Kimberly Garrison: For Beyoncé body, say no to silicone, yes to sweat

'CAN YOU give me Beyonce's body?"

Beyoncé, Beyoncé, Beyoncé - that's all I hear about these days! Everybody's asking me how to get a bootylicious backside like hers.

While some inquiries want fitness advice, others are seeking different help.

Tragically, some women have so much Beyoncé body envy that they are willing to risk all with dangerous and illegal procedures such as silicone injections.

Silicone injections are cheap, quick - and sometimes deadly. They are to be avoided at all costs.

If you're dying to look like Beyoncé, and you opt for silicone injections, you might get your wish. So warns the Physicians Coalition for Injectable Safety Web site.

The site reports that the recent death of a Bronx, N.Y., woman who had silicone injections to her thighs and buttocks is part of an unfortunate pattern of incidents that underline the serious dangers of illegal injections.

The New York Post also has reported that the illegal use of silicone as an alternative to cosmetic surgery is on the rise.

My girlfriend from Miami says silicone is all the rage down there, and that women even have injection parties.

Are you willing to take risks with your face, your body or your life? If your answer is no, then here's a plan to get your personal-best bootylicious shape the right way.

According to the celebrity magazines, Beyoncé works out on the regular. I hear she does 100 lunges a session to keep her gams and glutes in world-class shape. She's not resting on her laurels, and neither should you.

Work up a sweat and do a minimum of 30 minutes of cardio five to six days a week. Some people may need to expand that to as much as 90 minutes to two hours to burn off excess fat.

Forget about three meals a day. To increase your metabolic rate, eat less, more often. Have small meals every two to three hours to keep that metabolic furnace burning!

What's a small meal? One example would be 2 ounces of protein with a cup of cutup fruit and veggies.

A tight midsection and shapely toned buttocks are true signs of a fit body. If you want to keep tongues wagging, make sure you look good coming and going. Performing ab exercises on a stability ball will keep your muscles confused - and get you in the best shape, too. Shoot for two to three sets of an ab exercise at 15 to 20 reps.

the booty

The booty is composed of three primary muscle groups: gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus.

Your butt is the main muscle used in many sports such as basketball, football, soccer, hockey and sprinting. Your bum's primary function is to extend the thigh and laterally rotate the hip. Maintaining and strengthening this area can reduce strain on your lower back and hip joints.

Here are my favorite butt and leg exercises.

_ Squat: The squat is a versatile exercise that can be performed with dumbbells, barbells or without additional weight. This multi-joint exercise strengthens the glutes, quadriceps and hamstrings.

With dumbbells in each hand and arms at your side, stand with feet about hip-width apart and slightly turned out. While keeping the abdominal muscles contracted, slowly bend knees as if you were trying to sit in a chair, until thighs are parallel to the floor. Keep heels on the floor. Press back up to the starting position.

Repeat 12 to 15 reps for two to three sets.

_ Wall sit: Stand approximately 2 feet in front of a wall and lean your back against it. Slide down until your knees are at a 90-degree angle (again, as if you were sitting in a chair). Hold the position for 20, 30, 60 or 90 seconds. Stand up, go back to the starting position and repeat.

_ Lunges: Lunges are an excellent compound exercise that recruits the gluteus, quadriceps, hamstrings and calves. Lunges are effective using your body weight or with dumbbells.

Begin in the same position as a squat but take one step forward, keeping your abdominal muscles contracted. Slowly lower and bend your knees until the rear leg is near the floor. Press up to starting position and repeat for 12 to 15 repetitions.

Switch legs and begin again. Do two to three sets.

_ Dead lift: The dead lift works the lower back, gluteus and hamstrings. Stand erect, with barbell in hands and feet hips-width apart. With knees slightly bent, hinge forward at the hips and slowly lower barbell until it passes the knees. Once the barbell passes the knees, slowly, while maintaining a flat back, rise to starting position. Repeat 12 to 15 reps for two to three sets.

_ Bench steps: Place one foot on a step or platform and push through the heel onto the step. Remember to keep the abs engaged throughout. Do 15 to 20 on the right and then switch to the left. This is a killer.

So, say no thanks to injectables and get bootylicious the old-fashioned way.*

Kimberly Garrison is a certified personal trainer and owner of One on One Ultimate Fitness in Philadelphia (www.1on1ultimatefitness.com). E-mail her at

kimberly@1on1ultimatefitness.com. Her column appears each Thursday in Yo!