Question 1: Although I am not overweight, I still have saddlebags. It seems to run in my family. I know you can't spot-reduce, but I was wondering whether they might be some kind of allergic reaction to food or something else? What can I do?

Question 2: How can you be thin all over but still have a lump of dimpled fat (cellulite) on the outside of your thighs? Should I take Cellasene? Do more cardio? What works?

If only I had the perfect answer for you. First, let's reiterate what we do know:

1. You absolutely can't spot-reduce. All the sit-ups in the world won't get rid of flab around the abs, and all the lunges and leg lifts in the world won't get rid of flab around the thighs. Does that mean you shouldn't do those exercises? Not at all. It just means you can't expect exercising the problem area to remove the fat around it.
2. Genetics do have a great influence on the way fat is distributed on your body. Your heritage isn't your destiny, but knowing what your tendencies are with regard to storing weight and building muscle can help you a lot in planning a diet and exercise regimen.
3. Cellulite is fat that has been trapped in fibrous pockets close to the skin. Like water in very shallow shaded creeks, it tends to stay put even when the rest of the river is drying up. Some people have put forth the theory that cellulite is a particular "kind" of fat, with a higher level of toxins stored in it, but this is pure armchair speculation.
   • Does Cellasene work? No. Save your money.
   • How can you actually have a lump of fat on the outside of your thighs when you're thin all over? You just can. During the New York City Marathon, a number of female runners who were making pretty darn good times still had "jiggly thighs." If you're "programmed" to store it there, it's very, very difficult to get it off, even if it's come off everywhere else.

So what can you do?

I think we can reasonably assume that many processes in the body, including fat breakdown and detoxification, could be slowed down or otherwise interfered with by food sensitivities, food allergies, improper digestion and absorption, or a poor diet. Why not give the caveman approach to eating a chance? Try eliminating as much of the modern-day processed and manufactured food products from your diet as possible. In my opinion, the best thing you can do for stubborn pockets of fat is to eat a diet free of possible allergens, processed and refined foods, sugar and other problem food products. You might even try temporarily removing some of the more "recent" arrivals on the nutritional evolution scene like wheat and dairy just to see what happens.

Will a caveman diet, coupled with the best exercise program you can manage, remove "saddlebags" or cellulite? Honestly, I don't know. But I do know that short of liposuction, it has the best chance of success.

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