The Complete Guide To Slim Thick Workouts For A Slim Thick Body

You have likely heard about the slim-thick body type that many women are going after. Who doesn’t want an hourglass figure and to feel confident in their own skin?

To look this way, surgery is always an option that many women feel pressured to consider. 

Luckily, there are alternatives. Many can achieve this look in a safe and healthy way without the risks and cost of surgery.

If you are considering putting in the work to achieve this look, we have all the information you need to create healthy daily habits that will take your physique to the next level!

If you want to have a slim waist and thick lower body, you must be conscious of what you eat and follow a slim-thick workout plan. 

The process requires a lot of dedication, but if it is something you want, you can certainly achieve it!

I have been a personal trainer for many years, and I have helped multiple women learn what they needed to do to both look and feel amazing while going for a slim-thick body. 

Now, it is your turn!

Keep reading to learn safe and practical tips that can help you look and feel your best!

What is a slim thick body type?

Someone is considered to have a slim-thick body if they have a narrow waist with visible abs, larger and rounder butt and hips, and slim, yet thick thighs.

In the present day, this is a physique that many women are chasing after. 

While it is an attractive look that many women desire, the beauty norms will continue to change, and we cannot know how long the slim-thick body type will be “in style”.

How to get a slim thick body naturally?

Related: How To Turn A Square Butt Into Round Glutes

Many women have gone to great lengths to get a slim thick body by paying for procedures, so they do not have to take the steps needed to achieve it naturally. 

While this is a route you could take, it is inadvisable. Many women experience dangerous complications from procedures such as these.

Achieving this look naturally is much easier for some women than others based on uncontrollable factors. However, anyone can make their body look more “slim thick” than it currently is.

By following a workout routine that promotes gaining muscle and burning fat, eating a healthy and high-protein diet, getting enough rest, and loving and appreciating your body every step of the way, you can naturally get a slim-thick body.

Things to Consider for a Slim Thick Body Goal

Genetics

As briefly mentioned earlier, some women can achieve the slim-thick look easier than others. Genetics plays a huge role in determining your natural body type.

For example, if you already have an hourglass shape, minimal adjustments are needed to make you slim-thick. 

If you have an athletic body type, you will have to work on building your hips and glutes more while maintaining that slimmer waist.

If you already have larger hips and a bigger waist, you will only have to concern yourself with lowering your body fat percentage. 

This will let your hourglass waist show through while you maintain the size of your hips and butt.

Muscle Mass

Genetics can also play a role in determining how easily you lose and gain muscle mass.

If you naturally carry more muscle on you, you are likely to be less concerned with the thick aspect of the slim-thick body. Your main concern would be slimming down the upper body to let the thin waist show through.

If you tend to carry and maintain a smaller amount of muscle, achieving the slim-thick look will take you more time because gaining muscle is a slow process. 

Be patient with yourself, stick to the workout routine, and eat plenty of protein.

Body Fat

If you have a higher body fat percentage, you will need to spend some time in a caloric deficit while keeping up a gym workout regimen.  

Genetics determine where body fat falls off first and last, so don’t waste time trying to spot reduce because it is not possible.

Once you have lost the amount of body fat you desire, take a moment to analyze if and where you need to gain muscle to complete the thick aspect of the overall look.

The Best Slim Thick Workout Plan

Training Split

Related: 3 Day Workout Split

As with any physique goal, there are certain training splits that help you mold and shape the exact body type you want. 

While achieving the slim-thick look is easier for some people than others, at least following a beneficial training split will ensure you are headed in the right direction. 

You want to primarily target the glutes, back, shoulders, and abdominals for a slim-thick body. 

Speaking to the abdominals, try to avoid exercises that primarily target the obliques. This will lead to a midsection that looks more like a board rather than curving in how you desire for a more slim look.

While those are the four muscle groups you want to focus on, it is still important to maintain balance by giving every muscle group at least some attention every week.

To continuously challenge the body, do new workouts every four weeks. 

If you can, aim for five workouts a week to see results quicker. 

You could even do extra cardio on a sixth day to accelerate things. However, I highly recommend making that seventh day a rest day so your body has time to recover and doesn’t experience overtraining.

Aim for two to four sets and six to 12 reps for each set. Keep the rest periods to a minimum, so your body will work harder and burn more calories during your training session. 

An hour of exercise is plenty for helping you achieve your goals, but feel free to adjust the number of sets per exercise in our workout program based on how much time you have.

Pro Slim-Thick Cardio Guide

Related: How To Get Rid Of Armpit Fat

LISS (Low-Intensity Steady State)

1. Stairmaster

The Stairmaster is by far the best cardio machine for building muscle while burning calories. It is also an efficient form of cardio, so if there is a day where you don’t have too much time to spare, hop on the Stairmaster to break a sweat quickly.

We all have to climb stairs quite often, so using this machine promotes strength in functional movement. 

It also helps with weight loss and muscle growth in the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves.

Try to complete at least one ten to 20-minute session per week to work on achieving that slim-thick body! 

2. Incline Walking

Similar to stairs, incline walking allows you to build muscle while burning fat. If you have any knee issues, this form of cardio may be preferable to the Stairmaster. 

You can also play around with what inclines you are walking at to create a calmer form of interval training. 

For example, if you were walking for 20 minutes, start at level ten, decrease the incline by two every five minutes, and finish the workout with normal walking.

Aim to hop on the treadmill at least once a week for 15 to 30 minutes.

3. Biking

Even though you are seated for the workout duration, biking can still provide a challenge when conquered intentionally!

If you find yourself just casually pedaling along against minimal resistance, it is very unlikely that you are burning very many calories. 

In fact, you are probably wasting your time. 

Make the most of your biking session by upping the resistance of the pedals and aiming for a minimum of 60 RPM – the number of times your pedal goes through a revolution.

Hop on the bike at least once a week for twenty to thirty minutes.

HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training)

1. Sprints

No one can deny that sprints are a challenge, but the lower body gains and toned abs are worth it!

Try doing your sprints at speed 8-10 on the treadmill for 20 seconds at a time or perform them anywhere outdoors and use markers to indicate the distance you want to travel. 

Allow ten to 30 seconds of rest in between each sprint.

Aim to do ten to fifteen sprints per session at least once a week.

2. Jump Rope  

You can do jump rope either in combination with other forms of cardio or just on its own!

If you are doing it by itself, aim for either timed intervals or the number of jumps. A great place to start would be with 50 jumps or 30 seconds of jumping. 

Give yourself a 30-second break and then repeat for a minimum of five total rounds.

Do this workout at least once a week to burn many calories!

3. Circuits

When you think of HIIT, circuits likely come to mind. During a circuit, you are alternating a high-intensity exercise with either a period of rest or a low-intensity exercise.

HIIT circuits are for you if you want to break a sweat quickly, burn fat, and work nearly every muscle group! 

You can either design your circuit or follow along with one on YouTube for ten to 15 minutes. Try to go through at least one of these workouts every week.

Slim Thick Diet Plan

To achieve a slim-thick body, you will need to provide the body with plenty of nutrients. 

Aim for lots of lean protein sources, fruits, and vegetables, and always be conscious of how many calories each meal. 

While protein is your priority, carbohydrates and fats are not bad. Carbohydrates provide you with the energy you need to get through your workouts. Fats promote healthy hormone levels.

7-Day Sample Meal Plan

Breakfast

1. Protein Oatmeal With Berries

Add some protein powder, peanut butter, and berries to your oatmeal to get in that protein, complex carbohydrates, and extra healthy fats! 

Oatmeal is a great way to start the day and keep you full for hours.

2. Blueberry Protein Pancakes and Turkey Bacon

Add some blueberries to your protein pancake mix for extra nutrients and serve it with a side of turkey bacon. That turkey bacon will give you a little extra protein kick while keeping your calories low. 

Be sure that whatever syrup you use is lower in calories and sugar!

3. Scrambled Eggs and Peanut Butter Toast

Mix in some veggies like onions, spinach, and bell peppers with your eggs or egg whites. 

Egg whites are ideal because they are very low in calories and high in protein, but feel free to add one or two whole eggs to make the meal a bit more filling.

Serve your eggs with a side of toasted protein bread and peanut butter.

Lunch

1. Tuna and Rice Cakes

Make your favorite tuna salad and grab two rice cakes. Try to keep the condiments you mix into the salad minimal to keep the calories under control. Feel free to add in some spinach for an extra nutrient kick.

Spread the salad evenly between the two rice cakes for a low-calorie, high-protein lunch that doesn’t sit too heavy in your stomach.

2. Asian Salad

Grab a salad mix, sliced almonds, chow mein noodles, and your favorite low-calorie dressing. 

Cook and chop up a salmon filet to add on top, and you have a healthy high-protein lunch!

Salmon is an amazing ingredient to add to any meal because it is high in omega-3s that benefit your heart and brain health.

3. Sandwich and Protein Bar

If you need to grab something quick, a sandwich is always easy. Use protein bread if your local store carries it, and add spinach, a higher-protein cheese, turkey, and a low-calorie condiment. 

Finish off the meal with your favorite protein bar – just be sure that it has ten grams of sugar or less!

Dinner

1. Chicken, Veggies, and Rice

While this may be the typical bodybuilder meal, it doesn’t have to be some bland food that you force down!

Combine chopped seasoned chicken, rice, broccoli, and cashew pieces, and then drizzle some teriyaki sauce on top for a tasty bowl!

This meal has carbs, fats, protein, and various beneficial nutrients.

2. Ground Turkey Chili

In the morning, mix together cooked ground turkey, beans, tomato sauce, beef bone broth, and your choice of spices in the crockpot. By the time dinner comes around, you will have a delicious meal waiting for you!

In addition to chicken and salmon, ground turkey is another great lean source of protein that can replace beef in many recipes.

3. High-Protein Pizza

Nearly everyone likes pizza, and you can still have some, even when you are working on your physique!

Find a high-protein wrap, and top it with pizza sauce, ground turkey or chicken, spinach, and cheese. Pop it in the air fryer or oven, and dinner is prepped in ten minutes or less.

Snacks

1. Greek Yogurt Parfait

Parfaits can be made in just a few minutes by combining Greek yogurt, your fruit of choice, and granola.

This combination can curb your sweet tooth while still providing your body with plenty of protein and nutrients, so be sure to always have everything in your kitchen!

2. Protein Bars and Shakes

As mentioned before, protein is your number one priority when it comes to a diet for a slim-thick body. 

Always be sure to have a protein bar or protein shake right after your workouts, and keep them stocked in the kitchen for when you don’t have too many calories left for the day.

It is recommended to buy a tub of protein powder rather than the individual shakes because you will save a lot of money, and try to buy the protein bars that have the lowest amounts of sugars and calories!

3. Popcorn

As long as it isn’t smothered in butter and caramel, odds are popcorn is going to be one of the lowest-calorie snacks you can find!

If you tend to mindlessly snack when bored or watching a movie, make sure you grab popcorn before anything else. 

If you aren’t paying too much attention, other snacks can rack up your calories and get in the way of your goals.

Supplements

There are numerous supplements out there, and you may find that some benefit you while others are probably not the best thing to spend your money on.

1. Multivitamin

When it comes to nutrition, it is highly recommended to take a multivitamin and greens powder. 

Hardly anyone gets all of the nutrients their body needs daily, so these two supplements will have your back and cover the bases.

2. Pre-Workout

You may find pre-workout to be beneficial because that extra caffeine kick will take your workouts to another level. You could also use coffee for this same purpose. 

However, it is not recommended to consume caffeine after 2 pm, so this supplement is more for those working out in the mornings.

3. Protein Powder

Protein powder is probably the supplement you will get the most bang for your buck from. It typically averages one dollar per serving, and you can get around 25 grams of protein in only 150 calories.

4. Creatine

Lastly, many people see great results regularly taking creatine. It is one of the cheapest and most-researched supplements, so don’t hesitate to put it in your shopping cart. 

Many women have experienced improved exercise recovery, strength and power, anaerobic exercise capacity, and more when taking creatine.

Calorie Recommendations

Achieving the slim-thick look is not easy, and there’s a reason. When you are “slim thick,” you typically have a very slim waist with a larger butt and thighs. 

This means that your body fat percentage has to be lower, but you still need to maintain size in your lower body with muscle mass, which is not the easiest feat.

While this is not an effortless physique to achieve, it is possible if you are willing to go through a few rounds of cutting and bulking. 

It is advised to do all of this under the watch of a personal trainer or nutritionist, but we will at least give you the rundown.

When you cut, you are focused on maintaining as much muscle mass as you can while losing body fat. This is done through eating in a caloric deficit and making burning calories the focus in the gym.

When you go through a bulk, you want to add on as much muscle mass as you can while gaining a minimal amount of fat. You do this by eating in a caloric surplus and lifting heavy in the gym. 

It is very dependent on the person how long they will spend in each of these phases. 

Just know that slow and steady is the healthiest way to achieve your goal. Patience is non-negotiable for the process of becoming slim-thick.

Whether your calories are starting to go up or down, an easy way to go about it is to adjust by 25 to 50 calories every week until you hit the surplus or deficit you are aiming for. 

This allows your body a healthy amount of time to adjust. 

Again, the whole process of calorie adjustment is much easier when a professional is keeping an eye on you, so keep that in mind as you start to track your calories. 

The Best Slim Thick Exercises

Related: Underbutt Exercises

1. Squats

Squats are one of the three main compound exercises that everyone needs to do, especially if they want to build their glutes. 

Squats are amazing for challenging all the lower body muscles, improving posture, and making everyday functional movements easier.

While barbell back squats may not be the best for those with knee problems, there are various versions of squats, so almost everyone can do one! 

A few examples are front squats, box squats, and goblet squats.

Benefits

• Builds the glutes
• Improves posture
• Very functional exercise

How-To Perform Squats

1. Center a barbell with plates on your upper back. 
2. Position your feet slightly wider than hip-width with your toes pointing out. 
3. Keeping your back straight and chest up, push your glutes back first before bending your knees and coming down into a squat. 
4. Once your knees form a 90-degree angle, push up through your heels to return to the starting position.

Pro Tips

• If you have difficulty knowing whether or not you are coming down enough, set up a bench or box at the same height as your knees behind you. When you squat down, momentarily tap your glutes down on the marker before coming back up.
• The further apart your feet are during this movement, the more your glutes are targeted!

2. Sumo Deadlifts

Related: Hook Grip Deadlift

Deadlifts also fall into the top three compound categories. 

They are amazing for building all the muscles in your lower body, improving grip strength, and helping you perform functional movements with ease. 

Benefits

• Targets your glutes, hamstrings, and quads
• Improves grip strength
• Very functional exercise

How-To Perform Sumo Deadlifts

1. Start with a barbell loaded with plates on the ground in front of you. 
2. Position your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart with your toes pointing out. 
3. Push your glutes back, hinge at the hips, and position your hands evenly on the bar so that your hands are in line with your shoulders. 
4. Squat down slightly and then focus on pushing up through your heels as you lift the bar off the ground and come to standing. Lock your legs, hold for a moment, and then bend your knees and slowly let the bar come back down to the ground.

Pro Tips

• As you are able to lift more weight with the sumo deadlift, using chalk, a weight belt, and straps can make the exercise a bit easier.
• Be sure to maintain optimal posture during this exercise and never round your back, as this could easily cause injury.

3. Barbell Hip Thrusts

If you have been having difficulty with building your glutes to contribute to the “thick” part of a slim-thick body, you must try barbell hip thrusts! 

This exercise is amazing for effectively targeting the booty. You can create goals to increase the weight over time.

Benefits

• One of the best exercises for building the glutes
• Challenges your hamstrings and quads
• Improves bone health

How-To Perform Barbell Hip Thrusts

1. Position your upper back against the side of a bench and have the center of a loaded barbell resting in the crease of your hips. 
2. Plant your feet on the ground so that your knees form a 45-degree angle. 
3. Slide your back up so that your arms are free and the bench is supporting your weight. 
4. Grasp the bar with your hands, and push through your heels as you bring your hips up and lift the barbell off the ground. 
5. Pause when your knees hit 90 degrees before briefly tapping your glutes on the floor and repeating the motion.

Pro Tips

• Keep your chin tucked throughout the exercise to prevent injury.
• If the bar hurts your hips, make sure to use a bar pad.

4. Abductor Machine

The three exercises just mentioned mainly challenge the gluteus maximus, but the abductor machine works your gluteus medius to give your hips a more rounded look. 

Almost every gym should have this machine, and it is a great warm-up or finisher exercise!

Benefits

• Builds your gluteus medius
• Prevent pain in the hips and knees
• Great warm-up or finisher for a glutes day

How-To Perform Abductor Machine

1. Position yourself in the abductor machine, grab the handles, and make sure you have a straight back. 
2. Slowly press your legs against the pads so they open and you feel resistance in the sides of your legs and glutes. 
3. Go as far as you can, pause for a moment, and then slowly close your legs again to return to the starting position.

Pro Tips

• While you still want to keep your back straight, play around with leaning forward by hinging at the hips to see how that feels different on your glutes.
• To make this exercise more difficult, count to five when your legs are all the way apart before returning to the starting position.

5. Lat Pulldowns

We are going to stray away from the lower body for a moment to address lat pulldowns. Part of having a slim-thick body means having an hourglass shape. 

Because there is a limit to how small your waist can get, you can instead improve the width of your back to create more contrast. 

Lat pulldowns are one of the most effective exercises for building your lats, traps, biceps, and rear delts.

Benefits

• Builds your lats, traps, biceps, and rear delts
• Helps create the hourglass shape
• Very functional movement

How-To Perform Lat Pulldowns

1. Take a seat at the cable machine, and position your hands on the bar so your arms form a V. 
2. Push your chest out and keep your back straight as you slowly pull the bar down until your elbows rest next to the bottom of your ribs and the bar hits your chest. 
3. Slowly release the bar back up before repeating the motion.

Pro Tips

• To make this exercise more difficult, try only pulling one side of the bar down at a time to do a single-arm lat pulldown.
• If you are not able to bring the bar all the way down to your chest, you need to do a lighter weight.

Slim Thick Workout Plan

Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5	Day 6	Day 7
Lower Body #1 + Cardio	Upper Body #1 + Abs	Rest Day	Lower Body #2 + Cardio	Glutes + Abs	Rest Day	Upper Body #2 + Cardio

Lower Body #1
Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest Time
Barbell Back Squats	4	6-8	1 minute 30 seconds
Bulgarian Split Squats	3	8-10	1 minute
Straight-Leg Deadlifts	3	10-12	30 seconds
Lying Hamstring Curls	2	8-10	30 seconds
Seated Calf Raise Machine	2	12-15	30 seconds

Lower Body #2
Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest Time
Sumo Deadlifts	4	6-8	1 minute 30 seconds
Good Mornings	3	10-12	1 minute
Reverse Lunges	3	10-12	30 seconds
Leg Extensions	2	8-10	30 seconds
Smith Machine Calf Raises	2	12-15	30 seconds

Upper Body #1
Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest Time
Lat Pulldowns	4	10-12	1 minute
Cable Rows	3	10-12	30 seconds
Face Pulls	3	8-10	30 seconds
Cable Bicep Curls	2	10-12	30 seconds
Concentration Curls	2	8-10	30 seconds

Upper Body #2
Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest Time
Bench Press	4	6-8	1 minute 30 seconds
Barbell Military Press	3	8-10	1 minute
Assisted Dips	3	8-10	1 minute
Cable Side Raises	2	10-12	30 seconds
Dumbbell Front Raises	2	10-12	30 seconds

Glutes
Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest Time
Barbell Hip Thrusts	4	6-8	1 minute 30 seconds
Weight Step Ups	3	8-10	1 minute
Cable Kickbacks	3	10-12	30 seconds
Glute Machine	2	10-12	30 seconds
Abductor Machine	2	10-12	30 seconds

Abs
Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest Time
Knees Up Crunches	2	20	15 seconds
Hanging Leg Raises	2	10	15 seconds
Plank	2	1 minute	15 seconds

Related: Weighted Ab Workouts

Slim Thick Cardio Plan

Day #	Type of Cardio	Duration
1	Stairmaster	10-20 minutes
4	Incline Walking or Biking	20-30 minutes
7	Your choice of HIIT	10-15 minutes

Final Tips for Achieving Slim Thick Body

1. Don’t Compare Yourself

Odds are, you decided you wanted to have a slim-thick body because you saw other women who have achieved it. 

Did you look at yourself in the mirror and wish you looked like them?

If you did, that’s okay. Just remember that it took them a long time to shape the body they currently have or their genetics gave them a big advantage.

Don’t compare yourself with others along your health journey because it doesn’t matter how they look; all that matters is how you feel.

2. Be Patient

The slim-thick body is one of the hardest looks to achieve. It involves maintaining a good amount of muscle mass in the lower body while having a low body fat percentage and a slimmer waist.

All this really means is that there is a lot of math and tracking involved to ensure you are taking the necessary steps toward what you want.

And odds are, it will take a long time for you to achieve what you want. 

That doesn’t mean it is not worth it. You just have to know what challenge you are taking on before you embark on the journey.

The results may come faster or slower than you expect, but either way, be patient with yourself. Love your body for even being able to make it to the gym and process the food you provide it with.

3. Stay Consistent

Nothing matters more with fitness than consistency. Your body displays the work you have put in, plain and simple. If you start to slack, your body will show that, too.

Don’t be on it Monday through Friday, do whatever you want on the weekend, and then say the program isn’t working when you weigh more than you want Monday morning. 

Nobody is perfect and adherent 100% of the time, but keep your WHY in mind, and try to be consistent at least 90% of the time.

Because achieving a slim thick body is a long process, it is important that you learn how to rest and not quit. 

Many of us have the instinct to just drop everything when it gets too hard. 

When you feel this way, acknowledge your thoughts, take a rest break to rejuvenate, and then hop right back into it. 

Don’t let your past self down, and make your future self proud.

4. Prioritize Health

We can talk about looks all day, but none of that will matter if you aren’t healthy. 

Your body will have a very difficult time achieving any physique if it is not being provided with the nutrients, rest, and love that it needs to function properly.

Keep that in mind for the duration of your health journey, and create other little goals you want to achieve along the way like getting enough veggies, drinking plenty of water, and meditation.

Having a functional body is something you can be grateful for every day, no matter how small your waist is. 

What are your thoughts on achieving a thick slim body?

Do you think the slim-thick physique is naturally achievable for most people? What was the best tip or piece of advice you found in this article?

Let us know in the comments, and be sure to share this with someone who could benefit from this info.