Can You Grow Glutes in a Calorie Deficit? (Learn How)
May 17, 2022 November 13, 2022
Many people seem to think that you can’t grow your glutes while in a calorie deficit. This is simply not true. In fact, you can absolutely grow your glutes while in a calorie deficit – as long as the exercises you are performing are targeting your glutes and you are eating the correct foods.
Let’s dive in and discuss how to go about growing your glutes while in a calorie deficit.
When it comes to growing your glutes in a calorie deficit, training and nutrition are very important. You need to be performing exercises that target the glute muscles intentionally.
Many just think of performing squats. While squats are of course a great exercise, there are others to choose from.
In addition to training, nutrition is also paramount. You need to make sure you’re eating enough protein to allow muscle growth to occur.
As long as you focus on these two things- protein intake and the correct exercises for glute growth, you will have success in growing that butt you desire.
It is possible to lose body fat and put on some muscle, and maintain muscle at the same time, despite what some others say.
So there you have it – the real truth- you can grow your glutes in a calorie deficit! Just make sure you’re training properly and getting enough protein in your diet. Continue reading to learn more on how you can grow those glutes and what you should be focusing on.
The importance of protein to grow your glutes in a calorie deficit
Protein is the key to growing muscle, and there are plenty of good sources of protein that are low in calories.
Protein provides the amino acids needed to build muscle tissue for your body. When you eat protein, your body breaks it down into individual essential amino acids, which are then used to build new muscle proteins.
Protein is so very important. Protein goes hand in hand with growing glutes and all muscle.
So, as you can see, without enough protein you simply won’t be able to grow your glutes (or any other muscles for that matter). That’s why it’s so important to make sure you’re getting enough protein in your diet if you want to grow your glutes.
Great sources of protein to grow your glutes
Chicken, fish, and tofu are all great sources of lean protein. I know tofu isn’t for everyone, but it is an option.
Eggs are also an excellent source of protein. Think of all the amazing ways you can use eggs.
Don’t like eggs? You can also consider cottage cheese or Greek yogurt. There are so many yummy recipes that you can make with these low calorie, high protein ingredients.
It is a good idea to choose your protein sources from meats that are LEAN. Red meats will contain higher fat content, which means they will be higher in calories than if choosing chicken or fish for your protein source.
There are also healthier versions of protein shakes that taste delicious. You can buy protein powder at any health food store or online, as long as you prepare it in a smart way, it is A okay.
There are also many healthy protein bars and cookies that contain adequate amounts of protein that are not jam packed full of calories. Just try one and find one that you like.
Just a forewarning, some of them are better than others in the taste department, so do your research and read reviews on them, or simply try and see if you like the taste.
It is important to consume protein if you want to grow your glutes in a calorie deficit, so just make sure you start checking how much protein are in the foods you are eating.
How much protein should I consume in my calorie deficit to grow glutes?
The amount of protein you need to consume each day will depend on a few factors, such as your weight, activity level, and overall goals. However, a general rule of thumb is to consume 0.36 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. So, if you weigh 150 pounds, you would need to consume 54 grams of protein per day.
It’s also important to note that you should be consuming more protein when in a calorie deficit because your body will be breaking down muscle tissue for energy. We will discuss this more ahead. Therefore, you need to make sure you’re eating enough protein to offset this muscle loss.
A big problem that some people run into when trying to lose weight, is becoming “skinny fat.”
Yes, this happened to be before and it is because we are so focused on losing weight (which is a good thing) and we are in a calorie deficit, but we may not be focused on our muscle mass or protein intake, or we might not be doing any type of strength training.
This can cause your body to look “skinny fat” because you do not have adequate muscle mass when you lose weight, because you lost muscle when you lost fat and were not focused on preserving muscle or gaining muscle.
Ideally, you should be consuming adequate grams of protein per pound of bodyweight when in a calorie deficit, but do not get too hung up on this.
We are not entering a bodybuilding competition, we are just trying to increase protein intake.
Simply focus on including more protein in your diet. Do not get too hung up on number values and stress yourself out to the max. Focus on the quality of your exercises, and including MORE protein.
Perform the correct exercises to grow your glutes in a calorie deficit
Now that we’ve covered the importance of protein, let’s discuss how to grow your glutes in a calorie deficit.
First and foremost, you need to make sure that you’re training your glutes regularly. A consistent workout routine is essential for building any kind of muscle.
It is recommended to train muscle groups at least two times per week minimum to see adequate results.
This does not mean you will not see results training your glutes once per week, but twice is adequate as the average time for a muscle to recover is shorter than once thought.
You can read countless evidence-based research on this topic, but it is definitely recommended to train muscle groups more frequently. However, do not train them if they are not adequately rested.
There are plenty of great exercises that you can do to grow your glutes. Just make sure you’re consistent with your training and getting enough protein in your diet and you’ll be well on your way to growing a bigger booty!
Perfect exercises for booty growth in a calorie deficit
Hip thrusts
-Simply rest your upper back on a sofa or a bench with your feet out in front of you with knees bent at a slight angle, and push your groin up to the sky so it is parallel, and repeat.
Barbell squats
-Squatting is great for building all muscles of the legs, especially quads and glutes. You do not have to use a barbell, you can do squats anywhere. If you do not feel comfortable using weights or a barbell, load up a backpack and use that for weight.
Dumbbell lunges
-Dumbbell lunges are a great option for those of us who dislike squatting. They will effectively work the glutes, quads, and hamstrings.
Glute bridges
-Glute bridges are my personal favorite over hip thrusts. For these, you perform them similarly to hip thrusts, except with glute bridges you will be flat on the floor. I feel that I am able to feel my glutes working more with these.
Kickbacks
-You can perform these freely in your home or with a machine at a gym. These will make your butt muscles burn like fire!
Donkey kicks
-These work similarly to kickbacks, but just the positioning is different.
These EXERCISES are perfect for glute growth while in a calorie deficit. They are not hard to learn and an added bonus, you can do them at home! One tip for you is to squeeze your glute muscles with each contraction. This will help you with mind muscle connection.
You really want to FEEL your glutes working on these.
How many sets?
I would recommend starting off with 3-4 sets per exercise with rep ranges 12-15 to start. There are also many different opinions on this.
The most important aspect to remember is to aim for progressive overload. You should be increasing the weight or the reps you are doing each week, as long as you are safely able to do so.
Our muscles will not grow if we apply the same stimulus to them week after week, so every week make your exercises a little bit harder so that you can grow those glutes.
Grow glutes in a calorie deficit by decreasing your deficit
If you want to grow your glutes in a calorie deficit, one thing you can do is decrease your calorie deficit amount. This will allow your body to have more energy from calories to grow muscle.
Let’s say for example you calculated a calorie deficit of 500 calories per day for yourself, and this is working well for you, if you want to put on some muscle to your glutes, maybe decrease this amount down to 200 or 300 calories for your deficit per day.
You will NOT instantly gain all of your weight back by doing this so do not fret, you will be burning more calories by training your glutes in the process.
You have to remember, you will be burning calories while growing your glutes.
Of course, everybody is different and you may need to experiment a bit to find what works best for you. But decreasing your calorie deficit might be a great option for you.
Don’t forget that the exercises mentioned require a lot of energy on your body’s part, so you will likely appreciate the slight boost in your caloric intake.
You need to have adequate energy to even perform exercises to grow your glutes in the first place, so you will want to have plenty of energy.
If decreasing your calorie deficit is not something you want to pursuit, simply focus on the protein intake. Eat more foods with high protein to grow your glutes in your calorie deficit.
Growing your glutes will help you lose body fat and maintain muscle
Adding weight training to your routine is a very smart idea when trying to lose body fat. Strength training not only helps you build muscle, but it also helps to increase your metabolism. When you have more muscle, you burn more calories at rest. So, by adding weight training to your routine, you’ll be able to grow your glutes and lose fat at the same time!
Boosting your metabolism is a great thing! Everyone wishes they had a higher metabolism.
It is usually recommended to add weight training when trying to lose weight because this will help you to maintain your muscle mass. When you lose weight, you most often lose muscle along with the fat because your body does not have the calories in its reserves to maintain both fat and muscle.
Your body is smart and will get it’s energy from somewhere, whether it is by using fat or muscle as its fuel.
It is very easy to lose muscle mass when in a calorie deficit if you do not perform weight training.
But, if you’re strength training while trying to lose weight in your calorie deficit, you’ll be able to hold on to that muscle, and grow your glutes in the process!
Conclusion
So, can you grow glutes in a calorie deficit? Yes, you can! By following the tips above and by adding glute growing exercises to your routine, you’ll be able to grow your glutes and lose fat at the same time.
It is amazing how glute growing exercises can make you feel, and you can enjoy those benefits while still maintaining a calorie deficit and losing body fat.
Just remember to focus on progressive overload, protein, and have patience – it takes time to grow muscle! And don’t forget to enjoy the process – working out should be fun!
