How To Lose Fat In the Butt the &#39;Dumb&#39; Way

!±8± How To Lose Fat In the Butt the 'Dumb' Way

From time to time, people ask me how to lose fat on their bottoms. Usually, it's women who are most desperate to lose butt fat, but sometimes men are concerned with this part of their anatomy, too. Regardless, my advice to both is the same: Exercise and diet.

I know ... it's a boring answer, and probably not what you wanted to hear. But stick with me. I'll give you some specific exercises that will firm your gluteals even as you are taking other measures to lose fat back there.

First, if you are overweight, you must start eating more sensibly than you are probably doing right now. Low-carb diets work well for most people and the better ones in this category will have you consuming all of the nutrients you need for glowing good health even as you lose weight.

Better yet: Instead of picking a one-size-fits-all diet book from the shelf, I urge you to learn how to tailor a diet to your unique physiology, body type, nutritional needs and lifestyle. This is the one of the most important components of any effort to take fat off and keep it off.

Undoubtedly, the best source for a complete education on the mechanics of fat, including how to burn it off while you feed your muscles, is available in e-book form on the Internet. I've reviewed that e-book elsewhere if you're interested.

Second, you should add cardiovascular exercise as a regular part of your life. This means getting the heart pumping and the sweat pouring. For most people, I recommend brisk--and I mean really brisk--walking, punctuated by short jogs. (For various reasons, I do not advocate running, unless you are an aspiring competitive athlete or simply have become addicted to it.)

Other good cardiovascular exercises include cycling, swimming and rowing. If you have access to a gym, try the treadmill or stairstepping machine.

Third, to firm up your backside, thighs, etc., perform the following "dumb" exercises two or three times a week (preferably three). I call them "dumb" because they're done with dumbbells. If you are familiar with weight training, you might recognize that some of these are more usually done with barbells. But I like dumbbells because they're cheaper, more easily acquired by the average person, and can be stored in a smaller space.

Without further ado, then, I present you with these dumb but excellent exercises for a great looking butt:

The "Dumb" Lunge:

Stand with your feet a few inches apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, down by your hips. Step one large step forward with your right foot. Your right thigh should be roughly parallel to the floor. Bring your right foot back to the starting position. Now step forward with your left foot. Continue in this way, alternating from one leg to the other for at least a dozen repetitions with each leg (or 24 lunges in all).

The "Dumb" Reverse Lunge

Stand with your feet a few inches apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, down by your hips. Step far backward with your right foot. Then, bring your right foot back to the starting position. Now step backward with your left foot. Continue in this way, alternating from one leg to the other for at least a dozen repetitions with each leg (or 24 reverse lunges in all).

The "Dumb" Squat:

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, with the dumbbells resting on your shoulders. Squat down until your shoulders are in line with your knees and your thighs are at about a 45-degree angle to the floor. Hold the position for a moment, then slowly raise yourself back up. Repeat as many times as you can.

The "Dumb" Deadlift:

Stand with your feet a few inches apart. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, arms down at your sides, bend over from your hips until the dumbbells are in front of your ankles. Keep your legs straight unless you need to bend your knees slightly in order to achieve the position. Tense your lower body, making sure to squeeze your butt. Raise yourself back to a standing position, keeping the dumbbells hanging down at arm's length. Repeat as many times as you can.