmless skin condition that causes lumpy, dimpled flesh on the thighs, hips, buttocks, and abdomen. The condition is most prevalent in women.
Many people try, with variable success, to improve the appearance of their skin through weight loss, exercise, massage, and creams marketed as a solution to cellulite.”[1]
From Healthline.com, “Cellulite is caused by a buildup of fat underneath the skin. Some women are more predisposed to it than others. The amount of cellulite you have and how noticeable it is can be based on your genes, body fat percentage, and age. The thickness of your skin also affects the appearance of cellulite.”[2]
Cellulite is just normal fat. It looks lumpy because it presses against connective tissue, resulting in the skin above it to pucker.
Whether you’re heavy or thin, you can get cellulite. Muscle tone can affect it, and very fit people sometimes have it. Hormonal factors and genetics both play a role. It might also be related to the thickness of your skin. Women are more likely to get it than men. It tends to form more as you get older.
Lifestyle factors may play a role. For example, cellulite may be related to:
- Unhealthy diet
- Fad dieting
- Slow metabolism
- Lack of physical activity
- Dehydration
- Total body fat (But at least one study showed that losing weight doesn’t change cellulite.)[3]
So, why is your cellulite getting worse with exercise?
As we talked about before, several factors impact why some people have cellulite and others don’t.
Genetics certainly plays a role. However, there is not much you can do about this so let’s focus our energy on the causes of cellulite which you can do something about.
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Poor Diet. You’ve probably heard the expression, “you can’t out-exercise a bad diet.” Yes, great bodies are made in the kitchen. This is especially true if you are no longer a teenager with a raging metabolism.
Regardless of how intense you work out, it is extremely easy to overeat and thus, eat more calories than you burn. Even marathon runners, who you would think could eat anything they wanted due to the nature of their activity, still have to carefully monitor what they eat to avoid excess weight gain.
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Exercise fires up your metabolism, as well as your post-workout appetite. Not only do athletic people still have to watch how much they eat, but also the quality of the food they consume.
Too much sugar. From Lipotherapeia, …“sugar is the number one cause of cellulite today and the increase of the appearance of cellulite in women in the mid-twentieth century has coincided with the increase in the consumption of various types of sugars, including sucrose (plain sugar), fructose, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), etc.”[4]
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Doing the wrong type of exercise. There’s no way to prevent cellulite, according to the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, and it’s a very common condition. The risk increases with age and certain lifestyle factors.
While you can’t control your age, you can make some changes to your lifestyle that may help reduce the amount of cellulite on your thighs and buttocks, as well as other parts of your body. These changes can include things like starting a regular exercise program and a nutritious diet.
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When it comes to exercise, the most efficient or quickest way to reduce the appearance of cellulite is through strength training.
The use of free weights is a great way to build muscle strength and tighten the skin up around the thigh and buttocks areas. Free weights are easy to use and quite inexpensive for those who like to work out at home.
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Other products that can reduce the appearance of cellulite
Self-tanning lotions. Tanning gives you a darker hue, which reduces the appearance of cellulite. The reason for this phenomenon is darker skin conceals the skin’s texture more than lighter complexions.
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Here are some of our favorite self-tanning lotions:
- SELF TANNER BODY LOTION - Create a flawless light bronze tan with gradual, natural-looking color while nourishing and hydrating dry and extra dry skin
- FIRMING TAN LOTION - Infused with antioxidants and Coconut Water, Jergens +FIRMING Moisturizer’s hydrating blend of nutrients boosts moisturization for healthier looking skin and daily skin hydration.
- CELLULITE REMOVER - Infused with collagen, elastin, and green tea infusions, our fast-acting, anti cellulite formula will help reduce cellulite appearance within 7 days
- A NATURAL, SUN-KISSED GLOW: Goodbye to orange hues and hello to a natural-looking tan. Our bronzing tanning lotion comes in fair to medium & medium to dark shades for all skin types.
- CLEAN BEAUTY: Trust Beauty by Earth for a natural self tanner organic made with organic aloe vera, shea butter, and botanical extracts without any harmful additives or dyes.
- SUITABLE FOR FACE & BODY: Our organic tanning lotion can be used on both face and body for a seamless, all-over tan. For acne-prone skin, use our tanner lotion for glowing skin.
- PAMPER YOUR SKIN - Tan Physics replenishes and hydrates your skin with proven natural ingredients including Argan Oil, Coconut Oil, Natural Caramel & Sugars, Organic Aloe Vera, and Hydrolyzed Collagen
Cellulite creams. There are many anti-cellulite creams on the market, which reduce the appearance of cellulite by firming the skin as well as moisturizing it.
Here are some of our favorite anti-cellulite creams:
- GET HEALTHY SLIM - Enjoy perfectly smooth skin and vital shapes with VIOFAIRY Naturals Anti-Cellulite cream! Made with unique slimming formula, this product works like skin tightening cream quickly firming body in problem areas. Get the shape of your dream with ease and restore your confidence!
- BEAUTIFUL FORMS WITH LESS EFFORTS -Supports and promotes motivation and sweat. Make every visit to gym worth it! VIOFAIRY Naturals ultimate formula eliminates cellulite completely by breaking down fat cells in hips, thighs, buttocks, and abdomen. Kick early and stubborn cellulite.
- Caffeine Cellulite Cream - VIOFAIRY hot cream is developed to firm and improve the overall quality of problem skin areas, contributing to the disappearance of visible signs of cellulite. Our skin tightening cream with caffeine stimulates blood circulation and lymphatic drainage, smoothing skin.
- All It Takes For Skin Tightening – The goal of a firm and youthful tummy, thighs, upper arms, and bum can be a massage away. Promote a skin profile you will feel proud of with your Slim & Contour Sculpting Gel from reShape+!
- Goodbye, Loose Skin – Target stretch marks, varicose veins, and cellulite. This body sculpting cream helps address these complaints by improving circulation with caffeine.
- Glow Up – Dreaming of soft, radiant skin? Make it yours with your contouring gel. Lightweight and warming, it helps nurture silky, dewy skin by reinstating moisture with aloe vera.
- Stimulates faster burning of subcutaneous fat tissue
- Eliminates cellulite swelling and heavy legs feeling. Gradual release mechanism through the night, ensures spectacular firming and smoothing skin surface effect
- NIGHT LIPO SHOCK THERAPY is an advanced product for intensive slimming and firming therapy. It's recommended for use during dieting, increased physical activity, and as supplementation of daily anti-cellulite treatment
Anti-cellulite massagers. These massagers work by naturally drawing the toxins from your deep tissue using utility and eliminating the fluid retention and creating the sculpting, contouring effect.
- Advanced Lymphatic Drainage & Detox Massage – Reduce Swelling & Water Retention: This lymphatic drainage massager uses multi-needle precision massage and Bioelectric SoothingPulse to deeply boost lymphatic flow, helping reduce swelling, water retention, and bloating. The enhanced detox process promotes better circulation, leaving your body feeling lighter, sculpted, and energized.
- Anti-Cellulite Technology – Smooth & Tighten Your Skin: This cellulite massager combines light, heat, vibration, and SoothingPulse to target stubborn cellulite & stretch marks. It boosts circulation, enhances collagen production, and improves skin elasticity, leaving you with firmer, more toned, and smoother skin. Ideal for legs, arms, stomach, thighs & waist.
- Rechargeable & Wireless – Easy Self-Care Anywhere: This anti-cellulite massage tool is rechargeable and portable, making it perfect for use at home, in the office, or while traveling. No complicated setup required—just turn it on for an instant body-sculpting massage experience.
- Advanced Lymphatic Drainage & Detox Massage：Uses multi-needle precision and Bioelectric SoothingPulse to enhance lymphatic flow, reducing swelling, water retention, and bloating. Promotes detox for a lighter, sculpted body
- Rechargeable & Wireless Portability：Cordless design for home, office, or travel. Instant body-sculpting massage with no setup required.
- Anti-Cellulite Technology：Combines light, heat, vibration, and SoothingPulse to target cellulite and stretch marks. Boosts circulation, collagen production, and skin elasticity for firmer, smoother skin.
- [Cupping That Works for Fat Loss]: This cellulite massager, inspired by traditional cupping, uses gentle yet powerful suction to get your blood flowing and target stubborn fat. It helps speed up your metabolism and makes slimming down feel way easier—just a few minutes a day can make a real difference
- [Powerful Massage Tool]: This electric cellulite massage device features natural bian stones, eight rolling steel balls, and a soothing heat setting that quickly relaxes muscles and boosts blood flow. It’s your go-to device for easy, effective at-home massages and gua sha-style relief
- [Upgraded Suction Power]: We’ve improved the suction on this cellulite suction cup massager by dialing down the lower levels to be gentler for first-time users. But when you crank it up to level 12, it delivers suction just as strong as other top models. This means less risk of discomfort for new users while still meeting the needs of users who can handle stronger suction
References
[1] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cellulite/symptoms-causes/syc-20354945
[2] https://www.healthline.com/health/cellulite
[3] https://www.webmd.com/beauty/get-rid-of-cellulite#1
[4] https://www.lipotherapeia.com/the-peach-factor-blog/sugar-and-cellulite
Claudia Faucher is a full-time fitness training expert and lifestyle blogger. She is also been a certified Les Mills BodyPump instructor for the past 5 years and a fitness instructor for over 20 years. Claudia is a personal trainer and creates fitness training programs for seniors and people of all ages. She likes to use her skills and experiences to help others on their fitness journeys.
Last update on 2025-09-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API