Cellulite Stories, Declassified (Codename: StrideRight)

I have to admit, StrideRight’s Cellulite Story makes me want to lace up my NB’s and take the dog for a good long walk.  Will you be joining me?

1. At what age did you first notice your cellulite? How would you describe it?

In my early teens, I noticed cellulite on the sides of my thighs when I would sit in a chair and on my bum when pinched.  When I was 19, I noticed when I sat down and peeked under my legs (don’t ask me what prompted this! ) I would see dimpling on the backs of my legs.

Also, when I was 19, I started walking alot. My new job was a cashier. I was always standing or bending. I would also walk to and from work. I rarely “sat,” either I walked or lied down. I am 5’8 and at the time was around 125 and all my cellulite went away. I couldn’t even pinch any of it. I had a really crappy diet (ate once a day after work something like bagels/cream cheese, Whoppers, candy bars), yet my cellulite went away. This is why I believe there is hope. I am really wondering if there is a link between sitting a lot versus walking a lot and rarely sitting.

My cellulite now is just plain gross. It is all over the fronts/back/and sides of my thighs without any pinching. My skin is also thin on my thighs and if pinched gets that old lady wrinkled look

2. How has your cellulite fluctuated over the years?

I mentioned I had it during my teens (I did a lot of sitting in my room, sitting in front of the tv, very little movement and a lot of eating! ) and then went away (see above). When I got my first sit down job (after only a month) I started to see the cellulite return and my bum dropped at least one inch.

I got pregnant at 21 and was on bed rest the final month. During the pregnancy I didn’t notice any cellulite return but once I got on bed rest (and gained 4lbs a week) I was pretty globby by the time I gave birth to my son. When my son was a little over a year old I got a full time sit down job. I had slimmed down to the low 130′s and yet I still had disfiguring cellulite all over my thighs . I am now 38 and it is still gross and horrible.

I started drinking coffee and smoking about 5 years ago. My thighs look the same as before these bad habits.

3. What do you suspect is your kryptonite?

I really am stumped by this. Yes, NOW I smoke and drink coffee but all through my 20′s I didn’t, yet still had globby cellulite all over my thighs. I’ve always been a big sugar eater.. and processed foods.
But(!) then you have my story when I was 19 and still ate pure crap and walked a lot and sat very little.
I could chalk it up to being 19 (hello.. youth?) but I had chunky cellulite when I was 15-19 years old.

I would say Sugar and Coffee. I DO try to use only Raw Turbinado sugar and organic half and half.

[Analyst's note: This is so interesting! At 19, the walking must have helped to increase your lymphatic flow enough to heal the cellulite.  It makes sense that after 30+ years of the standard modern diet, it could be tougher to get that lymph flowing freely again. Tough, but not impossible!]

4. What has been your experience with cellulite treatments?

Two summers ago I invested in three endermologie treatments. It was some sort of lymph system draining. The lady used this vacuum type apparatus and went over each leg for 30 minutes each. All I noticed was feeling moisturized but still very lumpy and bumpy. I also did the Clarin’s firming lotion treatments.  After the third treatment and seeing zero difference, I never went back for the fourth and final treatment.

The spa lady did say the skin on my thighs was deteriorating. She asked if I was on birth control pills (for the hormones).  I told her no as I had gotten off them a year before because I had been on them since I was 19 (I am 38 now). I had read on the Internet that birth control pills and those hormones can actually cause cellulite? I have been off them for 2 years and see zero difference but I remain off them anyways. The spa lady swore I needed to be on them to heal my skin/cellulite but, as I said, I still had this globby mess while I was on them for all those years.  I have a derma roller and a dry brush. I don’t do either on a regular basis.

[Analyst's note: Have you ever read the warning label on a pack of birth control pills? They are known to interfere with circulation. This was reason alone for me to quit the pills, even though my doc said they would help with my acne problem and irregular cycles. Much more on these issues in upcoming posts.]

5. What cellulite treatments are you planning to try next?

I am still convinced “something” happened when I walked all the time and sat rarely. I am going to give a real effort to walk 4 miles (about an hour) every morning and try to do the same in the evening. I am also ordering a colon cleanse by Dr. Natura.

[Analyst's note: Healthy digestion is an integral part of an effective cellulite treatment plan. Stay tuned for an upcoming series on how to foster healthy digestion without spending money on pricey supplements.]