If you consume more calories than you expend, you will gain weight. Where you will gain weight depends on your genes and gender, not on the specific types of food you eat. Just sitting on a couch eating lots of sweet or fatty foods will make your hips -- and the rest of you -- bigger, but not in a way that is healthy or attractive. If you want nice curves to fill out a swimsuit or tight jeans, combine a healthy, moderately high-calorie diet with a regular exercise program. By balancing the amount of food you eat with resistance exercises, you can put on muscle, rather than fat. The celebrities you want to emulate work out regularly to maintain their figures, and you should too. Remember to consult your health-care provider before starting a diet or exercise program.
Caloric Balance
USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans Appendix 6 lists how many calories are needed by people of specific ages and activity levels, with adult women needing 1,600 to 2,400 calories a day and adult men needing 2,000 to 3,200 calories a day to maintain their weight. Although there is some individual variation, in general, if you consistently eat more than the recommended number of calories, you will gain weight, and if you eat fewer, you will lose weight.
Eating to Gain Muscle
Resistance exercise is the key to putting on muscle. Your body, however, can not make muscle out of thin air; it needs the right nutrients. The Joint Statement on Nutrition and Sports Medicine by the American Council of Sports Medicine, the American Dietetic Association and the Dieticians of Canada recommends a balanced diet, with a moderate amount of fat -- 15 percent to 25 percent -- adequate carbohydrates to replace glycogen stores, and 1.2 g to 1.7 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. To gain weight, you should increase your caloric intake by no more than 500 calories a day by adding additional lean protein, fruit, vegetables, whole grains, or other nutritious snacks.
Resistance Training
Resistance training, done two to three days a week, is the best way to put on muscle. Gary R. Hunter, PhD., in his 2002 article on "Women and Resistance Training" for the ACSM states that "On the average, a woman can expect about a 10 percent increase in muscle size for a muscle that has been resistance trained for three to six months." The largest muscle in your buttocks, the gluteus maximus, is the one you want to target. "Go Ask Alice!", a website run by Columbia University health professionals, recommends squats, plie squats, static lunges, hamstring curls, and leg extensions to develop these muscles. If you can't get to a gym, walking up hill or up stairs will work similar muscle groups.
Padding and Undergarments
Building muscle is a gradual process. If you want to change your appearance for a hot date in a few days, choose clothing designed to enhance the appearance of your buttocks. Many jeans and leggings have building in padding or contouring. Lingerie shops offer a wide selection of padded undergarments and pads to enhance your appearance.
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