With articles out in cyberspace like "Jada And Willow Smith Both Reveal They've Considered Getting A BBL In The Past" and "The 'BBL effect': Plastic surgeons say they're seeing record numbers of patients as people look to lift their bodies — and their booties — out of the pandemic", there's no way around the fact that the desire for a bigger, fuller and/or rounder butt, for a lot of women, isn't going away any time soon.
Still, with all of the risks that can come with getting a BBL (bruising, blood clots, infection, heart issues, and even death in some cases), I thought it was important to remind our audience of something that more and more people seem to be losing sight off — there are natural ways to enhance your derriere too. Ones that are much healthier, far less expensive, and can benefit your health and well-being in other ways as well.
One way to get your butt to where you want it is through exercise. Glutes, squats, and lunges are classically effective when it comes to building muscle mass on your backside. And you know what? Something that can make this easier to do is eating certain foods that will literally "feed your muscles."
12 Foods To Eat for a Bigger Butt
If you want a bigger butt, here are 12 foods that can help to make that happen while doing your body a lot of good from head to toe in the process. So, where's your grocery list at, sis? Let's do this.
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1. Foods To Eat for a Bigger Butt: Avocados
Avocados are one of my favorite fruits and ever since I've learned how easy it is to make guacamole — chile, you can't tell me a damn thing! As far as health benefits go, they contain more potassium than bananas; are full of fatty acids; are considered to be an aphrodisiac thanks to all of the vitamin E (which helps to support sex hormones) that are in them; can help your body to better absorb nutrients and are packed with antioxidants — ones that especially are great for maintaining your vision.
As far as your backside goes, avocados are bomb because they've got healthy fats that can help to reduce bodily inflammation while reducing the stress and strain that your body can sometimes go through when you're in the process of trying to build muscle, including your glutes.
2. Nuts
If you're looking for a way to get some fat and protein into your system without consuming any meat, eating nuts is certainly one way to do it. Since nuts are also full of fiber, they can be a good way to stay regular as well. Aside from that, nuts are good for you because they're a solid source of copper, manganese, and selenium, and they can assist with lowering your cholesterol levels. Also, some medical experts believe that they support heart health too.
Butt-wise, nuts are great because all of the fat and protein in them can help you to develop strong and solid muscles while still causing your butt to have some "movement" (a lot of BBLs do not).
3. Foods To Eat for a Bigger Butt: Oatmeal
If nothing makes you happier than having a hot heaping bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, you're actually doing your body a lot of good because this is a food that's considered to be incredibly nutritious. Oatmeal is off-the-charts when it comes to how much manganese it contains (around 190 percent of the recommended dietary intake), plus it's got fiber, protein, phosphorus, copper, zinc, iron, vitamins B1 and B5 and so much more.
Some other things worth noting are the antioxidants in oatmeal can help to reduce inflammation and lower your blood pressure, there are properties in oatmeal that can also balance out your blood sugar levels and some studies even say that feeding a baby oatmeal can reduce their chances of getting asthma up the road. If you want a fuller butt, oatmeal is the lick because it's also got micronutrients in it. The cool thing about that is those are great when it comes to increasing muscle mass over time.
4. Brown Rice
Looking for a way to up your dietary fiber intake? Brown rice has your back (pun intended). Good thing too because the combination of the fiber and magnesium that's in brown rice can help to lower your risk of having a heart attack or stroke up the road. It's also a great source of protein and several forms of vitamin B. Plus, it's gluten-free if that's the kind of diet that you're after. If you're looking for a kind of food that is easy to digest, contains amino acids like glutamine, glycerin, and GABA to help manage depression-related symptoms and you want some extra energy as you're exercising so that you can get your butt just where you want it to be, brown rice has you — all the way around.
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5. Foods To Eat for a Bigger Butt: Bananas
You might've heard that if you've got a muscle cramp, you should probably snack on a banana. That's because it's a good source of potassium and potassium is what helps to slow the contractions that cause the cramping down. Bananas are also a beneficial fruit because they have vitamins B6 and C in them, along with copper, manganese, fiber, and protein. If you want to balance out your blood sugar levels, have a banana.
If you want to improve your digestive health, have a banana. If you want to get more antioxidants into your system, have a banana. And, if you want to snack on something sweet that can help you to lose weight, feel fuller longer, and also give you the energy to get your butt into shape — you already know…have a banana.
6. Eggs
I'm kinda thinking that it comes as no surprise to any of you that eggs are an amazing source of protein. That's not all, though. They're also a good source of selenium and various forms of vitamin B. Also, the yellow yolk of the egg is loaded with choline which is awesome for the growth of your baby if you happen to be pregnant. Choline is also helpful when it comes to providing your cells with the fat that they need in order to fully develop.
Not only that but the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin are awesome for your vision and word on the street is they can even do their part to decrease your chances of having a stroke. And since eggs are one of the greatest sources of protein per serving there is, I'm sure you get why they're another food that can feed your glutes, so that your butt can appear bigger and fuller (with exercise, of course). Where's your omelet at?
7. Foods To Eat for a Bigger Butt: Mushrooms
Something that I really like about mushrooms is they have a kind of "meaty texture" that makes them a good substitute if you're trying to eat more vegetarian or vegan meals (check out "10 Foods That Make Eating Less Meat...Easier"). Aside from that, mushrooms are cool because, nutrient-wise, they've got vitamin D, antioxidants, zinc, potassium, and loads of other vitamins and minerals in them. All of these nutrients work together to boost your immunity, maintain heart health, and support gut health.
Anyway, mushrooms can help you get your butt to where you want it to be because they also are high in protein and again, protein is good for muscle development. And since mushrooms are a vegetable, consuming them is how you can build muscle mass without relying on animal products to do it.
8. Beef
Sometimes, nothing brings me more joy than a juicy hamburger or a T-bone steak. Lawd, have mercy! And so long as you consume beef in moderation, there are some solid health benefits that come with eating it. First, meat is definitely a strong source of protein. Also, it's got vitamin B12, zinc, selenium, iron, and phosphorus in it. Something else that's cool about beef is it has the antioxidant glutathione in it. That's dope because it helps to strengthen your immunity, fight aging signs, and even increase longevity.
When it comes to beef getting your butt to where you want it to be — whew. First, the organic compound creatine that's in it helps to give your body the energy that it needs in order to build muscle mass as the protein in beef helps to increase muscle mass. In fact, beef contains all of the amino acids that are required for a food to be categorized as being a "complete protein". So, if you like nothing more than steak fajitas on the weekend, dig in, sis! Your taste buds will thank you. Your backside will too.
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9. Foods To Eat for a Bigger Butt: Quinoa
Initially, I wasn't a fan of quinoa at all. Then, I learned that it's all about how it's prepared. Now, I dig it. As far as health benefits go, it's a protein-filled and gluten-free seed that is classified as being a whole grain. Quinoa is high in amino acids, fiber, iron, B-vitamins, calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, zinc, copper and a host of other nutrients. A really great thing about quinoa is it can help you to manage your blood sugar levels.
Not only that but it's loaded with antioxidants, can assist with you shedding a few pounds (because it is able to boost your metabolism levels) and it contains anti-inflammatory properties too. Butt-wise, because it has so much protein in it (around eight grams a cup), it's a great building block for muscle mass and tone.
10. Greek Yogurt
Nothing will give you a protein, probiotic, vitamin B12, and calcium fix quite like a serving of Greek yogurt will. That said, if you've always wondered what the difference is between Greek yogurt and regular yogurt, Greek yogurt contains less sugar and more protein while regular yogurt has fewer calories and more calcium. Anyway, Greek yogurt can give you a metabolism boost, help to keep your bones strong and it's also great for your butt because it can also help to build muscle mass (thanks to its protein) while keeping your gut in good shape (thanks to its probiotics). This ultimately means a nice ass and a slim waistline — naturally so.
11. Foods To Eat for a Bigger Butt: Salmon
I can honestly eat a homemade salmon Caesar salad, at least a couple of times a week. Salmon is great for you, one because of all of the fatty acids (omega 3s) that are in it. Fatty acids are good because they are a "healthy fat" that helps to fight inflammation, lower your risk of heart disease, lower your blood pressure, keep your skin and hair moisturized from the inside out and so much more. Besides that, salmon also contains protein, B vitamins, potassium, selenium, and the antioxidant astaxanthin which reduces oxidative stress.
And if you want to have a little jiggle to your booty, salmon can actually help to make that happen. The reason why is because something that a lot of people with a big butt and thick thighs have in common is they are high in omega-3s. Now this is no reason to go overboard or anything. Still, it is good food for thought, next time you're baking some salmon for dinner.
12. Lentils
Even though a lot of people consider lentils to be beans, they are also seeds— seeds that are a huge source of protein, fiber, folate, iron, phosphorus, manganese, and potassium. The polyphenols in lentils have anti-inflammatory properties, its tannins help your system to absorb iron so that your blood can remain healthy and the phytic acid in these types of seeds has powerful antioxidant and anticancer properties in them.
And all of this helps your body to increase more muscle mass which ultimately can include a bigger butt. So, the next time you're in the mood for some lentil soup, now you've got another reason to indulge. You're just a few bowls away from building a bigger butt. And oh, what a delicious way to do it, right?
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While speaking to xoNecole, Eva shares that she’s a lot like the beloved 1994 character in many ways. “Lyric is so me. She's the odd flower. A flower nonetheless, but definitely not a peony,” she tells us.
“She's not the average flower you see presented, and so she reminds me of myself. I'm a sunflower, beautiful, but different. And what I loved about her character then, and even more so now, is that she was very sure of herself.
"Sure of what she wanted in life and okay to sacrifice her moments right now, to get what she knew she deserved later. And that is me. I'm not an instant gratification kind of a person. I am a long game. I'm not a sprinter, I'm a marathon.
America first fell in love with Eva when she graced our screens on cycle 3 of America’s Next Top Model in 2004, which she emerged as the winner. Since then, she's ventured into different avenues, from acting on various TV series like House of Payne to starring on Real Housewives of Atlanta.
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Eva praises her castmates and the play’s producer, Je’Caryous for her positive experience. “You know what? Je’Caryous fuels my audacity car daily, ‘cause I consider myself an extremely audacious woman, and I believe in what I know, even if no one else knows it, because God gave it to me. So I know what I know. That is who Je’Caryous is.”
But the mom of three isn’t the only one in the family who enjoys acting. Eva reveals her daughter Marley has also caught the acting bug.
“It is the most adorable thing you can ever see. She’s got a part in her school play. She's in her chorus, and she loves it,” she says. “I don't know if she loves it, because it's like, mommy does it, so maybe I should do it, but there is something about her.”
Overall, Eva hopes that her contribution to the role and the play as a whole serves as motivation for others to reach for the stars.
“I want them to walk out with hope. I want them to re-vision their dreams. Whatever they were. Whatever they are. To re-see them and then have that thing inside of them say, ‘You know what? I'm going to do that. Whatever dream you put on the back burner, go pick it up.
"Whatever dream you've accomplished, make a new dream, but continue to reach for the stars. Continue to reach for what is beyond what people say we can do, especially as [a] Black collective but especially as Black women. When it comes to us and who we are and what we accept and what we're worth, it's not about having seen it before. It's about knowing that I deserve it.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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You know, sometimes, when I go back and look at some of the articles that I’ve penned for the platform before, I truly can’t believe how fast time flies. Take the piece, “What's The Difference Between Being 'Religious' And Being 'Spiritual', Anyway?” — now, how in the world did it turn five this year? I can’t even begin to wrap my mind around it. And although the piece does address some key points — like the fact that there is somewhat of a difference between being spiritual and being religious (although more people should read James 1:27 in order to understand how the Bible defines religion to be…it just might surprise them) — I want to explore a deeper angle of our spirituality, along with what we should require of it.
Today, let’s look at spirituality from the perspective of “the quality of being concerned with the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things,” “a quality that goes beyond religious affiliation, that strives for inspiration, reverence, awe, meaning and purpose…” (Murray and Zentner) and, perhaps, more than anything else, “the relationship between ourselves and something larger."
You know, it’s a woman by the name of Dr. Maya Spencer who once said, “Spirituality means knowing that our lives have significance in a context beyond a mundane everyday existence at the level of biological needs that drive selfishness and aggression. It means knowing that we are a significant part of a purposeful unfolding of Life in our universe.” Indeed.
And while keeping that in mind, if this is a time of your life when you would like to “clean or cleanse your spirituality” by doing things like removing negative energy, getting rid of old or counterproductive patterns and/or by stepping into an elevated space as far as your human spirit and soul are concerned, you might be pleasantly surprised by how easy and even fun that can be for you to do.
To effectively clean/cleanse your spirit, start by asking — and answering — the following five spirituality-focused questions:
What Inspires You?
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Remember how, in the intro, I shared that one definition of spirituality is “a quality that goes beyond religious affiliation, that strives for inspiration, reverence, awe, meaning and purpose…”? That is actually where I am pulling a lot of these questions from because, the reality is that focusing on things that inspire you, intentionally pondering your purpose, and also by encouraging yourself to become an overall better human being — these things definitely tie into your spiritual side whether you are “traditionally religious” or not.
And so, when it comes to cleansing your spirituality in this season, a great question to start off with is what actually inspires you? And listen, believe it or not, inspire is a pretty layered word. I say that because, while one definition is “to produce or arouse (a feeling, thought, etc.),” another is “to communicate or suggest by a divine or supernatural influence,” while synonyms of the word include excite, affect, cause, motivate, provoke, and instill. This means that if you truly want to say or do things from a place of inspiration, you need to produce things from a divine or supernatural space (interesting, right?).
The reason why it’s so important to “spring clean” in this department is, oftentimes you can be motivated or provoked by things that aren’t really all that good, healthy and/or beneficial for you (social media fast, anyone?) — things that take your mind off of what’s divine — sacred, godly and extremely good. As a result, you find yourself producing out of a mind and heart space that is compromised when it comes to your core standards, values, and even goals.
So yes, in the effort to cleanse your spirituality, begin by really reflecting on what you claim inspires you — then revisit what the word actually means…just to be sure that you are being honest with yourself about whether something or one is truly inspiring you…or not.
What Amplifies Your Purpose?
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Purpose is always something that is going to be a pretty big deal to me. That’s why I’ve written articles for the platform like “What Does It Mean To Have 'Purposeful Relationships'?,” “Please Stop Picking People Who Don't 'Fit' Your Purpose,” “The Conversation You Need To Have With Yourself Before The New Year Begins,” “How To Handle 'Purpose Fatigue'” and “5 Signs You Are Living Your True Purpose.” It’s because really, if you’re not focused, most of all, on the reason why you exist in the first place, nothing else is going to be fully, truly, and authentically fulfilling for you.
So, when it comes to this part of your spirituality, first take some time to make sure that you know what your purpose is. If you have no clue and you’re ready to find out, as a wise person once said, wisdom comes in the questions, even more than the answers, and Rockwood Leadership Institute has a whopping 132 questions that you can ask yourself in order to get to the root of what your purpose is here. On the flip side, if you do know and you’re just not feeling completely satisfied in what you are currently doing as it relates to executing your purpose, it sounds to me like you are going through a bit of a “purpose growth spurt,” and yes, there is such a thing.
For instance, I am very clear on what my purpose in life is — I am here to teach what I study and research about when it comes to the topics of covenant marriage, sex, and the biblical Sabbath. All are covenant principles that have been unbelievably compromised in a thousand different ways. However, as I evolve, transform, and mature, my understanding of what I know does as well, and that “upgrades” how I approach and share my purpose with others. You see, purpose is never supposed to be stagnant…it is ever-shifting as far as how you accomplish things within it.
And that’s why, spiritually, it’s so important that you make sure that you are AMPLIFYING YOUR PURPOSE. To amplify is “to make larger, greater, or stronger; enlarge; extend.” If you are not putting forth the effort to do just this, there is some spiritual cleansing that must be done because, if there is one thing about a person’s purpose, it’s the fact that it’s HUGE which means that there will always be plenty to do within it until their time on this earth ends.
What Makes You Love Better…and More?
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I believe I’ve mentioned before that a show that I loathe with every fiber of my being (and there really is so much to choose from these days — SMDH) is TV One’s For My Man. Not only is it a program that discourages full-level accountability, but it irks me to no end every time that it says that a woman did some heinous crime in the name of love. According to Scripture, GOD IS LOVE (I John 4:8&16). Not only that, but the Love Chapter in Scripture has a very healthy, sane, and mature take on how we should love and require love in return (I’m going to share two translations of I Corinthians 13:4-8 for expanded context):
“Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, doesn’t have a swelled head, doesn’t force itself on others, isn’t always ‘me first,’ doesn’t fly off the handle, doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, doesn’t revel when others grovel, takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, puts up with anything, trusts God always, always looks for the best, never looks back, but keeps going to the end. Love never dies.” (I Corinthians 13 — Message)
“Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].” (I Corinthians 13 — AMPC)
Now, think about what you see displayed on television when it comes to relationships. Based on these verses, is it love? Is it really? Ponder all of the relationship content that’s on social media. Does it sound like this kind of love? Does it really? The times when you’ve done things that you know were purely rooted in selfishness, impatience, and/or refusing to do for others what you would want them to do for you — how can any of that be loving? If you do believe in God and you also believe that you were made in his image (Genesis 1:26-28), this means that a part of your own spiritual DNA is love. This also means that if you know that your love has been tainted by material or physical things (which, by definition, is the opposite of spirituality), it’s time to make some real adjustments.
That said, take some time, think about the people and things that you profess to love, and ask yourself if it’s really love or is it lust or entitlement or immaturity. Then ask yourself what you can do to love those individuals and items better.
Remember, since you are made from Love, it’s important that you love like you are.
How Effective Are You When It Comes to Compassion?
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Personally, I think that whenever someone does something reckless and then follows up with the Bible says not to judge, I find it to be a supreme level of gaslighting. The context of that verse is saying that in the way that you judge, you will be judged and that you should make sure that you are right in the area that you are judging before you judge someone else (Matthew 7:1-5); however, be clear that judgment is a form of accountability which is why there are also verses like “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment” (John 7:24 — NKJV) that exist — not to mention the fact that discernment literally means “keen judgment” and the Good Book supremely promotes that: “Strike a scoffer, and the simple will become wary; rebuke one who has understanding, and hewill discern knowledge.” (Proverbs 19:25 — NKJV)
And that’s why, any time the topic of “don’t judge” comes up, I am known for saying something along the lines of, “PUH-LEEZE. If I say ‘You’re cute,’ I just judged you. Humans don’t have a problem with judgment; they don’t like criticism or accountability.” And gee, is that unfortunate because it’s hard to grow without both of those things. However, the key that comes with being on the giving end of criticism or holding someone accountable is applying a quote by author Anne McCaffrey: “Make no judgments where you have no compassion.”
This world has a lot of…stuff going on, stuff that needs to be addressed and stuff that needs compassion applied while it is. By definition, compassion is about having concern for others, especially if what you see them going through, they have either told you or you can discern is tied to some level of internal suffering. And that’s why, in the spirit of spiritual cleansing, something else to ask is if you are holding others and even yourself accountable while operating from a place of genuine care and concern or is your ego just wanting to elevate itself or prove that it’s right?
You know, we’re living in a time when, more and more, people are frowning on humility which is unfortunate because a definite quality that comes with being a compassionate person is absolutely that — “By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life.” (Proverbs 22:4 — NKJV)
It really is almost impossible to be profoundly spiritual without being a compassionate person. Is this an area that needs some “cleaning up”? If so, there is no time like the present.
What Encourages You to Be Wiser and Full of More Truth?
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Musician Jimi Hendrix once said, “Knowledge speaks, wisdom listens.” Aristotle once said, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” Confucius once said, “By three methods we may learn wisdom: first, by reflection, which is the noblest; second, by imitation, which is the easiest; and third, by experience, which is the bitterest." Thomas Jefferson once said, “The wisest men know their weakness.” Author Gift Gugu Mona once said, “A woman of peace is a wise woman who understands that peace is more powerful than trying to prove a point.”
And what does it mean to be wise?
People who can regulate their emotions are wise. People who actually learn from their experiences (and the experiences of others, so that they don’t have to experience everything) are wise. People who know how to tame their ego are wise. People who are flexible/adaptable, non-materialistic, are self-aware, can be relied upon for great perspectives and insights, and are teachable are wise. The self-disciplined are wise. The patient are wise. The non-entitled are wise. Those who prioritize well are wise.
Those who do not live above their means (across the board), they are also wise. And there is no way that you can be wise without being willing to be completely honest, yes truthful with yourself about where you could stand to gain more wisdom and what must be done — and sometimes sacrificed — in order to get it.
And so, as I close this piece out, when it comes to spring cleaning your spirituality, ask yourself who and what encourages and enables you to become a wiser individual — AND who and what hinders that from transpiring. Then be honest with yourself about what is challenging you for the better and what, frankly, is only dumbing you down. Indeed, in order to live out the full potential of your spirituality, wisdom must come into play. However, it’s important to keep in mind that, for wisdom to truly flourish, it is a conscious choice — a daily decision.
And it will never come so long as you are making up excuses, justifying poor behavior (check out “Accountability Time: Let's Stop Calling It A 'Mistake' When It Was A 'Choice'”) or lying to yourself about what needs to be done. Taking those approaches to life is literally the opposite of being wise.
A French priest by the name of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin once said, “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” I can only imagine how much the quality of our lives would improve if we took that in on a very serious level.
The good news is you can choose to do it — right here and right now.
See yourself as a spiritual being.
Clean/cleanse whatever hinders that reality.
And watch how you begin to soar, supernaturally, by design, because of it, sis.
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