Kristen Fleming holds a Master of Science in Nutrition. Over her 8 years of experience in dietetics, she has made significant contributions in clinical, community, and editorial settings. With 2 years as a clinical dietitian in an inpatient setting, 2 years in community health education, and 4 years of editorial experience focusing on nutrition and health-related content, Kristen's expertise is multifaceted.
Perhaps this happens to you: post after post you’re reminded on your Instagram timeline or explore page about girls in tight biker or gym shorts with round, high-sitting booties living the good life, telling you to do 100 squats a day to look like them. But wait, have you ever thought that your diet could play a role in how you achieve a perky booty? If so, what foods help you get thick? You will be surprised to find out that your perky butt foods have been sitting in your pantry and fridge all along.
Since the early 2010s – and thanks to some popular reality TV stars – having a bigger and high-sitting butt has continued to gain popularity. Hashtags such as #thick #slimthick have taken over our timelines, and honestly, we all wish we could get that look.
The good news is that you don’t have to break the bank or sell your soul to pay a surgeon to give you a Brazilian butt lift (BBL), liposuction, or fat transfer to your thighs to achieve this very desirable look. Getting a bigger and perkier butt, as well as thicker thighs to match, is something that can be done at home
How Can Foods Help You Get Thick?
The thought of how foods could help you get thick can be pretty confusing when you think about your butt in terms of flesh and fat. What most people tend to disregard is that the butt is also made up of muscles. The primary ones are the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus (10), and they all lie under a layer of fat. When thinking about what foods to help you get thick, you should realize that some food options are helpful with increased muscle recovery and growth and aiding the increased fat in the buttocks, giving you the thick bum of your dreams.
What Are Some Kinds of Foods That Help You Get Thicker?
Here are some foods that you should consume regularly to ensure your booty will continue to get bigger and plumper:
Spinach
Spinach is a low-calorie, dark, leafy green vegetable that is considered a superfood as it contains numerous minerals. This vegetable is packed with protein, calcium, vitamin K, iron, magnesium, vitamin A, phosphorus, potassium, fiber, and folate (5).
In addition, spinach also has a naturally occurring phytosteroid that is known as ecdysterone. Research has suggested that consuming this extract as a supplement leads to an increase in muscle mass and higher sports performance (11). This could mean that the phytosteroid in spinach may be a useful addition to your muscle-building exercise routine. However, this doesn’t mean you have to look for this supplement all by itself at your closest pharmacy. Simply increase spinach intake by having it in your sandwiches, salads, egg scrambles, and smoothies.
Salmon
Salmon is a great food option for anyone who wants to maintain, lose, or gain weight. Nutrition-wise, it’s rich in healthy fats and protein, and is free of carbs, sugar, and fiber (9). However, when it comes to building your glutes, your body really needs the omega-3 fatty acids that are in this fish.
Some evidence has suggested that omega-3 fatty acids may reduce muscle soreness and improve workout performance. They’ve also been suggested to help preserve muscle mass during aging or illness (13). More research is required to determine their effects on muscle size and strength in healthy, young people. However, salmon and other fatty fish are still great sources of protein, which is essential for muscle building, and their healthy fats are important nutrients, which are good for us for many reasons.
Eggs are among bodybuilders’ favorite foods due to their impressive nutritional facts. One egg has approximately 7 grams of high-quality protein, 5 grams of fat, and 1.6 grams of saturated fat, lutein, iron, minerals, zeaxanthin, vitamins, and carotenoids (4).
In 2017, a study found that people who consumed approximately 18 g of protein from whole eggs after a workout experienced greater muscle protein synthesis than those who ate the same amount of protein from egg whites. For better protein synthesis in the muscle, it’s also advisable to eat the whole egg instead of just egg whites, as most people tend to do (18). In light of this, whole eggs should undoubtedly be on your list of foods to help you get thick.
Common legumes include mung beans, chickpeas, peas, lentils, kidney, lima, black beans, and soybeans. These foods are high in proteins and healthy complex carbs. They also provide your body with minerals such as magnesium, potassium, calcium, and iron.
When it comes to growing your booty, legumes are perfect due to their high quantity of protein. A high protein intake helps increase your muscle gains and strength, especially when combined with resistance or weight training (3).
Brown Rice
Athletes may choose white over brown rice (14), but this is because they need way more quick-digesting carbs than an average person at your local gym. As you don’t have the exact daily energy needs as professional athletes, brown rice may be better for you.
When it comes to growing your bum, eating some of this rice before an exercise may be beneficial. It has branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), which reduce muscle damage and fatigue and help with muscle recovery (8). Brown rice is also a source of protein (1), which, as we know, is great for muscle growth.
Nuts or Nut Butter
These come in different types: pistachios, walnuts, almonds, cashews, pecans, macadamia nuts, peanuts, and hazelnuts. Not only do they contain healthy fats, fiber, and minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus, they’re also a fantastic source of plant-based proteins (17). Due to their protein content, they can help boost growth in your glutes.
Chicken Breast
3 oz (85 grams) of skinless, boneless chicken breast contains 133 calories, 3 g of fat, 27 g of protein, and 0 g of fiber and carbs. It also has selenium, phosphorus, vitamin B6, and niacin (2). The high protein content of the breast makes it an excellent option for a post-workout meal, as protein can help build muscle mass (12).
Whey Protein
Most fitness enthusiasts have a massive jar of one kind of protein powder or another in their cupboards. As the name suggests, this is an excellent source of protein. Combined with working out, whey protein can help improve muscle protein synthesis and promote the growth of lean tissue mass (16), which can contribute to booty growth.
If you don’t like rice, quinoa is another option. 1 cup (185 g) of this grain has approximately 8 g of protein. Not only is it high in protein, it’s also one of the few plant-based sources of all the essential amino acids. Quinoa is also a great source of vitamins and minerals such as iron, magnesium, and manganese, which help with development, healthy metabolism, and muscle metabolism (6).
Tofu
This is a favorite among vegans who want to derive all their proteins from plants. 81 g of this soy-based protein has 8 g of protein, 2 g of carbs, and 4 g of fat (15).
Milk
Yes, milk can help your butt get more prominent. Milk is another excellent source of high-quality protein. Consuming protein after working out helps build muscle through increased muscle protein synthesis (7). The foods you should consume to get thick must be healthy and full of proteins, which will help with muscle gains
The same types of foods you would consume to get a bigger butt are the same ones that are required for thicker thighs. Foods and meals that are high in protein should definitely be your go-to for thicker thighs and a rounder butt. Resistance-training exercise is the other piece of the puzzle to increase the size of the underlying muscles in those areas.
What Drinks Make You Thicker?
You must focus on your intake of fluids throughout the day to keep yourself hydrated. The usual fluids people consume every day include water, tea, coffee, and sugary drinks. Sugary beverages barely have any nutritional value. However, water provides hydration, while milk and protein shakes tend to provide more nourishment and can help you bulk up the right way.
Check out these three shakes and their primary ingredients that could help with healthy weight gain:
Chocolate Shake
1 cup chocolate milk
1 scoop protein powder
3 slabs of dark chocolate
Banana Nut Butter Shake
(Blended shake)
1 cup chocolate milk
1 scoop protein powder
1 banana
2 tablespoons peanut or almond butter
Oatmeal Shake
Toppings: 1 tablespoon brown sugar or 1 tablespoon raisins
1 cup chocolate milk
1 package of instant oatmeal
These recipes are packed with nutrition, so skip the “light” or low-fat options. You can substitute dairy with soy or nut milk, yogurt, or milk powder if preferred, but you should keep in mind that these alternatives may be lower in calories or protein in some cases.
Feel free to get creative and customize these high-calorie drink recipes to your taste. Enjoy them after a workout to replenish your energy and provide protein for muscle building. You can also check out the clean bulking meal plan for building lean muscle to get more insights into how you can improve your muscle mass without chugging unhealthy drinks.
If you’re confused about how to incorporate some booty-bulking foods into your diet, you shouldn’t be. Try these healthy, nutritious foods that help promote muscle growth. You can easily tailor your everyday meals by incorporating these foods to help you get thick.
Here’s a quick one-day meal plan to get you started. Firstly, remember that you should always try to eat within your total recommended calorie intake to experience gains in your booty. It’s always best to meet with a dietitian or use a fitness or calorie-counter app to ensure that you’re not under or overeating. Make sure to adjust these meal options and quantities to suit your needs.
Breakfast – Protein banana pancakes, scrambled eggs, and a cup of unsweetened coffee
For the pancakes – 1 cup of your favorite protein powder, 1 banana (preferably an overripe one), and 1 whole egg. Blend them all together into a smooth batter. You can add some water to achieve your desired consistency.
Snack – Post-workout protein shake
1 scoop of protein powder with some water.
Lunch – Oven-baked chicken breast and vegetables
Place your assorted vegetables in a pan with your chicken and let them bake together. Your vegetables can include carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and onions
Snack – 110 g of Greek yogurt and 1 tbsp almond butter
Mix these two in a bowl and enjoy. You can choose to add some honey as a sweetener if you wish.
Dinner – Avocado and salmon salad
For the salmon – 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp chopped parsley, 2 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp salt, 500 g skinless salmon filets, and some black pepper to taste.
For the salad – 4 cups romaine lettuce leaves, 1 large cucumber, 2 tomatoes, 1 sliced red onion, 1 avocado, 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled, and 1/3 cup pitted black olives.
If you’re unsure how to count your calories or are worried about an underlying health condition, please make an appointment with a doctor or dietitian to get the best advice on your way forward.
How to Gain Weight in Your Buttocks and Thighs
To grow a bigger butt and thighs, you’ll need to eat more to fuel your muscle gains. Please note that food alone won’t give you the desired results. You’ll be required to do workouts too in order to grow the muscles that make up your booty and the muscles of the thighs and burn off any extra calories.
Here are some fantastic workouts that will give you lovely Instagram-worthy thighs and butt. As a common practice, take time to speak to your doctor before you attempt any of the below booty-building workouts,
The Basic Squat
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, resting your arms straight down at your sides.
Bracing your core and keeping your chest high, start pushing your hips back while bending your knees as if you’re going to sit down.
Ensure your knees do not cave in, and when your thighs are parallel to the floor, pause for 2 – 3 seconds.
Push up evenly through your whole foot back to the starting position.
Perform up to 20 reps.
Side Step Squats
Start by standing with your feet together.
With your right foot, take a wide step out to the right and squat down.
As you straighten the legs, step your right foot back in.
Repeat on the left side
Try doing at least 20 reps on each side for one set.
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Reverse Lunges
Stand upright with your hands on your hips.
Take a giant step backward with your left foot and lower your hips so your right thigh (front leg) becomes parallel to the floor with your right knee positioned directly over your ankle.
Your left knee should be bent at a 90-degree angle and you should point toward the floor with your left heel lifted.
Return to standing by pressing your right heel into the floor and bringing your left leg forward to complete one rep.
Alternate legs and step back with your right leg.
Do 10 to 20 reps on each side.
Jump Squats
Stand with your feet just wider than shoulder-width apart and your toes turned slightly out.
Tighten your core and squat down with your weight in your heels. Make sure your knees don’t go over your toes and your spine is in a neutral state.
When you hit the bottom of your squat, squeeze your butt tight and drive hard through your legs and heels as you launch straight up, pelvis forward, pushing off your toes at the last moment of contact with the floor.
Land softly and use your momentum from landing to go right into your next squat. This is one rep.
Squat Pulses
Stand with your feet approximately shoulder-width apart with your hands together in front of you in a ‘prayer position’.
Squat down partially, approximately a quarter of the way down, as you would typically do for a squat. This is your starting position.
Start pulsing up and down by lowering your butt up and down by 6 inches or so. Make sure you’re always in the squat position and never standing up during the exercise.
After every two pulses, return to the starting position. This counts as on rep.
Try doing 15 reps or up to 20 reps if you feel up to it.
Curtsy Lunges
Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart and place your hands on your hips.
Take a big step back with your right leg, crossing it behind your left leg. Bend your knees and lower your hips until your left thigh is nearly parallel to the floor.
Keep your torso upright and your hips and shoulders as square as possible to the wall in front of you.
Return to the start position and repeat the movement on the other side.
Side Lunges
Stand with your feet parallel, facing forward, and hip-width apart.
Brace your core and slowly step to the right side, keeping your weight on your heels.
Bend at the hips, pushing them backward while shifting your weight toward your right foot. Your left leg should be near to or at full extension with the knee, and your body weight should still be distributed into the right hip.
Exhale and push off firmly with your right leg, returning your body to the starting position.
Repeat the movement for the opposite side and aim for 20 lunges on each side.
Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart with your toes slightly turned out enough to allow your knees to track over your toes.
Bend your arms and keep your hands in fists held below the chin or in a simple prayer stance. Squat down to a 90-degree angle at your knees while keeping your chest up and your core tight.
As you come up, kick your left leg up as high as you can before returning to the starting position.
Squat back down and as you come up, kick up your left leg.
Repeat these movements until you’ve done 20 reps on each side.
Lunge Pulses
Start with your feet hip-width apart and your hands on your hips.
Step your right foot forward, taking a wide forward stance with both feet pointing forward and your left heel lifted off the ground. Bend your knees, lowering until each leg forms a 90-degree angle.
From this position, simply lift your foot approximately six to 10 inches off the ground and then return it to the ground.
Instead of counting reps, set a 15- to 45-second timer for each leg.
Donkey Kicks
Start on all fours with your knees hip-width apart, your hands under your shoulders, and your neck and spine neutral.
Bracing your core, start lifting your right leg with a backward rotation, keeping your knee bent, your foot flat, and hinging at the hip.
Use your glute to press your foot directly toward the ceiling and squeeze at the top of this movement. Ensure your pelvis and working hip remain parallel to the ground.
Return to the starting position.
Complete 20 reps on the right leg before repeating the movement on the left side.
Glute Bridges
Lie on your back with your hands at your sides, your knees bent, and your feet flat on the floor under your knees.
Tighten your abdominal and buttock muscles by pushing your lower back into the ground before you start to raise your body with a push-up.
Raise your hips to create a straight line from knees to shoulders.
Squeeze your core and pull your belly button back toward your spine.
Hold for 5 to 10 seconds and then return to the starting position.
Do this 15 to 20 times for one set
To make these exercises harder, try timing each exercise. This will make you push yourself harder and work your muscles even harder. You can also use some added weight to help with your strength and endurance.
To gain weight, you need to eat more. But if you don’t want to just increase your body fat, you must lift weights or do body weight exercises. This type of training helps build muscle, so those extra calories you eat will turn into muscle instead of fat. However, it will take time.
How do you see fast gains in your buttocks and hips?
Exercise is important if you want to get a bigger butt. To get the desired results, you must focus on exercises that target the glute muscles, such as hip extensions and squats. These exercises can help build muscles in your glutes and also trigger fat burning in other areas of your body.
How many pounds should I gain in a week?
As with losing weight, gaining weight in a healthy way takes time. It’s best to aim for 0.5-1 pound of muscle gain each week. You can do this by eating a little bit more food than usual and performing resistance training exercises.
The Bottom Line
When it comes to what foods help you get thick, high-protein foods should be high on your list. Proteins help maintain already existing muscle mass and promote muscle growth, particularly when combined with resistance training.
However, you must make sure you don’t under- or overeat any of the above meals. Focus on curating an overall healthy and balanced diet and incorporate these foods slowly into your everyday life.
If you’re unsure how much of these foods to add to your diet, speak to a doctor and dietitian to find a healthy way to eat the right foods that help you get thicker.
DISCLAIMER:
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not serve to address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on for making any kind of decision-making. Any action taken as a direct or indirect result of the information in this article is entirely at your own risk and is your sole responsibility.
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This program is working for me! After a little over a month, I have lost 10 pounds. Slow, but steady. Guided exercises are done daily and there is an option to do other routines beside the one chosen for the day. It is very helpful having the recipes for all meals plus a snack. Would like if we could know the ingredients the day before. Makes preparing alot easier. I like the fact that alternative foods are suggested in case you can't eat(or don't like) the recipes listed. This is a very good program. Stick to it and YOU will see results. I have!