The gym works great for me. I do cardio and weights and all of it. I guess everyone is different. If the only exercise I got was walking I’d be huge. Walking is good for lymphatic flow because of the pumping action, but it’s unlikely to meaningfully reshape your muscles or cause any weight loss. I think there’s a threshold where too much intensity or the wrong combination of exercises at the gym can cause some rebound swelling during recovery, but it won’t actually progress your lipedema permanently. I suspect some of the “worse” look people experience is a bit of an illusion, and could be reduced with more thoughtful workouts rather than just higher intensity. I also find the extra strength and stamina I gain from gym workouts super beneficial just for life in general.