DURING 2015 we saw the trend for stronger, curvier bodies get more and more popular. The days of the stick thin, size zero ideal are long gone, thank goodness. Celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Kate Upton and Kelly Brook are trailblazers for the healthier, more womanly trend.


TOWIE star Lucy Mecklenburgh shows off the results of her recent work outs with her own 'belfie'.
This week, newly single TOWIE star, model and fitness entrepreneur Lucy Mecklenburgh showcased her own pert posterior by uploading a 'belfie' to her Instagram account.

The 'belfie' trend became popular with female celebrities in 2015 after Kim Kardashian posted a particularly outrageous 'belfie' online. A 'belfie' is simply a fusion of the words selfie and bottom.

If you are already a gym bunny, or are simply eager to try out a few exercises in the privacy of your own home, there are some simple tricks you can try out to achieve a shapely derriere by Summer 2016. They can be done using just your own body weight, but you can also add weights, whether it is a bar in the gym or dumbbells or bags of sugar at home.

These are five simple exercises for your very own booty blitz:

SQUATS - Starting in a standing position with your feet in line with your shoulders, move the hips back and bend the knees and hips to lower the torso and accompanying weight, then push back up to a standing position.

DONKEY KICKS - Starting  on all fours on mat (hands under shoulders, knees under hips). Keep your right knee bent 90 degrees, flex the right leg and kick it up towards the ceiling, then lower and repeat.

CURTSY LUNGES - Just like a curtsy in Ballet, start with feet shoulder width apart and toes forward. Take your right leg behind and to the side, bending and feeling the burn.

PELVIC LIFTS - Lying on your back, bend your knees and plant your feet firmly on the ground. Engage your bottom muscles and lift your hips towards the ceiling, lower, then repeat.

SUMO SQUATS - Just like the original squats but with your legs wider apart, like a sumo wrestler. It also helps if you turn out your toes a little for these exercises.

Try to do each exercise 12-15 times (on each leg for the lunges and donkey kicks!) then repeat the whole thing three times.

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