Hi! Since you seem to be a fan of the Kardashians on your tumblr I’m guessing you’re asking me how to get a really big butt like Kim Kardashian, Nicki Minaj or Jennifer Lopez.

“Big butt potential” is controlled largely by genetics: it’s just the way these women bodies stock body fat. However, there are things you can do to give your butt more oomph ; it may not get as big as Kim’s but it will be your own version of a shapelier, rounder butt.

Building your glutes is key, and the way to accomplish that is to lift heavy weights 2-3 times a week. Ask a trainer at your gym to show you how to do squats, lunges and step-ups with weights. I like this glute routine a lot.

Eating more good carbs and more protein is the second part of the equation: your body can not build bigger glutes out of thin air, you have to supply the building material. Include a portion of protein in each meal or snack.   

Hi! Weight training with heavy weights + a vigorous cardio plan (intervals, HIIT, plyometrics) + a very clean diet will help reduce the appearance of cellulite. However, getting totally rid of it is very difficult.

I went to a big fitness expo in Germany a couple of weeks ago. Even female bodybuilders (women who train really hard, diet and take anabolic steroids that mimic the effect of male hormones in their body) still had some kind of subtle cellulite when looking closely.

People with no cellulite at all are either:
- born male
- females genetically gifted with very tight skin who follow an extremely active lifestyle and a very clean diet. 

Here are a few more tips beside training & nutrition: 

• Drink up. Proper hydration helps wash away toxins from the body and improves skin elasticity.
   
• Curb your stress. Stressing while sitting all day at work/school and eating sweets to feel better has a disastrous effect on cellulite.  

A few things that might help look more confident in a bikini:

• Rub it out. Massage has been shown to temporarily reduce the bumpy appearance of cellulite (but will not remove it). Exfoliate with a sugar scrub or loofah. 
   
• Creams and potions: to date, no cellulite-reducing cream has been proven to remove or reduce the amount of cellulite on anyone’s body. But creams can help smooth the appearance of the skin though, even if their effect is relatively limited. I like Garnier bodytonic roll on because it’s relatively cheap and easy to apply but you can’t expect extraordinary results.
   
• A spray tan can work like magic if you have pale skin: take a before and after picture to see the difference.

Hi Zahirah,

Donkey kicks, leg lifts and bridges are good exercises to isolate the glutes/butt muscles. However, doing these isolation exercises alone without doing any squats or lunges will not give you the best results.

Making yourself a workout routine is a bit like applying make-up:

- Exercises like squats and lunges are like foundation, concealer and unifying powder. These exercises are called compound exercises because they work different muscles at the same time. They are the “base” of your workout. It’s better to begin your workout with them when you’re still fresh.

- Isolation exercises (donkey kicks etc.) are like mascara, eyeshadow, eyeliner and lipstick. They’re the “finishing touches” that are going to help you look fabulous, but if you didn’t apply a good foundation before, you’re not going to look your best. 

The main difference between working out and applying make-up though is that you won’t notice a big difference immediately when you’re done with your workout. You may feel like your glutes are stronger after training for 2 weeks but it’s going to take an extra couple of weeks of hard work before other people notice the difference. 

Also, please take into account that increasing the resistance (using barbells, dumbbells or ankle weights) of all the glute exercises you perform is key to hit your glutes really hard. 

Since you’re at a normal weight for your height, you don’t need to focus on your weight to get a flat stomach. Just focus on being consistent, eating clean and getting your workouts done. 

Also, if weight-training is like make-up, cardio is a bit like a facial cleanser or an exfoliating cream. You can put the nicest make-up on, but if you don’t have clear skin, you’re not going to look your best. The same applies to cardio: you can weight-train but if you don’t do some cardio (or eat very clean) to help burn extra fat your glutes muscles won’t be able to “show-up” as much as you want when wearing a pair of jeans because they’ll be hidden under a layer of fat.

It’s totally normal and healthy for us women to have some fat on our butt, but getting rid of part of that fat will help your butt look tighter. 

I hope this helps a bit,

Elise