While some women idealise the slimmest of frames, and have their sights set on achieving a thigh gap and stick arms, there’s also a healthy portion of women who prefer a curvier look.
If you’re in the latter group and are not blessed with a curvaceous body, there are several ways to go about getting the frame you desire.
1. Exercises for bigger hips and bum
A bit of light exercise is the way forward when it comes to natural ways to get bigger hips and buttocks. You don’t need expensive gym memberships or personal trainers. Just add a few movements into your routine, and you’ll soon notice the difference.
Side lunge with dumbbells
- Start by standing straight, feet together, with a light- to-medium weight dumbbell in each hand.
- Leading with your right foot, begin to step out wide, directly to your right.
- Bend your knee and push your hips back. Drop your arms so they’re sandwiching your right leg.
- Keep your gaze forward.
- Prepare to return to start: Push off with your right foot and shift your weight to your left leg, returning to standing at center.
- Do 12 reps on each side for 3 sets.
Chair pose
- Start standing straight with your feet together and arms down by your sides.
- Keeping your feet stationary, bend your knees and send your arms straight out overhead. Your thighs should be as close to parallel as they’ll go.
- Keep your gaze straight ahead.
- Hold for 30 seconds.
Side leg lifts
- Lie down on a mat on your right side with your back, neck, and head in a neutral position.
- Rest your head on your arm, which should be extended above your head.
- Stack your legs on top of each other.
- Brace your core and begin to raise your left leg as high as you can. Pause at the top.
- Slowly return to the starting position.
- Do 15 reps with each leg for 3 sets.
Squats
- Start in an upright position with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Your toes should point out slightly.
- Bend your knees and push your hips and butt back as if you’re about to sit in a chair.
- Keep your chin tucked and neck neutral. Drop down until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
- Be sure to keep your weight in your heels and your knees bowed slightly outward.
- Extend your legs and return to an upright position.
- Complete 15 reps for 3 sets.
Glute bridge
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet planted on the floor. Place your arms at your sides with palms flat on the ground.
- Contract your abdominals and glute muscles, press your feet into the floor, and lift your hips off the floor. Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to knees.
- Pause at the top for 5 seconds, then slowly lower to the starting position.
- Complete 3 sets of 15 repetitions.
Jumping Squats
- Stand in a squat position with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, arms at your sides.
- Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to your knees. As you squat, move your arms out in front of you, palms together.
- Propel yourself up and off the ground. Try to push your feet at least 3 inches off the ground. Extend your arms to help with momentum.
- Squat back down with soft, bent knees, and repeat.
- Complete 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions.
Clamshells
- Start by lying on your left side with your legs stacked, head resting on your left arm, and right hand on your hip.
- Bend your hips and knees to make a 90-degree angle. Your feet should be in line with your butt.
- Engage your core and lift your right knee as high as you can while keeping your feet together. Keep your left knee in contact with the floor and hips stacked. Don’t rotate your hips back.
- Hold at the top for a few seconds before slowly lowering to the starting position.
- Complete 3 sets of 15 repetitions then repeat on the other side.
Walking lunge with weights
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms at your sides.
- Stand with feet about hip-distance apart. Step forward about 2 feet with your left foot.
- Bend your left knee toward the ground until it’s parallel to the floor. This is the forward lunge position.
- Pause and hold this position for a few seconds.
- Then take a step forward with your back (right) leg, and repeat the lunge leading with this leg.
- Repeat this walking lunge pattern, alternating legs for 20 repetitions (10 each leg).
- Complete 2 sets of 20 repetitions.
2. Diet for a slimmer waist
Maintaining a healthy weight is another way to keep your waist slender, and will help to accentuate the curves of your hips and buttocks. While if you are looking to drop a few pounds, don’t tie yourself to fad diets and harshly restrictive plans. The main change to make to your diet is to try and get your calories from a combination of the following foods:
- Fruits: berries, apples, bananas, oranges, pears
- Vegetables: leafy greens, sweet potatoes, broccoli, carrots
- Whole grains: whole-wheat bread, quinoa, oats, brown rice
- Lean protein: poultry, fish, lean red meat, legumes
- Low-fat dairy: low-fat or nonfat milk or yogurt
- Healthy fats: olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocado
Filling yourself up with fruit, leafy and low-starch vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, low-fat dairy and health fats, will help to keep your calorie intake down, help you stay full and lead to a health weight.
Cosets are the ultimate figure sculpting cheat! Put one on and you can instantly reduce your waistline and maximise the curves of your hips and buttocks. Beyond the instant effects, corsets can be used to train your waist to maintain a slimmer form.
Popularised by celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, waist training uses the more traditional steel boned corset, so the construction is strong enough to modify your shape. Be careful though, since you aren’t supposed to be in pain when using a corset, so if it does hurt, that’s a clear sign that it’s on too tight!
A final thought…
It’s important to note that we all come in different shapes and sizes, so any hip and bum gains will be highly related to our genes, so don’t stress if you stray away from your ideal shape. The grass isn’t always greener and there’s likely to be many women out there wishing they looked like you, just the way you are anyway!
