The hourglass figure has long been revered as the epitome of femininity and attractiveness, but it’s important to remember that every body is unique and beautiful in its own way. That being said, if you’re interested in achieving an hourglass figure, there are some diet, exercise, and clothing tips that may be helpful to you. It’s important to remember that these changes should be made for your own self-confidence and happiness, not to meet society’s narrow beauty standards. You deserve to feel good in your own skin, no matter what your body shape or size may be. With a little bit of effort and patience, you can learn how to embrace and enhance your natural curves.
Diet and Nutrition For An Hourglass Figure
Proper nutrition is an essential component of any healthy lifestyle, and it’s especially important if you’re striving for an hourglass figure. A balanced diet that includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains will provide your body with the nutrients it needs to function optimally. It’s also important to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day.
To slim down your waist and create more definition in your hourglass shape, it’s helpful to focus on low-calorie, nutrient-dense foods. Some examples of these types of foods include:
- Leafy greens like spinach and kale
- Berries such as strawberries and blueberries
- Lean proteins like chicken, fish, and tofu
- Whole grains like quinoa and brown rice
In addition to choosing the right types of foods, it’s also important to pay attention to portion sizes. It’s easy to overeat, especially when you’re eating high-calorie, processed foods. To help control portion sizes, try using a smaller plate or bowl, and be mindful of your hunger and fullness levels.
When women lose weight, it generally is lost in other parts of the body first. Much to a woman’s frustration, the fat in the hips and thighs is usually the last to go, and the most difficult to lose, as the body stores this valuable fat for the purpose of pregnancy and breastfeeding. According to Will Lassek, M.D., and Steven Gaulin, Ph.D. in the book, “Why Women Need Fat”, the fat that is stored in a women’s hips and thighs is rich in a very valuable substance that is concentrated in this part of the body. This fat is high in something called DHA, which is a component of the Omega 3 fatty acids in our diets.
In addition to a balanced diet, some studies have suggested that including estrogen-rich foods in your diet may help to increase the size of the breasts and hips, creating a more pronounced hourglass shape. Estrogen is a hormone that plays a role in the development of female secondary sexual characteristics, such as the breasts and hips.
Examples of estrogen-rich foods include:
- Soy products like tofu, edamame, and tempeh
- Flaxseeds
- Fruits like apples, cherries, and pears
- Vegetables like beets, carrots, and fennel
It’s important to note that the effects of estrogen on the body are complex and not fully understood, and more research is needed in this area. It’s also worth noting that estrogen levels can be influenced by a variety of factors, including genetics, age, and overall health. As with any dietary changes, it’s a good idea to consult with a healthcare professional before making any significant changes to your diet.
Pro Tip – Cut way back on the Omega 6 fats by avoiding processed grains and vegetable oils. Not only will you have a better body shape, but you will decrease the amount of inflammation and YOUR brain will be healthier and function better as well.
Healthy Nutrition to Lose Weight and Build Curves
Go for fresh foods, lots of greens, fruits, lean meats and whole grains. There are tons of diets out there, some fads, and some with rave reviews. I have friends who are on a low to no carbohydrate diet and some who have tried a raw food diet, but for me it was all about balance, which meant simply clean eating and portion control. I am a big believer that the amount of physical activity you do should directly correlate with how many calories you consume.
Getting into the right eating habits will not only help shed some of the pounds, but also promote hormonal balance. This is key for a female looking to maintain her curves. If your hormones are out of proportion, that could increase androgen levels. Androgens happen to be male hormones. Having an imbalance in this area can affect how your body deposits fats.
Balance Your Hormones
Estrogen is a female hormone that is responsible whether you get a curvy body or a formless body. In women whose estrogen levels are low, fat packs to wrong places. Women with elevated androgen levels (male hormones) are completely flat or formless, like boys. However, having estrogen levels that are too high can also cause obesity. This is why hormonal balance is so important. ( You can read about it in my last post.)
Estrogen influences fat deposits to hips, thighs and butt. Whereas androgen tends to send them to the upper body. That explains the difference in physique between men and women and why transgender individuals are often placed on estrogen medication, to help feminize their features and body shape.
If your estrogen levels are on the lower side, you can supplement your diet with foods and herbs that can help to replenish estrogen levels. Here are my favorite herbs that are traditionally used to increase curves. Always check with a doctor before beginning any supplement product.
Best Supplements For Natural Curve Enhancement
1) Maca
Maca is a root plant cultivated in South America and has been used by the natives for healing purposes and consumption as food. According to Cathy Wong, a licensed naturopathic doctor, some of the proposed benefits of maca root powder are helping to address issues of fatigue, certain symptoms of menopause and sexual dysfunction in men and women.
Certain studies have also linked maca root powder with helping to regulate and balance hormones in men and women. According to Vitaminstohealth.com, maca root works by telling your hypothalamus-pituitary gland when it is producing too much or too little of a particular hormone, helping to regulate that hormone.
The beauty of maca is that it contains no hormones unlike many other herbs that are traditionally used to increase curves. It works with your pituitary glands to promote hormones at optimal levels.
I get mine straight from Amazon:
The standard dosage for maca is 500mg daily and can be taken up to 3000mg or 6x daily. Anything more than that might be overkill. Maca is also a stimulant and has been reported to cause rapid heartbeats in women and the likelihood of this happening increases with a higher dose.
Maca can encourage a more feminine figure by helping to regulate your system and an increased estrogen level can mean more fat deposits in breasts, hips and the booty.
Now keep in mind, your body shape is not solely determined by your hormones. Genetics as well as bone structure are also huge factors. So you have to be realistic. The main point is promoting optimal hormonal balance can impact the shape of your body and a healthy diet can have a positive impact on hormonal levels.
Personally, I prefer maca in powder form and find that it absorbs better. It can be easily mixed into smoothies, almond milk or other fruit juices. Combining maca with strength training workouts that target areas such as glutes, thighs, hips and lower back to accentuate the curves, can produce fantastic results.
2) Fenugreek
Fenugreek contains a special component known as diosgenin that increases estrogen levels in the body, resulting in bigger breasts and fuller curves overall. Fenugreek does contain phytoestrogens that mimic human estrogens and help to regulate hormones. The standard dosage for fenugreek is 500-1,000mg daily
The one I get is the Soleray brand, you can find it in Wholefoods or directly from Amazon.
3) Saw Palmetto
Saw Palmetto is rich in a variety of potent ingredients. It has flavonoids, plant sterols and fatty acids. It is also brimming with polysaccharides, sugars that are effective in boosting the immune system.
Saw Palmetto is said to mimic the effects of estrogen which increase breast and butt size, especially in puberty and pregnancy. When you take Saw Palmetto supplements, you can spike up the estrogen levels in your body – therefore resulting in bigger butt and breasts.
Apart from increasing estrogen levels in the body, consuming Saw Palmetto also results in the production of prolactin, a hormone usually found in nursing mothers. This substance is the main reason why nursing mothers have bigger breasts and wider hips.
Again here is one I get from Amazon, or you can find it at Wholefoods:
Aside from helping enhance your curves, it’s also great for:
- Regulated Menstruation
- Cure for Acne
- Hair Growth
- Clearing Internal Passageways
The Fitness Plan to Lose Weight and Maintain Curves
In addition to diet, working out can help tone the right areas while lifting and emphasizing the others. A curvy silhouette is an hourglass in shape, defined shoulders, small waist and full hips, thighs and butt. Light cardio or running, accompanied by strength training, can accentuate your natural curves.
If you’re seriously looking to beef up the booty, then consider weightlifting. Anyone can add volume to any part of their body through targeted, intense weight training supplemented by protein shakes. It’s the same concept men use to build up their biceps or pecs.
Utilizing heavy weights, you work out the area you are looking to accentuate until the muscle is fatigued, this means heavier weights and less reps.
Best Exercise For Rounded Hips and Bigger Bottom
1)Sumo Squats
You may already be familiar with squats, the most popular exercise for building a bigger butt. Sumo squats are probably the best exercise for wider hips. They target your inner and outer hips and promote muscle growth in those areas. If you already do squats as part of your butt building routine, be sure to add so Sumos. The wider the stance the more you will target inner thighs. Sumos are great, they not only target the hips, they work out the entire body from butt to back.
2)Cable Hip Abductions
One of the best ways to target the hips. Hips abductions are not as easy as they look. They are also kind of tricky to do correctly. Even though they recommend higher reps, I would keep it moderate and use a body building approach. With a moderate weight try to do 3-5 sets of 8-10 reps. You want to add to resistance, without getting hurt. Never go too heavy and increase weight slowly thought out the month.
3) Wall Sits
Wall squats (also called wall sits) are the perfect exercise to strengthen your upper legs. Stand with your back against a wall, placing your feet about two feet out in front of you. Feet should be hip-distance apart. Bending your knees, slide your back down the wall until your knees are at 90-degree angles.
Stick to your routine, switch up your exercises, and always be increasing your weight. Reps for bodybuilding are 8-15, but before doing your set you should set a smaller range (for example, 10-12).
4) One Leg- Cable Kick Backs
This cable glute kickback effectively targets your glutes(butt) by isolating the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and your hamstring muscles.
It helps you develop shapely legs while increasing muscle tone of the lower body.
If you are performing this hips extension move on your leg day, add it to the last on your list.
The best way to see results is to progress every time with added weight once you get the proper form down. Make it your mission to progress in weight every time you do any exercise.
- Stand to face the weight stack and grasp the cable tower for support.
- With your knees slightly bent and your abs drawn in, slowly kick your right leg back until your hip is fully extended back with your glutes contracted.
- Pause for 1-2 seconds, then slowly bring your right leg back to the starting position and repeat.
- That’s one rep. Do 10-12 reps for 2-3 sets. Repeat on the other side.
Basically, in order to give a rounder, curvier appearance to the hips, the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, hip abductor, hip abductor, hamstrings, and quadriceps need to be worked (however, I notice that working the quads too much gives an odd appearance to the knees.)
The idea is, by tearing down the muscle fibers your body is forced to repair itself by building new muscles to support the strain, and over time, the area becomes thicker and thicker.
Immediately after working out the area, you drink a healthy protein shake which helps your body to repair and build up muscles in the region.
In addition to beefing up the butt, the aim should be a total body workout to shrink belly fat, pump up chest muscles as well as tone back fat, calves and arms. All these different factors will affect how curvy your body looks.
If you’ve ever seen a belly dancer, then you know it can go a long way to tone up the right areas, making the body appear curvy. I suggest combining cardio or running with some belly dancing lessons, which can be both exhilarating and fun.
Lastly, something that I believe to be highly important to maintaining a lovely, shapely physique is posture. Your curvy frame won’t look as alluring if you’re constantly slouched over. That is where a little bit of yoga 1-2 times a week can really help to stretch the muscles and encourage good posture.
Remember to achieve the best results you must be dedicated to working out, incorporating strength training, eating a right amount of fats and protein to enhance targeted muscle growth, and taking the supplements recommended. If there are any other comments and recommendations, please feel free to share your insight below!
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