It takes your commitment to reshape and resize genetic disposition or the fat deposited over the years. The three keys are: vigorous resistance training; cardio exercise; and regulated food intake. This essential combination ensures that you’re not taking in more calories than you’re expending and that you’re eating whole, nutrient-dense foods. To attack the ‘mattress effect’ of the subcutaneous fat (cellulite), again the combination is exercise and diet. Follow this suggested plan and you’ll be on your way to creating the sexy derrière you’ve longed for.

The necessity of exercise
Exercise increases metabolism or the rate of burning fat. It’s important to do both resistance training and cardio exercise – they burn calories differently. Cardio expends more calories during the exercise and resistance burns longer after the workout as the muscles repairs and rebuilds.

Killer glutes routine
This routine has worked wonders with my clients: alternate two leg workouts a week. For example, do leg workouts shown on Tuesday and Friday. The other 3-4 days spend on upper body/core exercises and 30-60 minutes of moderate cardio exercise.

7 step butt tune-up
Perform all sets of these exercises with little rest in between to get the added cardio benefits. It is important to perform 2-3 sets of each exercise to make the desired changes. Before you start each exercise, ready the body by ‘setting the abdominals’ (pull belly button in towards spine), slide shoulder blades down the back, with a slight bend in the knees. This will keep you ‘posture perfect’ throughout the set. As you work out, over time add more weights to increase the resistance of the exercises.

key 1: Cardio The best forms of cardio for toning your glutes are the stair climber and walking uphill on the treadmill. Walk uphill on a minimal incline of 5% to tone the glutes while burning fat deposits. You don’t want to work too hard at your cardio – if you’re panting, then you’re burning glycogen stores (or sugar) and not fat stores. Your heart rate should increase and the perceived effort should be 6 out of 10, or 60% of your maximum effort. key 2: Resistance Training This is the key to both fat loss and shaping. Using and increasing muscle mass (with the exercises shown) will increase the calories being burned when you are at rest. This translates to more body fat calories being burned each minute. With less body fat, and tone from working the muscles under resistance, you get the shapelier bottom you want. key 3: Food For effective results you must eat whole foods that are nutrient dense, with high vitamin and mineral content to feed your cells. You’ll have a feeling of fullness and you’ll eat less. A balanced diet, rich in complex carbohydrates with lots of fibre, including all fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, and proteins such as lean chicken, fish, tofu, eggs, as well as good fats such as nuts and seeds, avocado, flax and hemp oil. Avoid refined (white flour and sugar) and processed foods that are empty calories. They easily become fat deposits. Drink up to 3 litres of water a day if you’re active. It helps rid the body of fat and toxins. Eat 6 small meals a day to continually fuel your metabolism.

1 BACKWARD LUNGE 
for quads and glutes; easy on knees

Start with feet hip width apart. Step back into a lunge while bending both knees. Go as deep into the lunge as the knee is comfortable. Keep spine straight. Knees in line with hip and ankle. Step feet back together to standing. Be slow and continuous with your movement with no stopping. Alternate sides. (2 sets of 15 reps)

2 SUPINE DOUBLE/SINGLE LEG-BRIDGE 
for glutes and hamstrings

Lying on back with feet hip width apart on the mat, raise hips off floor into a hip bridge and then return to floor. Beginners start with both feet down and then progress to single legged bridges. (2 sets of 20 reps)

3 WEIGHTED JUMP SQUAT 
for whole leg

Standing feet hip width apart, dumbbells at sides, squat halfway down. Jump straight up in the air landing softly. (2 sets of 10 reps)

4 REAR DONKEY KICK  
for glutes and hamstrings

Using ankle weights; kneel on hands and knees. Bring one leg into chest, kick heel back with a controlled movement. Do one leg at a time, then repeat the other leg. (2 sets of 20 reps)

5 CURTSY SQUAT 
for outer thighs/hips

Starting with feet hip width apart, step one leg behind other in a curtsy. Keep hips square in front. Keep spine straight and tall - do not stoop forward. (2 sets of 20 reps)