The definition of desirability doesn’t stay the same for long. Over the last couple of years, America has developed a love affair with the booty. With American celebrities Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Jennifer Lopez, and Kim Kardashian showing off their shapely rears, the rest of the world is motivated to follow suit. Buttock-enhancing exercises and even surgical procedures are on the rise.

Some people are blessed with naturally large rears because their bodies tend to store fat in their buttocks.

Not one of those people? Still wondering how to get a perky butt? Read on!

1. Exercise right, and you’ll see an enhanced derriere.

One effective way to increase the size of your butt—and improve its shape and firmness—is with exercises that strengthen and tone the gluteal muscles. If your butt is on the small size or is flat or untoned in appearance, booty exercises are a great way to get the look you desire.

Two types of exercises that are tailor-made for enhancing the butt are squats and lunges. While these are simple to perform for most people, they can be difficult if you have hip or knee problems. Luckily, there are plenty of exercises that strengthen your glutes without having to lunge or squat. Standing Rainbow, Power Kick, Bridge! 

It does take some time for these exercises to have a noticeable effect. But do them over the course of several months, and you’ll find that your booty looks firmer, more toned, and larger. All of these effects are the result of exercises that strengthen your glutes, increasing their size.

2. Can your diet really make a difference?

If your body shape doesn’t include a naturally prominent rear, then exercise is a common and reliable way to get the booty you want. But what about your diet? Since you want to make this part of your body larger rather than smaller, dieting for fat loss isn’t necessarily productive.

A better option is to modify your diet in a way that boosts your muscle-building capacity. Add protein! Protein is useful if you’re doing booty-enhancing exercises because it will help your body build up those glutes.

If you’re already at your ideal body weight, you’ll want to add extra protein in a way that doesn’t also cause you to pack in too many extra calories. Increasing your body fat percentage might give you a larger butt, but if it also increases your waistline, hips, and thighs, you may not end up with the look you want!

For best results, eat plenty of lean protein, such as fish and low-fat cuts of chicken, as well as vegetable proteins, such as beans and legumes. Or add protein powder to smoothies for an extra protein punch!

If you do want to lose a few pounds in order to tone up your rear, bear in mind that you’ll still need to eat plenty of protein to increase or maintain muscle mass. 

3. Get a fantastic butt without special exercises.

Butt-enhancing exercises can take a lot of work, and you may not have the time or the physical ability to achieve the booty you want in this way. If exercises for your backside aren’t up your alley, there are alternatives. Several options for plastic surgery procedures enhance the shape and size of your butt, and all three have recently undergone a surge in popularity.

Butt surgery may not be as popular as breast augmentation, rhinoplasty, and facelifts in terms of sheer numbers, but it’s actually one of the fastest-growing procedures in the U.S. In 2015, for example, butt augmentation with fat transfer procedures were up 28% over 2014, and there were 36% more butt lifts and 36% more butt implant surgeries. That’s more than 22,000 surgeries in 2015—or 60 every single day! 

If you’re considering surgery to help you get the look you want, you have a choice to make: fat transfer, a butt lift, or butt implants. Each of these methods has some pros and cons and is generally suitable for different situations and body types.

Buttock Augmentation with Fat Transfer

This procedure combines liposuction with butt enhancement and is good if you have excess fat on your body. It’s often the case that quite a bit of fat can be transferred.

While you’re under a general anesthetic, a surgeon performs liposuction on areas where you have excess fat. The surgeon purifies the fat and then injects it into your buttocks to enhance their shape and size. Around 50% of injected fat survives the process, and this fat is a permanent addition to your behind.

This is a particularly desirable procedure for many people because liposuction means that other parts of the body, such as the back, hips, or thighs, can be toned at the same time as the butt is enhanced. 

Butt Lift

Lift procedures are often performed for people who lose lots of weight and have excess skin that appears saggy. In the butt lift, excess skin is removed from the buttock area to tighten and tone the butt.

The results of a butt lift are permanent; however, the natural aging process will eventually cause some sagging to occur. Any change in weight may also alter the results of the procedure.

Butt Implants

You may want to enhance your booty but don’t have enough body fat to make a fat transfer work. Butt implants are a great option! The implants are placed underneath the skin and positioned to enhance the shape and size of your butt.

Of the three enhancement methods, this is the only one that isn’t permanent. As with breast implants, it’s best to replace butt implants every decade or so to prevent potential problems like implant rupture.

How will you enhance your butt?

If a firmer, perkier butt is your goal, you have plenty of options achieve it, whether you choose booty-enhancing exercise exclusively or opt for a surgical procedure to get the look you desire. If you do choose surgery, don’t neglect exercise! You’ll be an ideal candidate if you have a healthy body.