It's nice to know that men greatly admire a bodypart you can improve without surgery and a pocketful of cash. But of even greater importance than what they think is the personal reward you get from working out hard and sculpting your body into the shapes you desire. And to help you do this, we at M&F Hers have designed a butt-kickin' program that combines three elements - weights, cardio and cross-training - that'll help you come from behind to achieve a winning physique.

transforming your tush
As you may have learned by now after years of attending body-toning classes, a woman cannot selectively choose an area from which to shrink fat cells, i.e., spot reduce. Losing weight, most preferably losing bodyfat, involves reducing it collectively throughout the body by expending more calories than consumed.

That's why one element of this glute-shaping plan starts with diet - not starving yourself but merely watching what you eat (severe dietary restrictions will cause your metabolic rate to plummet, making it harder to get and stay lean). Consume a healthy balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats: roughly 20%, 65% and 15% of calories, respectively. Eating several small meals a day will stoke your body's furnace, keeping your metabolic rate up.

"Diet is a key element in losing fat and achieving a certain look," says IFBB pro fitness competitor Lena Johannesen. "Eating right is about 70% of the battle."

Monica Brant, 1998 Fitness Olympia champ, suggests you adopt eating habits you can live with, since an unrealistically tight diet will most likely be abandoned down the road. "Consistency is the main thing," she says.

can-kickin' cardio
Women tend to carry most of their bodyfat in their hips, thighs and butts. Although this is great for child-bearing purposes, it definitely isn't when you're shopping for that clingy summer dress. To boost your efforts in shaping that booty, the second element to consider is to incorporate regular cardiovascular activity into your schedule 4-5 times a week for at least 30 minutes per session. This is the other half of the energy-expenditure equation needed to aid your quest for a firm fanny. To boot, you'll improve your heart health and overall fitness levels, too.

Modifications to your cardio program can enhance your glute-shaping efforts. You can revise your training routine to better utilize the gluteal muscle group. Your run-of-the-mill gym cardio machines can be transformed into tush-targeting torture devices with a few simple modifications. Consider these:

• On the treadmill, to maximize gluteal recruitment, set the bed to a slight to moderate incline;
• On the stair-stepper, push through your heels instead of the balls of your feet. Also, take larger steps (if the machine allows), using a step that brings your thigh to a point perpendicular to the floor on the downward step;
• On the Gauntlet, take two steps at a time:
  1. Set your elliptical trainer on a steeper incline;
  2. Try interval training on your favorite machine as well: Sprint for a minute at full speed, and recover for two minutes at a more moderate speed.

If you're fortunate enough to live near the mountains, you can make excellent use of Mother Nature's own curves with hill and trail running, leaning forward into the slope and lifting your knees high as you go. Stadium stairs are another good butt blaster. Run one step at a time as a warm-up drill, then bound up every other step for maximal gluteal recruitment. For a more challenging variation, try the "speed skater" step drill; in this version, not only do you bound up the stairs but you leap side to side as well, in the manner of a speed skater. Land with your knees bent, and bring the trail leg behind you before swinging it out to take the next step, getting the full range of motion through your hips and buns.

iron works for buns of steel
Okay, now you're changing the diet, cranking the cardio, and shedding the fat, so what's next to help firm up your derriere? (Hint: Think of the reason why we're here!) Why, weight training, of course! Thanks to women like yourself who dare to take women's fitness to new heights, weight training has become increasingly popular, transforming a once male-dominated activity into an equal-opportunity endeavor.

But many women still hold on to the perceptions that they'll "get big" and "look like a man." Not to worry. Because of essential hormonal differences between men and women, chances are better that you'll hit the lottery than look like that beefy guy who's squatting 315 pounds next to you. Women simply don't have the high levels of testosterone - the muscle-building hormone - in their bodies that men have. (This also keeps us from migrating to the television every autumn Sunday to watch football!) So lift those weights and follow a program designed specifically for that problem area. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain, including great glutes!

the workouts
The foundation has to be a strong, consistent leg-training program similar to the one outlined here. If you get into the habit of focusing on your glutes during various leg exercises and apply some of the glute-specific pointers outlined, you can optimize your glute development in the context of a solid leg-training workout.

Add an extra glute workout to your regular routine every week for a month or more, combined with tush-targeting cross-training and cardio work to help reduce your overall bodyfat.

Pick two (or more) of the cardio and cross-training exercises to include in your weekly training program, and don't be afraid to try something new. "You have to find things that work best for you," says heptathlete and Olympic lifter Gea Johnson. "Try to find a balance of activities that are fun and functional."

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