My bum is getting too small :( Please help!

lenyong07

I’ve been hitting the gym hard, 5-6 days a week, 1 1/2 hour workouts, eating healthy and creating a calorie deficit as well. I’ve lost 14 pounds and inches all around which is great, but one thing I noticed was that my bum shrunk!:( I liked the size of my bum before, just wanted it lifted and toned not flat! The width is the same but the volume has decreased. I’ve also noticed more cellulite as well:/
Why could this be happening? I incorporated a lot of glute exercises in my leg day workouts. I have a couple theories..
-that fat in my bum is all gone and now I have to work on building muscle?
-fats goes away where it wants to go away, so I have no say in it.
-I’m not eating enough food that supports muscle gain?
-My calorie deficit is too big?
-maybe it’s one of those things that it getting smaller before getting bigger?

sardelsa

If you carry fat in your glutes that can be a main reason it is shrinking. You also may not have as much muscle as you thought. Also glute exercises are great but in order to maintain what you have as you lose, following a lifting program (ideally with glute focus, something like Strong Curves) will give them the best chance.

Also make sure you are getting adequate protein and not losing too fast.

nowine4me

Theories 1 & 2 nailed it

Davidsdottir

nowine4me wrote: »

Theories 1 & 2 nailed it

And 3. She's not gonna gain muscle in a deficit.

cwolfman13

1 & 2...

And since you're in a deficit, you're not really going to build muscle...you can maintain what you have, but you're not really going to build muscle in a deficit...you're catabolic and building muscle requires you to be anabolic.

gracegettingittogether

Gosh, I would love to have that problem! Sorry

lenyong07

cwolfman13 wrote: »

1 & 2...

And since you're in a deficit, you're not really going to build muscle...you can maintain what you have, but you're not really going to build muscle in a deficit...you're catabolic and building muscle requires you to be anabolic.

So to fix this problem, I basically have to eat more calories such as protein?

bbell1985

If you're losing fat, you'll lose it in your bum too. I started with 44 inch hips and lost until 37. I did it on purpose, knowing I'd again eat in a surplus and gain weight back, but creating a better looking more muscular backside. I'm not back at 40 inches and it's round. You have to pick your goals. Word towards the body you want. Sometimes it can't all be done in one step.

paulandrachelk

Awwwwwww!

lenyong07

bbell1985 wrote: »

If you're losing fat, you'll lose it in your bum too. I started with 44 inch hips and lost until 37. I did it on purpose, knowing I'd again eat in a surplus and gain weight back, but creating a better looking more muscular backside. I'm not back at 40 inches and it's round. You have to pick your goals. Word towards the body you want. Sometimes it can't all be done in one step.

When you ate in a surplus, how did you know that the extra intake was going to go to your backside specifically? I want to eat more protein and increase my intake but I don’t want it to go places I don’t prefer such as my arms or bulky thighs. I’m currently at 1200 cal. Lifting/cardio 5 times a week.

Raynee21

Sorry I don’t have any advice but your weight loss is inspiring! What’s your workout routine & how long did it take you to lose 14 pounds?

heumpirej

Lose weight and after you get to the weight you want to be, start eating more (while still working out) to get more muscles and get your butt back

peleroja

craygslyst1 wrote: »

I think pictures are required to properly assess the situation.

I’M KIDDING!

This is one of those things that maybe you could have just thought instead of posted, to avoid making a stranger seeking advice uncomfortable. It's kind of uncalled for and gross, even if you were "KIDDING!"

mom23mangos

lenyong07 wrote: »

bbell1985 wrote: »

If you're losing fat, you'll lose it in your bum too. I started with 44 inch hips and lost until 37. I did it on purpose, knowing I'd again eat in a surplus and gain weight back, but creating a better looking more muscular backside. I'm not back at 40 inches and it's round. You have to pick your goals. Word towards the body you want. Sometimes it can't all be done in one step.

When you ate in a surplus, how did you know that the extra intake was going to go to your backside specifically? I want to eat more protein and increase my intake but I don’t want it to go places I don’t prefer such as my arms or bulky thighs. I’m currently at 1200 cal. Lifting/cardio 5 times a week.

You don't. But if you focus your workouts on the areas you want to build, you can control where the muscle grows. So muscle growth you have control over. Fat storage/loss you don't. And you'll gain both in a surplus.

sardelsa

lenyong07 wrote: »

bbell1985 wrote: »

If you're losing fat, you'll lose it in your bum too. I started with 44 inch hips and lost until 37. I did it on purpose, knowing I'd again eat in a surplus and gain weight back, but creating a better looking more muscular backside. I'm not back at 40 inches and it's round. You have to pick your goals. Word towards the body you want. Sometimes it can't all be done in one step.

When you ate in a surplus, how did you know that the extra intake was going to go to your backside specifically? I want to eat more protein and increase my intake but I don’t want it to go places I don’t prefer such as my arms or bulky thighs. I’m currently at 1200 cal. Lifting/cardio 5 times a week.

Taking measurements, progress photos can give you some indication. But sometimes because of where you gain fat it can be deceiving. For example, when I bulk my quads/legs get really large.. but it seems to be mostly fat gain when I cut they go way down. And this also makes sense because I don't focus on my quads that much that they would gain that much muscle.

You do have some control over muscle gain during a bulk as mentioned above, so if you are following adequate programming focused on the glutes for example, you should see more muscle gain going to the areas you are working.