If the excess fat in your rear end is becoming a pain in the butt, maybe it's time to stop sitting around and start moving around. A sedentary lifestyle and lack of exercise can result in weak glutes. Because your skin gradually loses elasticity and takes on the shape of your muscles, your tush might appear flabby and soft. To combat this, make targeted toning exercises part of your workout routine. With determination and consistency, your tush will appear smaller and might end up being your best accessory.
Spot Reduction
If spot reduction were possible, all women would be considered perfect, and problem areas wouldn't exist. Doing tush-toning exercises in the hopes of reducing the size of your rear end has its place in a workout routine, but to actually see results, you must blast away the excess fat covering your muscles. A whole-body approach is essential to achieve this, because you can't reduce fat in just one area. As your overall fat reduces, the fat in your bum will also diminish.
Reducing Fat
In addition to doing targeted exercises to tone your tush, doing at least 30 minutes of cardio on five days of the week, and strength training on two days, can burn calories, build muscle tissue and reduce body fat. When strength training, focus on working all major muscle groups, not just your gluteus muscles, or glutes. Cardio exercises, such as walking or jogging uphill, climbing stairs, riding a bike or using the elliptical machine, effectively engage your lower body, including your tush. Don't be scared to add some resistance when using cardio machines, because this also helps tone your butt muscles.
Tush-Toning Exercises
Effective tush-toning exercises stimulate muscle tissue, which takes up less space than fat, so your tush appears smaller. Include hip extensions in which you're on all fours and raise one leg behind you, bringing your thigh parallel to the floor and facing the bottom of your foot to the ceiling before returning it. Do lunges in which you step forward with one foot, flex your knees and lower your hips down. When your front thigh is parallel to the floor, push yourself back to the starting point. Stepups also fire up your glutes.
Considerations
A sensible diet can contribute to fat loss. Resisting those morning doughnuts, afternoon cookies and late-night munchies goes a long way. While you're working on toning and reducing your tush, clothes can give the impression that you've already reached your goal. Wide-legged or boot-cut pants can balance your lower body, while skirts made with heavy fabrics can add shape to your tush. Avoid pants with large pockets or oversize jackets, because these only make your tush look bigger; choose fitted jackets that slightly flare out at your waist.
References
Writer Bio
Kimberly Caines is a well traveled model, writer and licensed physical fitness trainer who was first published in 1997. Her work has appeared in the Dutch newspaper "De Overschiese Krant" and on various websites. Caines holds a degree in journalism from Mercurius College in Holland and is writing her first novel.