Fit Momma Question: Cellulite?

Here's a beauty that I found in my inbox that got me thinking:

I feel like I'm a pretty in shape person and my workouts are always very intense and high calorie burning.  Why, oh why, do I have cellulite?  I know it has to do with what I eat, but it's not like I eat chocolate cake all day!   With bathing suit season around the corner, do you have any special workout techniques that work or is it simply food intake?

Years ago, I was getting ready in the buff (that used to happen a lot more in our pre-kid days) in our small bathroom. The I-hope-I'm-a-Doc-someday was fondly looking on and leaning against the door frame when he said, “You know the cutest thing about you?”

“Wha is tha?” I replied as I was leaning over the counter and applying mascara with my mouth wide open.

“Those totally adorable dimples in your buns.”

The mascara wand stopped in mid-air.

“Excuse me?” I asked as my head cocked to the side, making eye contact with him through the mirror. Maybe I hadn’t heard correctly.

“All those cute dimples and bumps in your buns. They are everywhere. I love those.”

“You mean my cottage cheese? Cellulite? Fat? WHAT KIND OF COMPLIMENT IS THAT?!?” I barked.

The entire conversation went down hill from there. He backpedaled and tried to explain what he meant: he loved me no matter what I looked like.  Completely embarrassed and offended,  I got dressed quickly and curtly informed him of some of the dos and don'ts when married to a female. Number Uno on the list of don’ts was DEFINITELY never acknowledge, mention, or bring attention to your wife’s cellulite. Sheesh.

However, the truth of the matter is: WE HAVE CELLULITE. Call it what you want - cottage cheese, dimples, orange peel syndrome, mattress phenomenon, hail damage -- we’ve got it alright. Thanks to our XX chromosomes, we are much more inclined to have and show cellulite than our XY husbands.

I worked at a public pool as a lifeguard and manager for seven years and through that experience I walked away with a certifiable degree in bodies.  I've seen them all.  Trust me, I am an expert in this department and KNOW that regardless of being thin or overweight -- we all claim some cellulite.  And to top it off, women are much more prone to sporting cellulite than their husbands.

Why is that?
Our skin is different. I’m not kidding! The structure of our skin structure is inherently different than men's. We are dealing with three layers here:

Photo courtesy of www.drlenkravitz.com

The epidermis --  HEY!  Your epidermis is showing! (remember that one?:)  This is the skin we see.

The dermis - Layer of skin loaded with hair follicles, sweat glands, nerves and connective tissues. This layer is thicker in men than it is in women, thus men's skin often appears smoother than ours.

The first layer of fat -- This is where the big difference is. In most men, the fibers in this layer of fat are arranged in a criss cross or diagonal pattern. This creates a much smoother texture of the skin. In women, the connective tissues under the skin are arranged vertically. We have basically little fat chambers lined up next to each other. This creates a very uneven and bumpy appearance.

So, between the thinner dermis layer and the structure of our first layer of fat, the end result is all that cellulite.   Lovely.

Can We Do Anything About This?
We can combat cellulite to some degree.  Can you guess what I'm going to say?

Watch your calories, eat clean

Do cardio most days a week

Lift weights

Hmmm, I've heard this tune before! :)

Save your money and don't waste it on creams and oils that claim to erase the bumps.  The best, most effective way to combat those cute dimples in your behind is to move your behind.  Weight training specifically is essential in order to combat cellulite. Since all that dermis and layer of fat is sitting on top of the muscles, the stronger and tighter the muscles are, the less bumpy that skin will appear.  It has also been shown that women athletes and those with lower body fat percentage have less cellulite.

Yes, the Doc learned his lesson long ago and wisely avoided this touchy topic ever since.  However, my kids still have a lot to learn about making candid observations about their mother's body.  I think I'll just shut the door to my bathroom and get ready in peace.

Here are a few good articles on this topic:
Cellulite: Everything You Want to Know and More
The Skinny on Cellulite


Hey, Fit Mommas, what do you think?  Comments are always welcome!


Thanks for the questions, my friends.  I really do love this stuff!  Feel free to send them my way...

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