Nobody ever wrote a song about a flat booty… so whatever your booty song of choice is, I'm here to help you choose the right foods to build a booty worth of a hip-hop song.

You've heard that abs are made in the kitchen, and that's true! But it's also true for the rest of your bod, including your booty.

Repeat after me: you cannot out train a bad diet. So if you're sweating it out on the reg and still waiting to see those muscle gainzzzz, grab your LSF Hot Body Meal Plan and take a peek at your diet and see if you're getting in the right kind of booty building foods!

Build that Booty from the Plate UP

If you're lookin for those gains girl, you're going to have to up your caloric intake. In order to put ON muscle mass, you have to have a calorie surplus. I know that this scares a lot of girls but trust, it's the only way. And there's aright wayto do this. Don't just gobble up everything in the pantry, please. That'll up your caloric intake, sure, but it'll also up your body fat so… just don't. Instead, follow the tips below and keep reading for the top 10 LSF approved proteins to build your backside.

Here's a simple formula to follow: aim to eat at least 20 grams of protein per meal. And eat approximately every 2-3 hours, for a total of 5 meals. Don't want to weigh your food or feel like a total nerd asking the server the protein content when out for a meal with your squad? Follow the palm-sized rule. Eat 2 palm-sized portions of your protein and you'll easily hit that 20 grams! All without whipping out your food scale!

Protein builds muscle

Literally. So why not just eat a ton of protein? Well, cause that's not meeting your body's needs. You only need about 1 gram of protein per body weight. Eating more does not lead to more muscle gain. So if you're 130 lbs., you need 130 g of protein throughout the day. Easy peasy! Your LSF Nutrition Plant Protein has 20-23g per serving and makes it easy to get in enough throughout the day.

Carbs are not the enemy!

Your body literally must have carbs in order to function, especially when building muscle and sweating out hard like we do. How much is right for you? It's approx 1-2 g of carbohydrates per lb. of body weight. So anywhere between 130-260 g for the same girl mentioned above.

Not all carbs are created equal

Duh. The carbs found in my fave sweet potato are not equal to those found in a cookie. Also duh. So be smart about what carbs you put in your body. Remember, they power your workouts!

Calories = energy, not excess weight

Seriously. In order to build muscle, you need approximately 16 calories per lb. of weight. So that 130 lb. babe? She needs to consume about 2080 calories per day. Yup, you read that right. Now is not the time to cut calories. Now's the time to build dat booty!

Fat is your friend

Obviously, I don't mean fried chicken type fat. But the healthy fats, like omega-3, omega-6. These are essential and help your body absorb and break down the protein you consume. Plus, they help support hormone health! Aim to consume about 0.4 g of fat per lb. So our 130 lb. LSF babe should be consuming 52 g of fat per day.

Psst: week 3 of the Hot Body Meal Plan is where I thriiiiiive. And it's the highest fat week of the 4-week plan. My body just feels right when I'm upping my fat intake. I perform better, I feel better! So don't be afraid of fats!

Here are the top 10, LSF approved, booty building foods:

1. Eggs

If you're following the HBMP, you know I love me some eggs! From breakfast sammies to muffins to breakfast burritos or plain eggs! Each egg has 6 g protein, which is split about evenly between the yolk and white and eggs have leucine, an essential amino acid, that will help crank up your muscle-building. Like throwin' gasoline on a fiahhh.

FYI: eating the yolk is actually important. Cholesterol has gotten a bad name over the years, but it's actually v necessary in helping boost lean muscle + strength. In the meal plans, you'll see I always include the yolk, even if sometimes I use more whites than yolks.

2. Nuts

Almonds and cashews are where it's attttt. Not only do both almonds & cashews pack in about 150-170 high-quality calories per 1 oz serving, but they're also the perfect blend of protein, fats, and fiber. That means your body uses these calories, without packin on the lbs. Instead, they'll help you pack on that junk in the trunk.

3. Chickpeas

Chickpeas are not only the delish base of our fave snackin' dip, hummus, but they also are v underrated! These little beans (aka garbanzo beans) have 31 grams of complex carbs (helping you stay satisfied longer), 5 g of fiber, 5 g of protein, along with other vitamins & minerals like manganese, iron, and more.

Quick note: In order to get a complete protein, you've gotta combine chickpeas with another plant protein — think: whole grains or nuts. Brown rice + chickpeas = complete! And a serving of this combo made in heaven is 20 g. of protein! C'mon meatless Mondays!

4. Lean meat

This could be beef (though I don't personally eat it), turkey, chicken, or white fish.Beef is high in creatine, which is what your muscles use to create energy quickly. It'll help you level up your workouts (more reps, include weights, add in booty bands, etc.) which will all lead to those booty gainzzz. It's also rich in iron, which you need to deliver oxygen to your cells. Not to mention, many women are iron-deficient and don't even know it. Source does matter: get your beef from grass-fed cattle. More expensive, but so worth it. Cause you're worth it, girl!

Chicken, in particular, is rich in leucine, which plays a key role in building muscle mass. If you're wondering if all cuts of chicken are created equal, the answer is no. Breast is best.

5. Salmon

Sooo many salmon recipes in the HBMP. That's because it's such a great source of those 9 essential amino acids + packed with omega-3 fatty acids. AKA it's a complete protein and the fatty acids help make that protein easier to digest and incorporate into your bod.

6. Chia seeds

We've praised these lil mamas before for their high content of omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, fiber, iron, and calcium. Not to mention 5.6 grams of protein per 1-oz serving.

7. Plain Greek Yogurt

All over the HBMP cause it's protein-dense, deliciousness. Not only is it great for a smoothie bowl or just by itself, but it's a perf substitute for mayo or sour cream. Way healthier, just as creamy and delish. Psst. It's a complete protein! Isn't that amazing?! Gimme alllll the yogurt!

8. Brown rice

This slow digesting whole grain has a whopping 5 g protein per cup and branched amino acids. Great veg muscle-building protein. For best results, combine it with another protein source (garbanzos make a complete protein).

9. Spinach

Super packed with nutrients and incredibly iron-rich, spinach is one of the best veggies to eat while building muscles. It has anti-inflammatory properties and reduces BP, all of which are v important on this fitness quest! Of course, it's got loads of vitamins too.

I love tossing spinach in my smoothies (such a great boost in the am, but you don't even taste it), fritatas, salads, uhhh… everywhere? Yep, everywhere.

10. Hemp seed

These crunchy bad boys are dense in protein (10 g per serving!) and rich in omega-3 and omega-6. Low carb, vitamin-dense. Plus, they're super digestible. This is great for everyone, especially girls like me with hypo. Also, I love finding really great veg options for all my veg and vegan LSF babes! These go great in smoothies, smoothie bowls, on yogurt, or really just about anything!

There are tons of other amazing ways to incorporate protein into your diet, and of course you need to be sure you're getting in the healthy carbs + fats, too. It can seem a bit overwhelming at first — I know I was so lost when I decided to get healthy and fit. Check out the HBMP and Guiltless Nutrition Guide if you're looking for weeks of recipes and exactly what to eat and when every single day!

Remember, in order to build muscle, your body needs an excess of 500-1,000 calories than what you need to maintain weight. Don't be afraid of calories… or gaining weight. In fact, step awayyyy from the scale! Follow this plan, look to the guides for help, and do right by your body. After my initial weight loss, I went on to gain 7-10 lbs when I was building muscle! And that is GOOD! Otherwise, I'd be skinny, not strong. And I wouldn't have anything to look back at either!