From 1 episode and 1 video
How do I get rid of cellulite after 40?
Answered by Nikkiey Stott and her guests · Updated
The short answer
You probably won't erase cellulite completely, but you can reduce it. Nikkiey says the lasting approach is building muscle. Strength train with challenging weight at least four times a week, eat enough food with about your body weight in grams of protein, cut processed foods, and treat it as a lifestyle rather than a quick fix.
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Nikkiey on the kind of strength training that tightens skin and reduces cellulite
Plays from 12:44 · Ep. 44: How to Reduce Cellulite With Diet and Strength Training
Noticing cellulite change while still 40 pounds heavier, thanks to added muscle
Plays from 8:43 · Video: Getting Rid of Cellulite After 40 by Building Muscle
Nikkiey on why creams and lasers are a short-term fix compared to diet and lifestyle
Plays from 5:03 · Ep. 44: How to Reduce Cellulite With Diet and Strength Training
Why midlife women need more protein to build muscle, and why a deficit works against it
Plays from 15:19 · Video: Getting Rid of Cellulite After 40 by Building Muscle
The full answer
On Ep. 44, Nikkiey explains that cellulite forms when fat deposits push through the connective tissue under your skin. Genetics, hormone changes, diet, lifestyle and age all play a part. She's honest that most women will still have some as they age, but she's equally clear that it will reduce. Surgery, laser therapy, massage and creams may give you a short-term result. She compares them to sticking your body in a microwave. Changing your diet and lifestyle is slower, but it's the version that lasts.
Her plan has three parts:
- Strength train at least four times a week. That means picking up dumbbells and getting under a barbell with weight that challenges you, not workouts that are mostly metcons and HIIT. Use the other days for rest, walks, runs or whatever you enjoy.
- Eat to build muscle. Get rid of processed foods, eat enough to fuel your body, and make protein the priority. She suggests about your body weight in grams per day, so roughly 150 grams for a 150-pound woman, with carbs and fats filling out the rest.
- Commit to it as a lifestyle, not a short project.
The WarriorBabe video on cellulite after 40 shows what that looks like over time. The host did hours of cardio for 30 years and the cellulite stayed, because the cardio and restriction cost her muscle. Things changed when she ate 30 to 40 grams of protein at each meal and snack, aiming for her target weight in grams. She also made sure her last meal had enough protein for overnight repair. She says it's nearly impossible to build muscle in a calorie deficit. She noticed her cellulite changing while she was still 40 pounds heavier, as her skin clung closer to the muscle she'd built. For her it was a five-year process, and years two to five were when the results really compounded. If cellulite hasn't budged despite years of effort, it was the plan, not you.
From Nikkiey Stott and WarriorBabe's coaching. For education, not medical advice: talk to your doctor about your own health.
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How to Get Toned
Can you spot reduce fat with targeted exercises?
No. Nikkiey is clear that you can't target fat loss to one area. Planks won't burn belly fat and tricep work won't burn arm fat on their own. What works is training your whole body, especially with compound lifts, and eating enough protein to build muscle while you lose fat overall.
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How to Get Toned
What does toned actually mean?
Toned means you have developed, defined muscle and body fat low enough for that muscle to show. Nikkiey explains it isn't a scientific term but a marketing one. Physically it is just muscle plus leanness, so getting there takes strength training to build muscle and nutrition that lowers body fat, not chasing a lower number on the scale.
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How to Get Toned
Can you weigh more and look leaner?
Yes. Nikkiey started her journey at 140 pounds and skinny fat, and now weighs 145 to 150 pounds with a smaller waist, visible abs and stronger legs. Muscle is denser than fat and takes up far less space, so building it while losing fat can make you leaner even as the scale holds steady or rises.
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Watch or listen in full
More on this topic →
17 minHow to Reduce Cellulite With Diet and Strength Training
Episode 44 · Apr 19, 2023
26 minGetting Rid of Cellulite After 40 by Building Muscle
Video · May 27, 2026