Written by Kirsten Yovino | CPT Brookbush Institute
Fact checked by Andrew Lenau, ISSA CPT & Sports Nutritionist
FACT CHECKED
The slim thick body is hot, which is why millions of women worldwide are trying to attain this shape. But, we're not here to sell you a pipe dream that we can transform your body into the perfect slim thick physique you might come across on Instagram. After all, everyone's genetics are different.
Instead, we want to provide you with a workout and diet plan, along with some important tips, that will allow you to get as "slim thick" as genetically possible. And make no mistake, with enough hard work, dedication, and consistency, you will be able to make drastic changes in your current appearance.
Table of Contents:
- What exactly does "slim thick" mean?
- How to become Slim Thick
- Understanding Bone Structure & Muscle Gain
- Slim Thick Workout Plan
- Slim Thick Diet Plan
- Final tips for your Slim Thick Workout & Diet Program
WHAT DOES SLIM THICK MEAN?
Slim thick is a slang term used in rap songs, hashtags, fitness, and the fashion industry to describe a woman's body shape by having thick hips, butt, and thighs matched with a thinner waist and flat stomach—basically a curvy but toned athletic looking body.
With over 1 million tags of slimthick on Instagram and a mind-blowing 100+ million on Tiktok, this female body shape has dominated the "in" look over the past few years. Celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Iggy Azalea, Nikki Minaj, and Jennifer Lopez embody the slim thick craze.
You can think of the slim thick body shape as an updated hourglass. There are multiple terms used to categorize women's body shapes, from top hourglass to diamond to athletic to spoon and pear, to name a few. However, slim thick is a new addition to this list as it differs from the hourglass shape because it considers the thighs, butt, and stomach rather than just considering the circumference of the hips, waist, and bust.
We appreciate a wide variety of women's shapes and figures; the main goal is that you are happy and healthy!
HOW TO GET A SLIM THICK BODY?
You might hear from some people that attaining a slim thick body shape isn't possible or not realistic. While this has some truth to it due to the role genetics play in determining your body composition, it doesn't mean that you have no chance of altering your body's proportions to be more slim thick like.
Not everyone will be able to achieve one of those incredible slim thick bodies, but you can certainly make significant progress towards that goal by focusing on the following points:
- Diet & Nutrition: An integral aspect of transforming your body is altering your diet to make it possible. If the end goal is to have a slim thick body shape, you'll need to hone in on making the proper food choices, that includes plenty of protein. Opt for options on our best food for muscles list for ideal results. We'll get more into the slim thick diet plan later in this post.
- Training Program: The emphasis of a slim thick figure is on the booty, hips, and thighs, which means you'll need to tailor your workout regimen to fit these end goals. Simply put, you'll need to focus on lower body exercises but don’t forget the upper body as well. That's the thick part. To get the slim part, you'll need to eat right, as mentioned above, plus include some HIIT cardio in your workouts so that you burn calories while still adding or maintaining lean muscle. You can't have a slim thick body without a flat tummy!
BONE STRUCTURE VS MUSCLE GAIN
Apart from invasive surgery, you're stuck with the genetics passed down to you, which will determine your bone structure. Once you're fully grown as an adult, your body structure is pretty much set in bone (pun intended!).
Aside from your genetics determining your bone structure, they also influence where and how you store fat in your body.
That said, not all hope is lost when trying to attain a particular aesthetic look. For example, you can build muscle or slim down to get closer to your goals.
To get slim thick, you might fall into one of two camps; those that need to slim down or those that have to bulk up. If you're overweight or underweight, your diet can be tweaked to assist you in inching towards the coveted slim thick body shape.
Regardless of your starting place, the one constant is the training program you follow. You'll have to use similar exercises to target the muscles in the glutes or booty, thighs, and midsection. As for cardio, both types of women will be best served by high-intensity workouts rather than long, drawn-out steady-state cardio.
THE SLIM THICK WORKOUT PLAN
There's no magic pill when it comes to body recomposition. You'll need to train hard and with a purpose if you want a shot at becoming more slim thick. The main goal in the slim thick workout plan is to attack the body parts and muscles that will contribute the most to creating the slim thick figure. We'll want to hit the lower body with enough training volume and attention that will get you on your way to slim thickness.
We chose an upper/lower split for the ultimate slim thick workout plan so that you can hit your lower body at least twice a week. We know that the optimal training frequency for muscle growth is twice a week with a total volume of 10-20 sets, so that's what we're aiming for with this slim thick workout plan.
With an upper/lower split, you can choose from a 2-6 day workout split, but we used the most common four-day split to base the slim thick workouts on. Choosing an upper-lower split has numerous benefits to achieve a slim thick body type.
Here are a few brief reasons why the upper-lower workout plan is the best for this situation:
- Versatility: An upper-lower split can be applied to beginners to advanced lifters while still getting fantastic results. So, regardless of your starting fitness level, this workout split will cater to your circumstances. Upper lower splits are also great for people that want some flexibility in their schedules. If you follow our 4-day upper lower slim thick workout split, you can choose the days you want to work out as long as you have at least 24 hours between training sessions and get 2 upper days and 2 lower days in. This upper-lower split is also versatile regarding the type of training you're doing. In our case, we want to train for hypertrophy or muscle gain on the lower body, whereas we might want to train for endurance and muscle toning on the top half.
- Perfect for training frequency & Recovery: Briefly mentioned above, you'll be training with enough volume to gain lean muscle while you have enough time to recuperate. The downfall of many people who start weight training is based on either under/overtraining. The slim thick workout will ensure you hit all major muscle groups twice a week while you have enough time to recover so that you can get those gains without the intense pains.
- Effective & Efficient: Upper lower splits are super practical as your training sessions will include productive exercises. Compound exercises are the cornerstone of upper-lower splits, where you'll reap the benefits of more muscle gain and more calories burned. In addition, by focusing on just upper or lower body muscles, you'll be able to work opposing muscle groups in the same session. For example, you can do lat pulldowns and bench press supersets, allowing you to have a balanced workout.
Besides resistance training, we also programmed 2-3 HIIT cardio sessions every week. HIIT is best for creating a slim thick body because these workouts enable you to burn calories and fat while keeping or adding lean muscle. No more hour-long jogs on the treadmills! The cardio sessions will be short, usually 10-30 minutes. You could get these cardio sessions in on your resistance training days in the mornings/nights or even on your off days if you wanted to.
Now that you know why and how we structured the slim thick workout plan, we will go over some of the exercises we included in the workout.
Note: There are extra exercises that target the same muscle groups that you can use to swap out as you please to keep things fresh or substitute if some of the given exercises aren't feasible.
BEST SLIM THICK EXERCISES
Focusing on these core areas of glutes, waist, thighs, and midsection, here's a look at some of the best exercises that can be a part of a slim thick workout program. Moves like these glute exercises for women and those we've included in our women's upper body workout are about to become your new best friend!
Mid-Section:
- All variations of planks
- Captain's Chair Knee/Leg Raises
- Decline sit-ups
- Hollow Body Hold
- Reverse Crunches
- Glute Bridges
- Bird Dogs
- Dead Bugs
- Wipers
- Leg Raises
Glutes & Legs:
- All Squats Variations
- All Deadlifts Variations
- Hip Thrusts
- Weighted Step Ups
- Bulgarian Splits Squats
- Leg Press
- Kneeling Squats
- Glute Kickbacks
- Hip Abduction Exercises
- Hip Adduction Exercises
- Glute Kickbacks
- Lunges
- Leg Extensions
- Hamstring Curls
- Calf Raises
UPPER LOWER SLIM THICK WORKOUT ROUTINE
The following Slim Thick workout plan isn't your run-of-the-mill plan you'll find on some feminine-focused publications that only have you doing bodyweight exercises. Those lightweight workouts are unlikely to yield any tangible results besides toning and trimming, which isn't aligned with producing a slim thick body. A slim thick body means you'll need to build muscle and thickness in certain places.
This is a 4-day upper-lower slim workout program based around hypertrophy or muscle gaining exercises. You should keep breaks short between your sets of 45-90 seconds.
Start each workout with a short dynamic stretching routine of 5 minutes that will target the muscles of that workout. Each workout shouldn't take longer than 60 minutes to complete if you stay on task and push yourself!
Weekly Schedule - Option 1:
- Monday: Upper A
- Tuesday: Lower A
- Wednesday: Rest/Cardio
- Thursday: Upper B
- Friday: Lower B
- Saturday: Rest/Cardio
- Sunday: Rest/Cardio
Weekly Schedule - Option 2:
- Monday: Upper A
- Tuesday: Rest/Cardio
- Wednesday: Lower A
- Thursday: Rest/Cardio
- Friday: Upper B
- Saturday: Lower B
- Sunday: Rest/Cardio
Note: Feel free to get the cardio sessions done on the same days as your resistance training sessions, provided you have the time and energy to go all out.
Workout Upper A
|
Exercise |
Sets |
Reps |
|
Bench Press |
4 |
10-12 |
|
Lat Pulldowns |
4 |
12-15 |
|
Dumbbell Shoulder Press |
4 |
8-10 |
|
Superset: Biceps Curls x Triceps Extensions |
4 |
12 |
|
Planks |
3 |
As long as possible |
Workout Upper B
|
Exercise |
Sets |
Reps |
|
Seated Rows |
4 |
12-15 |
|
Standing Dumbbell Press |
4 |
10-12 |
|
Incline Dumbbell Press |
4 |
8-10 |
|
Superset: Hammer Curls x Dips |
3 |
10-12 |
|
Superset: Captain’s Chair Knee Raises x Russian Twists |
4 |
15 each exercise |
Workout Lower A
|
Exercise |
Sets |
Reps |
|
Squats |
4 |
8-10 |
|
Hip Thrusts |
3 |
12-15 |
|
Sumo Deadlifts |
3 |
10-12 |
|
Lunges |
4 |
6-10 each side |
|
Superset: Hip Abduction x Adduction Machine |
3 |
10 each exercise |
|
Superset: Plank Shoulder Taps x Lying Wipers |
3 |
10 each exercise |
Workout Lower B
|
Exercise |
Sets |
Reps |
|
Leg Press |
3 |
10 |
|
Deadlift |
4 |
6-10 |
|
Hip Thrusts or Glute Ham Raise |
4 |
10 |
|
Superset: Hip Abduction/Adduction Machine |
3 |
12-15 |
|
Hollow Body Hold |
3 |
As long as possible |
Slim Thick HIIT Cardio Workout
Now that we got the resistance training portion out of the way let's talk about the cardio sessions that should be mixed into your weekly workout. Remember, these cardio sessions are straight to point without any fluff.
The following HIIT workout can be done at home, at the gym, or outside at the park as no equipment is needed.
Workout Details:
- 10 Exercises
- 30 Seconds On
- 10 Seconds Off
- 1-3 Rounds
Exercises:
- Power Squats
- Mountain Climbers
- Lunge to Knee Drive
- Jumping Jacks
- Lateral Walk with
- Burpees
- Air Punches
- High Knees
- Knee Push-Ups
- Tuck Jumps
Note: Take 1-2 minute break between rounds or less if possible. If you complete 2 rounds, the total workout time will be around 15 minutes. 3 rounds will take less than 25 minutes.
THE SLIM THICK DIET PLAN
Some women may have genetics that makes the slim thick body type more easily accessible, while others have to work to get there. In fact, if your genetics make it easier for you to gain muscle mass and maintain an athletic body shape, you may have a mesomorph body type, which for women, aligns really well with the slim thick look.
Apart from the exercise portion of developing the slim thick figure, diet is the other piece of the puzzle that shouldn't be understated.
Let's bring it back to the first point above. You might be into one of two groups; you need to trim some extra pounds or add some pounds to get closer to the slim thick shape.
First, you need to find a baseline to work from. Then, regardless of your starting point, you must determine your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). With a quick Google of "online TDEE calculator," you can simply enter some of your details, including height, weight, gender, age, and activity level, to get your TDEE.
Your TDEE tells you how many calories you can consume per day to maintain your current body composition. If you should lose weight, then you'll have to eat fewer calories than your TDEE and vice versa.
For those who need to trim some inches to become slim thick:
Now that you know your TDEE, you can start to lose some weight by simply lowering your calorie intake. To do this, start by lowering your daily calorie intake by 200 for a week. If you're not seeing any progress, then you can turn it up a little and reduce another 100 calories a day until you start seeing some results. This slight caloric deficit time will lead to noticeable results over time; consistency is the key. Keep in mind that 1 pound of fat equals around 3,500 calories. Therefore, a rough guideline for fat loss is to lose .5-1 pounds weekly safely. We recommend checking out our top tips for weight loss for women to help get you started.
For those who need to add some inches to become slim thick:
On the flip side, if you're in a position where you need to bulk up a bit, you should increase your daily caloric intake. You can do this by adding 200 calories to your daily intake, then reassess after a week to see if you've gained any solid weight. Again, the goal here isn't to gain fat but rather lean muscle. If you've been restricting your calories for a long time, you may want to consider following a reverse diet.
SAMPLE SLIM THICK BODY DIET
We wanted to give you a sample diet that you can follow to become slim thick; you can use these guidelines to lose or gain weight. However, the major difference is, those who should lose weight should reduce calories while those who need to add weight should consume more calories.
It's important to note that not all calories are created equal. For example, eating 100 calories of chocolate chip cookies can't be equated to consuming 100 calories of cauliflower. One chocolate chip cookie could have more than 100 calories and is loaded with carbs, sugar, and fats. To get 100 calories of cauliflower, you'd have to eat almost a whole head, and you'd get the benefits of a few healthy carbs and fiber. This should drive home the point that making healthier food choices can make or break your diet.
Apart from calories, it's vital to pay attention to the macronutrient profile of your diet. So, here's a quick refresher on the three macronutrients, so you can properly count macros.
Protein: This will be an essential component to build a slim thick body. Increased protein intake will help build lean muscle, reduce hunger and recover from exercise. Healthy protein sources include meats, fish, eggs, dairy products, nuts, and legumes. In addition, protein supplements like whey or plant-based protein powders can help to get you to adequate daily protein intake levels. The minimum daily protein intake would be around 7 grams per 20lbs of body weight. In our case of building the slim thick body, you should aim for .8-1 gram of protein per lean pound of bodyweight. So, if you weigh 150 lbs and have 20% body fat, you should eat 96-120 grams of protein a day. And if you don't want to feel as though you're eating chicken for every meal in order to hit your protein goal, consider more creative alternatives, like making protein coffee.
Carbohydrates: Carbs in the form of fiber, starch, and sugars tend to be the primary energy source for most people. Carbs sometimes get a bad rap, but if you stick to complex carbs rather than simple carbs, you'll be fine. Carbs are necessary to fuel the body with energy, and they aid in supporting the healthy functioning of organs and the central nervous system. Carbs that contain fiber will also help to satiate your appetite.
Complex carbs include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes. The carbs you should avoid, simple carbs, come in the form of processed foods like cookies, white bread, sugary drinks, and sweets.
Fats: Fats are similar to carbs because they come in good and bad forms. There are two general types of fats; saturated and unsaturated. Unsaturated fats can be monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. They can help you lose weight, give you energy, make you feel full, and lower cardiovascular disease risk factors. You can find unsaturated fats in foods such as olive oil, seeds, nuts, and fish. Saturated fats found in foods such as meats, coconut oil, and dairy products also provide numerous health benefits. The one fat you should avoid is trans-fat that you'll find in processed foods. It's worth mentioning that while fat is an integral part of a well-balanced diet, it's a very caloric dense food where the calories can add up quickly.
Your macronutrient breakdown can look something like this:
- 40-50% Carbohydrates
- 30-40% Protein
- 10-20% Fats
Note: You'll have to adjust what works best for your situation and lifestyle.
Example of your daily diet:
- Breakfast: To start the day off, you might consider eating a few eggs for protein, a piece or two of whole-grain bread with some natural nut butter, plus a small bowl of yogurt with some berries. Wash it down with water or coffee/tea (without added sugar).
- Snack: A mid-morning snack might consist of some veggie sticks (celery, carrots, etc.) with some hummus followed by a protein shake.
- Lunch: A lovely quinoa salad with grilled chicken and a side of veggies should do the trick.
- Snack: Another protein shake with milk or water.
- Dinner: Roasted salmon served with garlic sauteed broccoli, and mashed sweet potato.
- Late Snack: A few hours before bedtime, you can squeeze in another protein shake, preferably casein, to help feed your muscles while you sleep.
FINAL TIPS FOR GETTING A SLIM THICK BODY
We hope you better grasp what it will take to work towards a slim thick body shape. We'd be remiss to mention that not everyone will be able to realize the ideal slim thick body, but with the proper diet and exercise program, you will make some serious strides in getting there.
A quick recap of some of the tips to getting that coveted slim thick body are:
- Eat Healthily: When we say eat healthily, we mean you should strive to consume nutrient-dense foods that will fit into the macros we laid out above. Try to get a good mix of foods with fiber, healthy fats, lean protein, and complex carbs in your daily diet. Focus on eating whole foods and stay away from highly processed foods. If you can't read the words listed in the ingredients, it's most likely that it isn't healthy. Check out the 80 20 rule diet for more great information on the types of foods you should be eating.
- Consume More Protein: More often than not, women tend to under consume protein; let's change up that paradigm. More protein in your diet means you'll feel fuller for longer, supply your body the fuel it needs to build and repair muscle and burn more calories as protein requires more calories to digest than fats or carbs. To support you in this endeavor, look towards protein shakes; they are a delicious and healthy option to put you over the threshold. Remember, you'll want .8-1 gram of protein per lean pound of bodyweight.
- Drink More Water: Staying hydrated leads to better overall health. In the case of becoming slim thick, drinking more water helps to lose fat, curb your appetite and burn more calories. Plus, with the slim thick workout plan, you'll need to replenish all you sweat out.
- Do High-Intensity Cardio: High-intensity cardio is the perfect solution to achieve a slim thick figure. This type of cardio will have you elevate your heart rate, leading to more calories burned in a shorter amount of time. The added benefit here is that even once you're done with your workout, you'll still be burning calories thanks to what's known as EPOC (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen). HIIT workouts can also save you time as the workouts are usually less than 30 minutes. All you need is a few HIIT sessions per week. Last but not least, HIIT workouts can assist in actually building lean muscle; bring on those muscular thighs and booty!
- Get Quality Sleep: Sleep might be the best natural performance enhancer. Lack of sleep can lead to poor decisions when it comes to your eating and also slows down the process of losing fat. If you want that flat stomach, you should aim for 7-9 hours of sleep daily.
- Lift Weights: Stop worrying about getting too big or bulky. We wish more women lifted weights as the health benefits are endless. You'll gain muscle, burn calories, improve your mood, enhance performance, reduce stress, and lower your risk of injury and disease. Plus, the right exercises will do an awesome job sculpting your back, toning your arms, and lifting your breasts. We almost forgot to mention that you'll look and feel better!
We hope this slim thick workout and diet plan helps get you on the right path. It's now up to you to make the sacrifices to get there. Train hard, eat right, sleep well and stay hydrated!
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Kirsten Yovino
Author