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Episode
Get Rid Of Cellulite On Hips & Glutes (For Good)
~9 min
Episode Brief·YouTube

Get Rid Of Cellulite On Hips & Glutes (For Good)

Eric Berg
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TL;DR

The four things you'd lose by not watching

4 items

TL;DR

The four things you'd lose by not watching

4 items
1

Cellulite on hips and glutes is primarily driven by atrophy of muscle and fascia, not just excess fat; strengthening these tissues is essential.

2

A low-carb diet and intermittent fasting (ideally one meal a day) reduce insulin, allowing muscle rebuilding and fat loss.

3

Four resistance-band exercises target all three glute muscles and the surrounding fascia to restore tone and strength.

4

Mental visualization during exercises enhances results, as shown by a study referenced by Dr. Berg.

Protocols

Concrete recipes — what, when, how much, and why

4 items

Banded Clamshell

WhatLie on your side with a resistance band just above the knees. Fan the top knee outward slowly, then lower in a controlled manner. Repeat on both sides.
WhenPart of the four-exercise routine, no specific frequency given; implied regular routine.
DosePerform slow, controlled repetitions on each side. No rep count specified; continue until appropriately fatigued.
For whomWomen with cellulite on hips and outer thighs, especially those with weak glutes from sitting.
WhyTargets the outer part of the thigh and hip, activating the gluteus medius and helping to tone the fascia in that area.

This exercise isolates the frequently underused gluteus medius, which often atrophies due to prolonged sitting. As the muscle strengthens, it increases metabolic activity in the region, aiding fat burning. The fascia's contractile property means that with consistent use, the dimpled appearance can smooth out. The speaker warns that it feels very difficult initially but becomes easier over time.

Mechanism

By abducting the hip against band resistance, the outer glute muscles contract, pulling on the fascia. This repeated contraction strengthens the muscle fibers and tightens the connective tissue, counteracting atrophy.

This is going to specifically target the outer part of your thigh and your hip.

Also said
“If you've never done this before, it's actually very difficult, but over a period of time it'll be easier and easier and easier.”— Sets realistic expectations for difficulty.

Banded Glute Bridge

WhatLying on your back with band above knees, lift hips by contracting the buttocks. At the top of the movement, squeeze the glutes as hard as possible, then lower slowly.
WhenPart of the routine; sequence follows clamshell.
DoseControlled movements, no set number. Emphasize maximal contraction at the end of each rep.
For whomIndividuals with gluteal atrophy, especially those who sit for long periods.
WhyActivates the main gluteus maximus and helps rebuild strength and muscle mass in the buttocks.

The glute bridge is a fundamental movement to wake up the dormant glutes. By adding a band, the outer hips are engaged to maintain knee alignment. The instruction to contract as hard as possible at the peak ensures maximal motor unit activation, which is crucial for reversing atrophy. This focus on mind-muscle connection amplifies the effect.

Mechanism

Hip extension against band resistance triggers the gluteus maximus. The additional isometric squeeze at the top increases muscle fiber recruitment and blood flow, promoting hypertrophy and fascia tightening.

At the end of the movement, contract your buttocks as hard as you can, and then relax it, bring it down.

Lateral Band Walk

WhatWith band above knees, stand and take four to five slow, controlled steps to the right, then four to five steps to the left. Repeat back and forth.
WhenAs part of the routine.
DoseFour to five steps each direction, repeated back and forth with slow, controlled motions.
For whomThose seeking to tone the lateral hip area and smooth cellulite on outer thighs.
WhyCreates toning in the outside of the thighs and outer buttocks, targeting the glute medius and minimus.

This exercise is particularly valuable because it mimics the lateral stability function of the glutes, which weakens from prolonged sitting. Dr. Berg emphasizes slow, controlled motions to maximize time under tension, which is key for muscle rebuilding. The repetitive motion enhances blood flow and fascial remodeling in an area prone to cellulite.

Mechanism

Side-stepping under tension loads the hip abductors eccentrically and concentrically. This movement pattern is rare in daily life, effectively awakening atrophied fascia and muscle fibers on the side of the hip.

This exercise is really going to create toning in the outside of your thighs and the outside of your buttocks.

Deep Squat with Side Shift

WhatAssume a deep squat position with elbows inside knees. Shift your body weight slowly from left to right while maintaining the squat.
WhenFinal exercise of the routine.
DoseSlowly shift left and right in a controlled manner. No rep count given.
For whomAnyone with hip cellulite, especially if they also have lower back tightness.
WhyActivates a large range of muscles, including those in the lower back, and targets deep hip muscles often neglected, while also helping lower back pain.

Dr. Berg notes that this position activates muscles that haven't been worked in a long time, making it effective for restoring overall hip function. The elbows-between-knees setup helps maintain a neutral spine, and the weight shifting challenges stability, promoting proprioceptive feedback that further activates atrophied fibers.

Mechanism

The deep squat loads the entire posterior chain; the side shift creates a lateral and rotational component that engages the deeper gluteus minimus and external rotators. This combination improves muscle balance and fascial mobility.

Because you're in a squatting position, you're activating all sorts of muscles. It's also good for lower back pain and also to activate muscles that you probably haven't worked in a very long time.

What's new

Personal practice updates, fresh positions, predictions

2 items

Cellulite as atrophy of muscle and fascia

early in video

Cellulite is not just fat but a loss of protein in muscle and connective tissue (fascia), leading to a lack of strength and tone.

Why this matters: Challenges the common belief that cellulite is solely a fat issue; shifts focus to muscle strengthening and fascia health.

Background

Many women try dieting and cardio to lose cellulite, but often see no result because they are not addressing the underlying atrophy.

Dr. Berg explains that female bodies are designed to store fat in the hips and thighs for reproductive purposes, but cellulite forms when the muscle and connective tissue in those areas atrophy. The connective tissue called fascia acts like a wetsuit and contains contractile elements that can tighten with use. Atrophy means a loss of muscle protein thickness, causing the dimpled appearance. He emphasizes that simply losing weight won't fix cellulite because muscle is the metabolic driver that burns fat. Without rebuilding muscle, the fat remains marbled and untone. So the primary approach must be strengthening the glute and hip muscles, not just calorie reduction or general exercise. This reframes cellulite as a muscle-wasting condition much like sarcopenia in aging.

In reality, cellulite is a combination of atrophy or a loss of protein and the muscle and deep in the muscle fibers.

Also said
“It's not just a matter of losing weight, it's a matter of strengthening the muscle.”— Clarifies that weight loss alone is insufficient.
“If you go for weight loss without strengthening the muscle, it's probably not going to happen because the muscle is the metabolic driver of the burning of the fat.”— Explains the metabolic mechanism.

Mental focus and visualization for muscle activation

mid video before exercises

Deliberately visualizing the muscles getting toned during exercises can significantly improve outcomes, supported by a study.

Why this matters: Many viewers might dismiss mental focus as pseudoscience, but Dr. Berg cites a study and Arnold Schwarzenegger's practice.

Background

Common workout advice focuses on physical form, not the mental aspect.

Dr. Berg references Arnold Schwarzenegger, who used intense mental focus on the muscle being worked. He then mentions that a study shows when you visually intend and deliberately focus on the muscle during movement, significant improvements occur. He advises viewers to picture their hips and buttocks toning and getting stronger while performing the exercises. This mind-muscle connection is rarely emphasized in mainstream fitness for cellulite reduction, but Berg presents it as an actionable, evidence-backed strategy.

When you visually have intention and deliberately do a motion to create an effect and you focus on that, you will see significant improvements.

Also said
“Visually picture in your mind your hips and your buttocks getting toned, getting stronger, and envision the end results of what you want it to look like.”— Gives the precise instruction for the viewer.

Recommendations

Products, supplements, and tools mentioned in the episode

2 items

Resistance Band

Tool

A looped resistance band placed above the knees is essential for all four demonstrated exercises. No specific brand is mentioned.

The band provides external resistance that targets the hip abductors and glutes. Its use is critical because bodyweight squats alone may not adequately activate the atrophied muscles. The band's tension forces the glute medius to engage, which is often underactive.

vs alternatives

Compared to squats without a band, the banded exercises isolate the lateral hip muscles more effectively, addressing a key area of cellulite formation.

You'll take a band that's just above your knees.

Find Resistance

Low-Carb Diet with Intermittent Fasting (One Meal a Day)

Practice

Dr. Berg insists that high carbohydrate intake prevents muscle rebuilding and maintains inflammation, making dietary change mandatory for results.

He explains that high insulin from carbohydrates blocks muscle protein synthesis and keeps fat marbled in the midsection. A low-carb diet lowers insulin, while intermittent fasting—especially 23:1 (one meal a day)—further accelerates fat loss and muscle recovery. He presents this as a non-negotiable complement to the exercises. Without this dietary shift, the exercises alone will likely fail to produce visible changes.

vs alternatives

Compared to standard calorie-restricted diets, this approach specifically targets insulin, which he argues is the primary hormonal obstacle to muscle rebuilding and fat loss in the lower body.

If you're consuming higher amounts of carbohydrates, it's going to be very difficult to see changes. Because too much insulin from too many carbohydrates prevents the rebuilding of muscle, it keeps the inflammation high, and it keeps the fat marbled through your midsection.

Also said
“I would even recommend doing one meal a day and fasting for 23 hours if you really are serious about getting to your end result goal.”— Specifies the most aggressive protocol.
Find Low-Carb
Disclosed sponsorships1speaker disclosed

Dr. Berg's Supplement Line

Product Sponsored · disclosed

When asked what supplements he recommends, he directs viewers to his own products on Amazon without specifying which supplement for cellulite.

DisclosureDr. Berg says he is not biased of his own high-quality supplement line, but suggests viewers can search 'Dr. Berg supplements' on Amazon.

The mention is brief and lacks specific supplement names; he uses it as a general plug rather than a targeted recommendation for cellulite. The video's primary focus is exercise and diet, so supplements are secondary.

Of course, I'm not biased of my own high-quality supplement line, but if you go to Amazon and type Dr. Berg supplements, you'll find more information.

Find Dr.

Notable quotes

Lines worth pulling out — contrarian, specific, or perfectly phrased

4 items
In reality, cellulite is a combination of atrophy or a loss of protein and the muscle and deep in the muscle fibers.
Reframes cellulite as a muscle-wasting problem, not a cosmetic fat issue.
The number one killer for the glutes, the butt muscle, is sitting because that inactivates that glute muscle.
Pinpoints a modern lifestyle habit as the primary cause of glute atrophy.
Muscle is actually heavier by volume than fat. So, when you regain muscle back, are you going to lose more weight? Not necessarily.
Warns against fixating on the scale, encouraging a focus on strength and body composition.
If you're consuming higher amounts of carbohydrates... too much insulin from too many carbohydrates prevents the rebuilding of muscle, it keeps the inflammation high, and it keeps the fat marbled through your midsection.
Directly links diet to muscle atrophy and fat retention, emphasizing insulin's central role.

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Topics covered

cellulite-atrophyfascia-tighteningglute-muscle-anatomysitting-glute-inactivationmuscle-vs-fatlow-carb-dietintermittent-fastingone-meal-a-dayresistance-band-exercisesbanded-clamshellbanded-glute-bridgelateral-band-walkdeep-squat-side-shiftmind-muscle-connectionvisualization-for-strengthdr-berg-supplements
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