Have you ever looked at your body in a dressing room mirror and felt a wave of shame? I’ve been there too.

After struggling with body image through my tweens and teens, I had one of the biggest “wait… what?!” moments of my life backstage at a runway show in design school.

There I was, an eager student, helping out behind the scenes at a fashion show-a dream scenario for a girl from the sticks of Vermont who had grown up glued to glossy fashion magazines.

My job was to be a dresser—helping models quickly change between outfits before they strutted back onto the runway. And then it happened. Mid-change, as I slid a dress down from a model’s shoulders, I caught a flash of her thigh.

And there it was.

Cellulite.

My brain short-circuited. This was the ideal. The girl on the magazine covers, the one every ad promised we could become if only we bought the right cream, ate less, or squeezed in one more cardio workout (this was the early 2000s). And yet, there it was. Concrete, undeniable proof that all those promises were… not true.

That moment broke something open in me. I had spent years believing that if I just tried harder, looked better, did more, I could erase the evidence that my body was "flawed". But standing there, in the middle of fashion week chaos, I had a moment where I realized that perhaps the standards I had grown up with weren't actually based in reality. Maybe this wasn't a flaw...maybe it was just a real body.

And that’s the truth we rarely hear: Cellulite isn’t a failure. It isn’t a sign of laziness or lack of health. It’s a completely normal, natural characteristic of human skin, especially women’s.

 

So, What Is Cellulite Anyway? 

Let’s take the mystery out of this. Cellulite happens when fat deposits push up against connective tissue beneath the skin, creating a dimpled appearance. Women naturally have a different connective tissue structure than men—one that’s more vertical and open—making us biologically more likely to develop cellulite.

It’s not a punishment. It’s not unhealthy. It’s just physiology.

And here’s the kicker: up to 90% of women will experience cellulite after puberty. Olympic athletes have it. Victoria’s Secret models have it. Your strongest, most vibrant, most energized friends likely have it, too.

And here’s why: Cellulite isn’t about how hard you work, how healthy you eat, or how “disciplined” you are. It’s about biology.

Cellulite forms when fat pushes up against connective tissue beneath the skin. Women have vertical collagen bands that allow fat to protrude more visibly—while men’s connective tissue forms a crisscross pattern that holds fat in more evenly.

So even if a man and a woman have the exact same body fat percentage, she’s far more likely to have visible cellulite.

And even when women get incredibly lean—like visible-abs, low-body-fat, pro-athlete lean—cellulite can still show up. Because it’s not just about fat; it’s about skin thickness, hormones, connective tissue, and genetics.

In fact, if you lose weight quickly or your skin loses elasticity, cellulite can appear even more pronounced. One study in the Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy found that losing weight often doesn't reduce cellulite—and can sometimes make it more visible.

So let’s be clear:

• Cellulite is not a sign of being unfit.
• It’s not a health problem.
• It’s not something you earn by “letting yourself go.”

It’s a normal, natural part of the way many women’s bodies are built.

Even dermatologists agree: Non-invasive treatments offer minimal, short-term improvements at best. In fact, a top dermatologist once said, “If we could really erase cellulite, it would’ve happened by now.”

And yet, despite it being so normal, a massive industry thrives by convincing us it’s a flaw that needs fixing.

 

Shame Isn’t a Strategy

If you're thinking "Maybe all this is true, but if I stop being ashamed of my body, I'll just "let myself go" and it'll be even worse!",  you’re not alone... but you’re also not on a helpful path.

Studies show that body shame actually leads to avoidance, disordered eating, and less movement—not long-term wellness or joy. You cannot shame yourself into a body you love. But you can love yourself into better care: through kindness, consistency, and listening to what your body really needs.

This summer, can we try something radical together? Let’s stop waiting until we “fix” our bodies to enjoy them. Let’s decide that every body—cellulite, softness, curves, and all—is a summer body.

 

Simple Shifts to Reclaim Your Joy

1) Curate Your Feed.

If you’re constantly seeing filtered, photoshopped, and hyper-edited images of bodies that don’t reflect your reality, you’re training your brain to believe you’re not enough. Flip the script. Follow creators who celebrate real bodies. Ones that move joyfully, take up space unapologetically, and remind you what’s normal—not what’s profitable for the beauty industry.

2) Remember What Your Body Can Do.

Put on your swimsuit and stretch, dance, or walk barefoot in the grass. Let the sun kiss your skin. Feel the breeze on your shoulders. Let your body be a body—not a project. A living, moving miracle.

3) Choose Self-Care, Not Self-Criticism

Try this: as you apply your body oil, thank your legs for carrying you. Thank your arms for hugging loved ones. Thank your belly for digesting the meals that nourish you. You are not separate from nature—you are nature. And nature is never ashamed of how it blooms.

You don’t have to wait for a future version of yourself to start living fully.

Because here’s the truth: You’ve already arrived.

Your body is worthy of joy today. Your life is happening now.

This summer, let’s give ourselves full permission to exist without conditions. To show up in our skin, exactly as it is. To laugh in the sun, jump into the water, savor the fruit, and dance in your skin. And to know, deep down, that this body - right now - is the only one you need to have a beautiful, joy-filled summer. 

Every body is a summer body. Including yours.