Exercises to help you get rid of the uncomfortable double chin
Do you notice a double chin when you take a selfie? You can reduce or eliminate chin fat with a number of methods below, from exercises to surgery.
According to health and fitness expert Chris Dempers (USA), usually a double chin corresponds to carrying excess weight. If diet and exercise do not work or you want faster results, surgery can be an option. Some procedures can reshape the area, remove excess fat and smooth the skin.
What causes a double chin?
When you have a double chin, it means there is excess fat there and around it. Being overweight or obese can often cause a double chin, says Dempers. When people gain weight, many gain it all over their bodies, including their face and chin.
There is also a genetic component to a double chin. Some people inherit a stronger jawline, while others have a softer one, even if they are not obese or overweight. You may also have sagging skin there, which can cause a double chin.
A double chin means there is excess fat there and around it. Photo credit: Wellness
Methods to fix double chin
There is no quick fix for a double chin, nor is there any way to tighten sagging skin or get rid of fat overnight.
The only way to get rid of a double chin is through exercise and healthy eating or surgery. And getting noticeable results from non-surgical double chin treatments takes time and patience. The same goes for post-surgical recovery.
Eat smart
According toCleveland Clinic, the foods you eat (and how you eat them) promote healthy weight loss. And it's the best way to get rid of a double chin naturally. But how do you know what to eat and how to cut calories when you do eat?
To be successful, think nutrition, not restriction. Eating more nutritious foods can help you lose weight and keep it off more easily than on restrictive or fad diets. While ideal calorie intake varies, Dempers says it’s important to not eat fewer than 1,200 calories a day.
You need the proper fuel, nutrients, and fats to support your brain and overall health.
Exercise
When it comes to weight loss, mindful eating goes hand in hand with physical activity. And while it's important to move your entire body every day, there are also ways to tone your jawline.
To reduce chin fat, you can retrain your jaw and neck muscles using jaw trainers (small devices that you bite down on to strengthen your facial and jaw muscles), double chin exercises (strengthening your neck muscles can reduce the appearance of a double chin).
These exercises are easy to do throughout the day. Some exercises include:
First chin tuck:
- Sit or stand as straight as possible.
- Do not press on the chin, lightly touch the chin with one of the two index fingers.
- Pull your head and neck back. You'll want to move slowly and keep your fingers in the same position. Your fingers shouldn't touch your chin.
- Hold your head and chin in that position for up to 10 seconds.
- Now, slowly move your head and chin back to the starting position so that your chin is again lightly touching your fingers.
- Do 10 times, repeat 5-7 sets a day.
Second, the ceiling kissing exercise:
Ceiling kissing exercise. Photo: Demand Media
- Sit or stand as straight as possible.
- Tilt your head back and look up at the ceiling.
- Next, try to pucker your lips as if you were trying to kiss the ceiling.
- Hold this position for 5-10 seconds.
- Do 15 times, repeat this movement twice a day.
Third, stick out your tongue:
- Open your mouth as wide as possible.
- Stick your tongue out until you feel your chin and neck muscles tense.
- Hold for 10 seconds.
- Release and repeat 10 times.
Fourth, neck rotation exercise:
- Sit or stand as straight as possible.
- Bring your chin toward your chest and begin rotating your neck clockwise in a complete circle.
- Keep your shoulders down while performing this movement.
- Do 10 times.
Dempers emphasizes that none of these methods can completely eliminate chin fat. But they can help strengthen your face, jaw, and neck muscles.
Stronger neck muscles don't mean less fat. Exercises that target this area can complement the benefits of healthy eating and exercise. But they can't replace that dynamic duo.
“Anyone who follows a healthy diet and exercises an hour a day will lose weight and see it on their face,” says Dempers.
And when starting any exercise program, you want to make sure you're doing it correctly. Otherwise, you could overdo it and strain the dozens of muscles in your jaw and neck or cause other complications, like temporomandibular joint disorder.
So take your time and start slow.
Medical and surgical procedures
If diet and exercise don't help reshape your chin, you may want to consider double chin surgery. This surgery removes excess skin and fat around your neck.
