Oh the dreaded double chin. Perhaps you’ve noticed it in photos or caught a glimpse of it in the mirror. Now you find yourself contorting your head and neck into all sorts of awkward positions in an effort to avoid staring at the unsightly double chin.
A double chin is nothing more than an excess of fat that has established residence just below your jaw line. As you may already know, you cannot lose weight in just one area of your body, so unfortunately, attempting to burn fat in your chin alone isn’t an option. The best way to rid yourself of your chin’s counterpart is to adopt a healthy diet and exercise routine to lose excess weight.
While your body will decide where to burn the fat from, there are some key exercises you can do with your face and neck that will strengthen these muscles and reduce the appearance of the double chin.
Targeting these specific muscles will also reduce your chance of developing sagging skin as you age. Fair warning though, you will want to perform these exercises at home as they involve some interesting facial expressions.
Stretch your neck. The muscles that run from your jaw line down to your shoulders are called the platysma muscles. To strengthen these, stand or sit in a neutral position with a slightly opened mouth. Slowly tilt your head back until you feel the muscles stretch. Repeat this exercise a few times daily, being sure not to tilt your head back too far to the point of discomfort.
Extend your lower lip. This exercise will target your jaw line, so you won’t want to do too many repetitions as your jaw may become sore. Jutt your lower lip outward and raise it upward as high as you can go. Hold the position for ten seconds and lower it back to the neutral position. Repeat ten times daily.
Stick out your tongue. Yes, we give you permission to stick your tongue. To perform this exercise correctly though, you need to open your mouth as wide as you can and stick your tongue out as far as it can go. Hold the position for up to ten seconds then return to the neutral position. You will feel this throughout many muscles in your face and neck.
Kiss the sky. This exercise also targets the platysma muscles and is slightly more advanced than the neck stretch. You will want to perform the same movement, but as you tilt your head back, pucker your lips as if you were going to kiss the sky. Hold the position for five seconds and return to neutral.
Chew. Yes, that’s right. The chewing motion will target the muscles of your lower jaw. You’ll want to perform exaggerated chewing motions however, so we don’t recommend actually chewing on food through this process. Chewing gum is an option, but be careful which type you select, as sugared varieties contribute to tooth decay while the sugar-free varieties contain harmful artificial sweeteners.
As mentioned earlier, there’s no way to target fat loss in a specific area without the use of painful procedures like liposuction. To lose fat you will need to make lifestyle changes that include a healthy diet and an exercise routine. Incorporating these facial strength training exercises, however, will reduce the likelihood of further fat deposits and will help protect you from sagging skin as you age.
-The Alternative Daily
