The hourglass figure, characterized by a small waist and curvy hips, is a body shape desired by many. Achieving this figure involves a combination of diet and exercise. This article provides a comprehensive guide to creating a meal plan that supports this goal, focusing on the right foods to eat and those to avoid.
Understanding the Slim Thick Ideal
Beauty trends are constantly evolving. The slim thick figure, exemplified by icons like Kim Kardashian, Nikki Minaj, and Jennifer Lopez, is now highly sought after. This body type features a bubble butt, thick hips and thighs, and a small waist. Achieving this look naturally requires dedication and a strategic approach to diet and exercise.
The Key Factors in Achieving a Slim Thick Figure
Several factors contribute to achieving a slim thick figure:
- Diet: The foods you eat play a crucial role in shaping your body. A diet rich in protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats is essential.
- Genetics: Your bone structure and muscle distribution are determined by your genetics, which can influence your ability to achieve the desired shape.
- Exercise: A combination of cardio and resistance training is necessary to build muscle in the right places and burn excess fat.
What to Eat on an Hourglass Figure Diet
If you’re looking to achieve an hourglass figure, it's important to focus on eating complex carbohydrates, lean protein sources, healthy fats, and plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Prioritizing Protein
Protein is essential for building and maintaining muscle mass. Multiple studies have linked high-protein diets with weight loss and increased muscle mass. Aim to eat at least 20 grams of protein per meal, consuming meals approximately every 2-3 hours for a total of 5 meals a day. A simple guideline is the "palm-sized rule," where you eat two palm-sized portions of protein per meal to easily reach 20 grams.
Read also: The Hoxsey Diet
Protein Sources:
- Eggs: Each egg contains 6 grams of protein, split evenly between the yolk and white. Eggs also contain leucine, an essential amino acid that helps boost muscle building.
- Lean Meats: Opt for beef (grass-fed), turkey, chicken, or white fish. Chicken, in particular, is rich in leucine, playing a key role in building muscle mass.
- Greek Yogurt: This is protein-dense and a complete protein, making it great for smoothies or as a substitute for mayo or sour cream.
- Cottage cheese: Cottage cheese is very nutritious, providing about 22 grams of protein per container (210g).
- Whey Protein Shakes: Whey protein has been shown to promote muscle growth and recovery after exercise.
- Salmon: Salmon is a great source of essential amino acids and omega-3 fatty acids.
- Legumes: Overall, these foods are rich in protein, which helps maximize muscle synthesis and promote glute development.
Note: You only need about 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. Eating more does not lead to more muscle gain.
Emphasizing Healthy Fats
Not all fats are created equal. Focus on heart-healthy fats such as avocados, nuts, and olive oil. These fats help promote satiety and prevent cravings. Aim to consume about 0.4 grams of fat per pound of body weight.
Healthy Fat Sources:
- Avocados: Avocados provide healthy fats, protein, and fiber, along with vitamins and minerals. They also contain antioxidants that may reduce exercise induced muscle injuries, soreness, and inflammation, thereby improving recovery time.
- Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds and chia seeds are excellent sources of protein, fats, and fiber. Almonds and cashews pack in about 150-170 high-quality calories per 1 oz serving. Nut butters like cashew, almond, and peanut butter are rich in healthy fats and essential nutrients such as vitamin E, magnesium, potassium, and calcium.
- Fatty Fish: Eating fatty fish may help increase body composition and potentially reduce risk factors for several health conditions.
Incorporating Fiber-Rich Foods
Fruits and vegetables are packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals essential for good health. Fiber helps keep you feeling full throughout the day.
Fiber-Rich Food Sources:
- Fruits and Vegetables: Aim to fill half your plate with produce to boost fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
- Whole Grains: Brown rice and quinoa provide a perfect balance of complex carbs and protein. Brown rice also contains branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), which can reduce soreness, decrease muscle fatigue, enhance muscle protein synthesis, and minimize muscle loss, helping to stimulate glute growth.
- Legumes: Legumes such as beans, lentils, peas, and peanuts are rich in protein and fiber.
- Oatmeal: A bowl of oatmeal topped with fruit and nuts creates a high-fiber meal that promotes satiety.
Maximizing Muscle Building
To build muscle, your body needs an excess of 500-1,000 calories more than what you need to maintain weight. Focus on consuming the right portions of nutritious meals.
Muscle-Building Foods:
- Quinoa: Quinoa is a highly nutritious grain that contains all nine essential amino acids. It is also high in carbs, providing an additional energy source for your workouts.
- Spinach: Spinach is nutrient-packed and incredibly iron-rich. It has anti-inflammatory properties and reduces blood pressure, all of which are very important on this fitness quest.
Benefits of the Recommended Foods
These foods are loaded with nutrients, fiber, and protein, optimizing fat loss and providing numerous benefits.
Read also: Walnut Keto Guide
- They help you feel fuller throughout the day, which can lead to less snacking.
- They promote digestive health.
- They provide essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
- They support muscle recovery and growth.
What to Avoid on an Hourglass Figure Diet
While focusing on the right foods is important, it's equally crucial to avoid certain foods that can hinder your progress.
Highly Processed and Packaged Foods
These foods often contain excessive amounts of added sugar, unhealthy fats, and sodium, which can lead to weight gain and bloating.
Refined Grains
Consider swapping refined carbs like pasta, white bread, and breakfast cereals for whole grains.
Sugar-Sweetened Beverages
Limit sugar-sweetened beverages such as soda, sports drinks, juice, energy drinks, and coffee creamers.
Fried and Greasy Foods
Avoid fried and greasy foods such as fries, chicken strips, and mozzarella sticks.
Read also: Weight Loss with Low-FODMAP
Sugary Snacks
Limit sugary snacks such as cookies, pastries, cakes, and candies.
Processed Meats
Limit processed meats such as deli meats, hot dogs, and pepperoni.
Excessive Alcohol Consumption
While enjoying a glass of wine or cocktail every now and then is fine, excessive alcohol consumption can have negative effects on your hourglass figure.
Tips for Success When Following the Hourglass Figure Diet
Knowing the right foods to eat is only one piece of the puzzle. Here are some additional tips for success:
Watch Your Portion Sizes
A calorie deficit is essential for weight loss, but you don’t want to go too low or you may end up feeling deprived and unable to stick with the plan. Use a calorie tracking app or online calculator to estimate how many calories you should be eating each day to maintain your weight, then aim to create a deficit of 500 to 1,000 calories.
Review Your Meal Frequency
There are different ways to approach meal frequency on the hourglass figure diet. Some people prefer to fast intermittently. Regardless of the frequency you choose, you must be in a calorie deficit to lose weight.
Be Mindful of Your Food Quality
The hourglass figure diet isn’t a restrictive diet, so you have some wiggle room when it comes to food quality. Choose whole, minimally processed foods. These aren’t only more nutritious, they’re also more filling and satisfying.
Exercise Regularly
To enhance and maintain an hourglass figure, it’s important to focus on exercises that target the waist, hips, and shoulders, creating a balanced and curvy physique. Incorporate both cardio and resistance training into your weekly routine.
Manage Stress
Practice meditation or other stress-reducing habits to manage stress levels.
Get Enough Sleep
Quality sleep is essential for total body and mind health. Lack of proper sleep can cause your metabolism to slow down, lead to poor eating habits, and an even poorer mind-body connection.
Stay Hydrated
Drink enough water. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends that most adult men consume 3.7 liters (L), or about 125 ounces (oz) total water daily, and most adult women consume 2.7 L, or about 68 oz of total water daily.
Sample Meal Plan Ideas
Here are some lean meal plan ideas for breakfast, based on a 1,600 calorie daily intake:
- Whole-wheat toast with jelly, shredded wheat cereal with 1 percent milk, orange juice, and regular coffee with 1 percent milk. Add a serving of protein, like eggs or cottage cheese.
- Oatmeal (made with 1 percent milk), English muffin with light cream cheese, orange juice, and coffee with 1 percent milk. Add a serving of protein, like eggs or cottage cheese.
The Importance of Exercise
While diet is crucial, exercise is equally important for achieving a slim thick figure. A structured plan that combines cardio, HIIT, and resistance training is essential.
Cardio
Cardio is necessary for burning off fat, but excess cardio training can lead to losing muscle mass. Switching to HIIT exercises can help maintain muscle while burning fat.
Resistance Training
Resistance or weight training is necessary for building and increasing muscle mass in the right places. Targeting specific muscle groups during isolation or compound weight training exercises helps grow them.
Addressing Common Concerns
Is an hourglass figure slim?
The term “hourglass” describes a body shape where the bust and hips are relatively wider than the waist, creating a curvaceous silhouette. It’s important to remember that everybody is unique and there is no one specific size or weight that defines an hourglass figure.
Can I achieve a slim thick figure without surgery?
Yes, it is possible to achieve a slim thick figure without surgery through a combination of diet and exercise.