Skinny But Cellulite On Thighs – Skinny Fat Question

Heyyy. I am 33 years old and skinny with a BMI of 22.3, but I have cellulite on my thighs/upper legs and buttocks. Probably some thin fat as well. Over the years, I have tried everything to get rid of it. I read your site and now understand that cellulite and thin fat are types of skinny fat where I should have muscle tissue genetically.

Overall, I think my diet, exercise, and lifestyle are healthy. I probably occasionally drink a little too much alcohol and maybe should eat less fast, junk, and processed food. Although my carnivore-learning omnivore diet involves a fair share of organic and whole food. I am careful about being properly hydrated. I exercise 5 days per week, usually rotating my 3 days of 45 minutes of resistance training — weightlifting, calisthenics, and isometrics – with 2 days of cardio at 30 minutes per day, including walking, biking, and sports. My sleep is high quality, with 7.5 to 9.0 hours per night. Along with low stress. All of which, as I understand things, helps improve my metabolism.

I used to think that skinny fat was caused by diet, exercise, and lifestyle. It is somewhat of a relief now that I know it is genetic. However, is there anything I can do to fix it?

Skinny But Cellulite On Thighs – Skinny Fat Question

All in all, it sounds like your diet, exercise, and lifestyle are healthy. You are young enough and can likely still get away with fast, junk, and processed (UPF) food in moderation, as well as maybe occasional consumption of alcohol. Please note, the latest science (1, 2, 3) indicates that no amount of alcohol is healthy. Even if you cut out all fast/junk/processed foods and alcohol, your skinny fat (lack of genetic muscle) will not magically go away. As you now know, skinny fat is genetic (4, 5, 6, 7) and can only be reduced at this time. There is no FDA-approved way — any scientifically approved way at all — to permanently get rid of skinny fat; cellulite or thin fat.

You do not have any excess regular white/yellow fat, being within safe/normal BMI at 22.3. Losing more regular fat will not magically make your skinny fat (lack of genetic muscle) go away, though safe regular fat weight loss might help further reduce it to some degree. The fact is, the best way to reduce the cellulite and thin fat skinny fat (7, 8) on your thighs/upper legs and buttocks/glutes is to properly add muscle mass via specific resistance exercises (9, 10, 11). You do not have to necessarily bulk. The key is finding a balance between adding the right amount of muscle mass, then “toning” (less weight, higher reps) to get the look you want.

For your purposes, you can browse the specific exercises that will work for you, including weightlifting (12), calisthenics (13), and isometrics (14). Feel free to ask any questions in the comments below.

Reducing Skinny Fat – Skinny But Cellulite On Thighs

Keep in mind, adding muscle mass is not permanent (5, 8). Any muscle mass you add and “tone” you will have to maintain forever, or you will gradually lose it and eventually return to your original genetic body composition, including any skinny fat. The trick is figuring out how much time and hard work you are willing to do to ensure your efforts are as sustainable as possible.

Using the latest science, we developed the Scientific Health Quizzes to help you better understand your unique genetic body composition (particularly skinny fat/lack of genetic muscle), shape, and metabolism to figure out the best diet, exercise, and lifestyle for you in the short and long term. You can take each Quiz as many times as you want to track your progress over time. Free options are available. Accounts are free, anonymous, private, and secure.

References

1. NIH, National Library of Medicine, NPR News: No Amount Of Alcohol Is Good For Your Health, Global Study Says, August 24, 2018, Samantha Raphelson. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/search/research-news/1591/
2. Stanford Medicine, News Center: Alcohol consumption and your health: What the science says, August 2025, Sarah Williams. https://med.stanford.edu/news/insights/2025/08/alcohol-consumption-and-your-health–what-the-science-says.html
3. World Health Organization (WHO), Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health, January 4, 2023. https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/04-01-2023-no-level-of-alcohol-consumption-is-safe-for-our-health
4. Skinny Fat Science: Is Skinny Fat Genetic?, November 27, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/is-skinny-fat-genetic/
5. Skinny Fat Science: Is Muscle/Mass Genetic and How Does It Affect Skinny Fat?, November 20, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/is-muscle-mass-genetic-and-how-does-it-affect-skinny-fat/
6. Skinny Fat Science: Skinny Fat is a Lack of Genetic Muscle – Beyond Normal-Weight Obesity, August 13, 2025. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/skinny-fat-is-a-lack-of-genetic-muscle-beyond-normal-weight-obesity/
7. Skinny Fat Science: What Is Skinny Fat?, July 26, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/what-is-skinny-fat/
8. Skinny Fat Science: How To Fix Skinny Fat, July 27, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/how-to-fix-skinny-fat/
9. Skinny Fat Science: Video Category: All Resistance Exercises. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/video-category/all-resistance-exercises/
10. Skinny Fat Science: Best Skinny Fat Resistance Exercises, September 4, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/best-skinny-fat-resistance-exercises/
11. Skinny Fat Science: The Best Skinny Fat Exercise, According to Science, August 2, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/the-best-skinny-fat-exercise-according-to-science/
12. Skinny Fat Science: Resistance Training for Skinny Fat – Weight Lifting, 40 Optimal Exercises (with Images), May 7, 2025. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/resistance-training-for-skinny-fat-weight-lifting-40-optimal-exercises-with-images/
13. Skinny Fat Science: Resistance Training for Skinny Fat – Calisthenics, August 27, 2025. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/resistance-training-for-skinny-fat-calisthenics/
14. Skinny Fat Science: Resistance Training for Skinny Fat – Isometrics, October 8, 2025. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/resistance-training-for-skinny-fat-isometrics/