I lost Weight, And I want my Bum back, but How ?
Getting in shape and losing weight can be an amazing accomplishment. However, it can sometimes lead to losing volume in places we don’t want, like our bum!
Having a rounded, lifted bum is desirable for many. If you’ve lost some of your booty along with the pounds, not to worry – you can get it back with some targeted exercises and lifestyle changes.
Why Did I Lose Volume in My Bum?
When you lose weight, you lose both fat and muscle all over your body. Our bums contain a lot of muscle, so it’s common for it to deflate when dropping pounds. Here’s a quick anatomy refresher:
- The gluteus maximus is the largest muscle in the bum. It shapes the rounded contour.
- The gluteus medius and minimus are smaller muscles that lift the bum and pull it outward.
- Fat provides padding and roundness over the muscles.
During weight loss, you burn fat all over the body. But if you’re not strength training, you’ll also break down glute muscles. This leads to a flat, saggy bum.
Genetics also play a role. Some naturally have more ample glutes, while others tend to store more fat and muscle in other areas. With the right exercise routine, anyone can build their booty back up!
My Weight Loss Journey Left Me Saggy
Two years ago, I decided to lose weight to improve my health. At 5’4″ and 178 pounds, I was obese. My diet consisted of fast food, soda, sweets, and enormous portions. I had very little muscle or strength. I knew I had to make some changes.
Over the next year, I lost over 50 pounds through:
- Counting calories and sticking to around 1500 per day
- Eliminating sugary drinks and reducing carb and fat intake
- Increasing protein like chicken, fish, Greek yogurt and eggs
- Doing cardio 4-5 days a week like jogging, biking and swimming
The weight came off relatively quickly and I was thrilled with my progress. I dropped several clothing sizes and loved how I looked in jeans.
But when I looked in the mirror from behind, I was disappointed. My once round, perky bum had totally deflated! All the fat loss left me saggy and flat.
My skinny jeans were baggy in the butt and thigh area. This made me self-conscious about wearing fitted dresses or swimsuits.
Realizing I had lost muscle mass along with fat, I knew I had to take action to lift and firm my bum again. Time to get to work!
Exercise Is Key for Building Your Glutes Back Up
You’ll need to incorporate strength training to regain the muscle you’ve lost. Focus on exercises that specifically target the glutes and surrounding muscles like the thighs and hamstrings. Aim to do 30-45 minutes of booty exercises 3-4 times per week along with cardio for fat burning. Great moves include:
Squats: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, engage your core and send hips back like sitting in a chair. Lower until thighs are parallel to floor. Press through your heels back to start. 3 sets of 12 reps. Can add weight by holding dumbbells at your sides. Hits the full glute muscles.
Lunges: Step forward with one foot, lowering until both knees are bent at 90 degree angles. Push back to start. Repeat on each side for 12 reps, 3 sets. Makes sure your front knee doesn’t go past toes. Gets glutes and outer thighs.
Hip Thrusts: Sit with shoulders against a bench, knees bent, feet on floor. Drive through heels to raise hips up, squeezing glutes at the top. 3 sets of 15 reps. Can place a barbell or weights across hips for added resistance. Targets upper glutes.
Donkey kicks: Get on all fours, hands under shoulders, knees under hips. Keeping a flat back, kick one leg straight back squeezing glute and thigh. Repeat with other leg. Do 3 sets of 15 kicks per side. Hits the stubborn upper outer glutes.
Side-Lying leg lifts: Lay on your side, bottom leg slightly bent for support. Keeping leg in line with body, lift top leg up and down for 15 reps. Switch sides. Gets the glute medius and minimus.
Bridges: Lying on back, knees bent, heels near bum, engage core and lift hips up into a bridge. Squeeze glutes at the top then lower down with control. Aim for 3 sets of 12-15 reps. Can make harder by doing single leg bridges.
Be sure to activate your glutes fully during these moves – I like to think “squeeze a penny between your cheeks!” Pay close attention to form to get the most benefit.
Diet Tips for Maximizing Your Booty-Building Efforts
Exercise is crucial, but nutrition plays an equally important role. Follow these diet strategies along with your training:
- Eat adequate protein – Aim for 0.5-1g of protein per pound of body weight daily. This provides amino acids to rebuild glute muscle. Get it from chicken, fish, eggs, beef, protein powder, Greek yogurt and cottage cheese.
- Consume complex carbs – Carbs fuel your workouts and aid muscle growth. Focus on whole grains like oats, quinoa, brown rice and whole wheat bread over processed carbs. Time carb intake around exercise for best results.
- Include healthy fats – Don’t fear fat! It provides calories for energy and is key for hormones. Enjoy nuts, seeds, olive oil, avocado and fatty fish.
- Eat above your weight loss calories – To build glutes, you need to eat in a slight surplus with enough protein. Increase daily calories by 200-300 over the amount that allowed steady weight loss. Adjust as needed to gain 0.5-1 pound per week.
- Hydrate! – Drinking adequate water keeps muscles full and minimizes bloating. Aim for at least eight 8-oz glasses daily.
Following an 80/20 approach has worked well for me – eat clean and targeted 80% of the time while allowing some flexibility 20% of the time. This creates the necessary calorie surplus while still enjoying treats in moderation.
Other Tips for a Rounder, Perkier Booty
Compliment your exercise and nutrition with these additional tips for maximizing your gains:
- Manage stress – High cortisol from stress inhibits muscle growth and promotes fat storage around the midsection. Make time for relaxing activities like, yoga, massage, meditation, etc.
- Get quality sleep – Aim for 7-9 hours per night. Growth hormone is released during deep sleep, aiding muscle repair and development. Lack of sleep can sabotage your booty goals!
- Wear booty-boosting undergarments – Shapewear, thigh bands and padded undies can provide extra lift while you’re still building muscle. Use strategically under dresses or tight pants.
- Give your bum a massage – Take a tennis ball or foam roller and lightly roll out your butt muscles after workouts when still warm. This improves circulation and reduces soreness.
- Take progress pics and measurements – The scale won’t tell the whole story. Take monthly pics to track aesthetic changes. Measure hips, thighs and bum to see if inches are increasing.
- Switch up your training – Try new equipment like resistance bands, a barbell or glute focused machine. Changing exercises and rep ranges helps “confuse” your muscles.
- Be patient! – Building glutes takes consistency over time. Stay motivated knowing your hard work will pay off down the road.
If you stick to a booty blasting routine 3-4 times per week along with proper nutrition, you should notice results in as little as 6 weeks. Continued progression over 3-6 months will really transform your backside. Don’t give up!
My Results after 6 Months of Hard Work
I won’t sugarcoat it – getting my booty gains took a lot of sweat, discipline and time. But it was one of the most rewarding experiences and has me feeling stronger and sexier than ever!
After struggling for years with shortness of breath and low energy, I finally made a commitment to taking better care of myself. I started keeping a food journal and was shocked to realize just how many extra calories I was mindlessly consuming each day.
Here’s what 6 months of dedicated training achieved:
- 15 pound gain on the scale but purely muscle, not fat
- 3 inch increase around my hips and bum
- 5 pound increase for my max on squats and hip thrusts
- Noticeable lift and roundness versus my previous flatness
- Had to buy all new jeans and pants to fit my perky, rounded backside
- Feeling confident and sexy in form-fitting dresses and swimwear again!
Final Thoughts
Even though losing weight has required work and commitment, it was one of the best decisions I’ve made. I finally feel free – physically and mentally – from the burden of carrying all that excess weight. And I can breathe clearly again, both literally and figuratively.
I’m so proud to have built this muscle through my own hard work. It’s motivating to think what another few months of training could achieve. My new glutes draw much more attention now – but for all the right reasons!
Don’t despair if you’ve lost your bum’s volume along with weight loss. With targeted exercise and diet strategies, you can absolutely get your sexy shape back. Consistency and dedication will restore roundness, lift and tone for an eye-catching rear view!