How to Make Your Hips Look Bigger

Strengthening Your Muscles

Do squats regularly. Squats are a classic exercise that can strengthen your hips and core. Work squats into your regular workout routine to strengthen the muscles around your hips. To start, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold two dumbbells at your sides. Choose a weight you feel comfortable with for the dumbbells. If you're just starting out doing squats, you will probably need to start with a lightweight, like something in the 2 to 5-pound range. Talk to a trainer at a gym, or your doctor, to figure out a safe weight for you. Pull your back up straight as you tighten your core. Bend your knees to lower your body. Take a quick look at the tops of your shoes when you are at the bottom of the range of motion. You must be able to see the tops of your shoes, or this means that your knees are coming too far forward in the squat. Keep lowering your body until your thighs are roughly parallel to the floor. Then, return to the starting position. You should repeat this exercise 10 to 12 times.

Perform lunges. Lunges are another hip and thigh strengthening exercise that can improve the appearance of your hips. To do lunges, start with a dumbbell in each hand. Choose a weight you're comfortable using. Take one step forward with your left foot. With your left foot forward, bend your knees. Slowly lower yourself to the ground. Use your feet to push yourself back to the starting position. Repeat the exercise with the other foot. You should repeat this exercise roughly 10 to 12 times.

Enroll in a yoga course. Yoga involves a variety of stretching and poses that demand a lot from the core muscles, so it can also be a great way to keep your core strong and help your hips appear bigger. Try enrolling in a yoga course at a local gym or community center if you want to make your hips look stronger and bigger. If you can't afford a class, there are many yoga routines you can find online. You can also purchase DVDs. However, be careful when doing yoga alone. Build up to the more difficult poses, and do not do any pose that makes you feel uncomfortable.

Try planks. Planks are a great way to tone your core muscles and get a flatter stomach, which may help to make your hips seem bigger. Work on doing planks a couple of times a week as part of your exercise routine. To do a plank, lie flat on an exercise mat. Keep your elbows under your shoulders and clasp your hands together just under your chin. Prop yourself up to form a bridge with your body running from your shoulders to your toes. Support your weight with only your toes and forearms on the ground, squeezing the muscles of your chest, abdominals, lower back, buttocks, and legs. Hold this position for 10 seconds when you're first starting. Eventually, you will want to build yourself up to 3-minute planks.

Perform side lying leg lifts. You may choose to strap ankle weights to your lower leg for this exercise. You can buy these at a gym or sports equipment store, but make sure you start with a lower weight. Lie on your side. Have your legs stacked on top of each other and place your hand on your hip. Lift your leg until it's at a roughly 45-degree angle with the floor, and then lower it back down. Repeat 10 to 12 times. To build muscle, do three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions. Switch sides after you finish a set on one leg and repeat with the other leg. As with squats, the amount of weight you need depends on your fitness level. It's a good idea to start small. Talk to a doctor or trainer about a safe weight for you. If you feel like you need more resistance, then you can try holding a dumbbell just above your knee as you lift. This is a good way of increasing resistance without risking injury to your knee.

Include strength training for your shoulders. It might seem counterintuitive, but strengthening the muscles in your shoulders will make your waist seem smaller, which may help to make your hips look wider. Try doing some simple shoulder exercises like the overhead dumbbell press, dumbbell pec flyes, and dumbbell rear flyes to achieve this effect.

Eliminating Belly Fat

Adopt a healthy diet. Belly fat can make your hips look smaller by comparison. Losing weight overall can cut down on belly fat, and make your hips look bigger. To lose weight, the first step is a healthy diet. Your diet should be primarily plant-based. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains should make up the bulk of your diet. Go for brown rice over white rice, and whole wheat bread over white varieties. Stick to lean forms of protein, like fish and poultry, and low-fat dairy products. For example, go for salmon for dinner instead of steak.

Reduce your sugar intake. Sugar can contribute to weight gain overall, so look into cutting back on sugar in your diet. Sugary beverages can be a big culprit, as many people fail to think about liquid calories in their diet. Avoid sugary beverages like soda, specialty latte drinks, and alcoholic beverages including cocktails, wine, beer, and wine coolers. Drink plenty of water instead and opt for unsweetened beverages like unsweetened iced tea and club soda. You can even flavor water and other zero-calorie beverages with lemon or lime juice. Read labels before making a purchase. Sugar is found in surprising places, like bread, yogurts, and pasta sauces. You should also look for words like fructose, dextrose, and maltose in the ingredients list. These are all names of added sugar. For women, strive to limit added sugar to 24 grams a day, which is about 6 teaspoons. For men, limit added sugar to 36 grams, which is about 9 teaspoons.

Eat smaller portions. Many times, you are eating more calories than you realize. Portion sizes, especially when eating out, can be quite large. Be conscientious of portion size. Try to avoid going out to eat. When you do, split an entree with a friend to halve the calories. If a restaurant has a special menu of low-calorie foods, try ordering off of that. Be aware of how much food you should eat at home. One serving of carbohydrates is about the size of a hockey puck. An ounce of dairy is about the size of six dice. A serving of protein should be no bigger than a deck of cards. It can also help to eat slowly. Your body will feel more satisfied, and you will realize you're full quicker.

Record your eating habits and progress. It can be helpful to keep a record of your eating habits, any weight loss you have, and any inches you lose off of your waist. This can help you stay on track and see what days of the week you're likely to slip up. It can also keep you motivated to have a running log of your progress to look at each day. You should also be sure to include other factors that can affect weight loss. For example, note things like your stress level, your sleep schedule, and your daily exercise.

Enhancing Hip Size with Flattering Clothing

Find ways to make your waist look slimmer. If you want an instant fix, changing the way you dress can make your hips look bigger. Find clothing and patterns that slim down your waist. This will draw more attention to your hips. Try tying a belt around your waist if you already have a small waist. This can highlight your curves, giving you more of an hourglass shape. This can be particularly helpful if you're wearing a dress that lacks shape. If your waist is not small, then go for a dress with lighter colors on top and darker colors on the bottom. High-waisted clothing, like high-waisted jeans and skirts, can make your hips look bigger by slimming down your waist. In the winter, choose flattering sweaters that call attention to your figure. Avoid hiding your shape in bulky layers. You can also try wearing shapewear, such as Spanx, underneath your clothing to make your waist look smaller.

Pick vertical stripes to create a slimming look. Go for clothing with vertical stripes, especially clothing that's going over your waist. Stripes are slimming and can create a slimmed-down look that makes your hips look wider, and your figure more flattering overall. Vertical stripes will not work with all body types. For example, if you have a carrot-shaped body, then this may have the opposite effect and make your hips seem even narrower. Wear pastels in places you want to emphasize, such as your hips, and wear black in places you want to slim down, such as your waist. For example, a light blue skirt with a black top will emphasize your hips and slim your waist.

Invest in flattering jeans and pants. If you want to make your hips look bigger, go for tighter jeans and pants. Skinny jeans and leggings will call attention to your figure more than baggier pants. Low-rise jeans can also help highlight your figure. Try wearing pale-colored pants and jeans. These will draw attention to your hips and make them seem wider.

Try pencil skirts. Pencil skirts are skirts that wrap around the hips, making them look bigger. Try wearing a pencil skirt and see if it enhances your hips. Make sure to find a skirt that flatters your body type. If you are petite, go for a size cut specifically for people with a petite body frame. A higher-waisted style can also be nice, as it will stretch out your frame. If you have a narrow build, find a pencil skirt that falls naturally on your waistline. Details like zippers and pockets at the hips can also help flatter your body. If you have a natural hourglass figure, most pencil skirts will flatter your body type.