How to Lose a Big Butt

Eat a healthy, reduced-calorie diet that includes vegetables, fruit, whole grains, low-fat dairy and lean meats. Limit foods with sugar, salt, cholesterol and saturated and trans fats. Choose low-calorie foods over high-calorie foods, eat smaller portions and indulge in unhealthy foods less often.

Jog for one hour per day five days a week. According to FitSugar, jogging is the most butt-intensive cardio that you can do. To add variety, exercise on the elliptical machine or go for a walk. Exercise at an intensity that allows you to talk but not sing.

Do strength-training exercises, such as biceps curls, lunges, pushups, triceps dips and situps at least two days per week. Target all the major muscle groups with weightlifting machines, free weights, your body weight or a resistance band. Strength training promotes caloric burn because having extra muscle tissue speeds up your resting metabolic rate so that you burn calories even when you're at rest. Complete three sets of eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise and use enough resistance so that the last repetition of each set is difficult to complete.

Perform bent-knee hip extensions, which according to the American Council on Exercise, are one of the most effective butt exercises. Targeted exercises stimulate muscle tissue and make your butt appear smaller because muscle tissue takes up less space than fat. Come down on all fours and contract your abdominals. Raise your left foot to the ceiling while keeping your left leg bent at the knee. Align the left thigh with your upper body and hold the contraction in your glutes for two seconds before lowering your leg to the starting position. Repeat the exercise eight to 12 times before switching to your right leg. Work your way up to finish three sets. For a greater challenge, place a dumbbell behind your knee.

Complete three sets of 12 stepups to help firm the buttocks. Stand in front of a 15-inch-high step and place your left foot on top of it. Push through your left heel to raise yourself onto the step. Step back down on the floor and repeat the exercise to complete one set before switching to your right leg. For an extra challenge, hold dumbbells in your hands. If you don't have a step, use a staircase.