Cardio, or aerobic exercise, can promote fat burning and fat loss to help slim down your face.
No, not by itself. Pretty much the only muscle in your face that's able to be hypertrophied is your mandible, and that isn't a good thing to try to do. It can help accentuate your jaw…but it can also make it very difficult to eat, sometimes to the point of requiring orthodontics or surgery to correct.
Why Exercise Leaves You With 'Gym Face' Extreme workouts can result in fat loss throughout the body as well as the face. This subsequent decrease in facial fat and volume is one of the main reasons why exercise makes you look older, especially for anyone over the age of 35.
However, not taking the right precautions while working out can cause acne to flare, skin infections, and other skin issues. As much as we benefit from those feel-good endorphins, all of that sweat can clog our pores, cause breakouts, chafing, and more.
If you have a double chin despite being skinny, your body just happens to genetically store extra fat around the jawline. There's really nothing unusual about it, but it does present a challenge in that your chin fat is much harder to target through diet and exercise alone.
Generally, facial fat goes away at 20% body fat and a proper weight loss program can help individuals lose approximately 0.5-1% of their body fat per week. Therefore, it may take a few weeks to lose face fat completely.
If you have a rounder face due to being overweight, the easiest way to slim down your face is to lose fat from your entire body. You can do this by being in a calorie deficit – eating fewer kcals than you need, or burning more kcals than you use through exercise (or a combination of both).
So, when do people start noticing the difference in your face? Canadian researchers believe they've found out. "Women and men of average height need to gain or lose about three and a half and four kilograms, or about eight and nine pounds, respectively, for anyone to see it in their face.
For a weight change to show up on your face, you'd need to change your BMI by 1.33 points, the study found. That means a woman and man of average height would need to gain or lose eight pounds and nine pounds, respectively.
If your body tends to store fat in your face or belly first, these will be the last places where it would shed from. The facial skeleton forms the foundation and shape of your face, and supports overlying soft tissues.
Reduced intake of water may trigger your body to store water in the body and cheeks contributing towards face fat. So, drink plenty of water to remove harmful toxins from the body which in turn enhances better fluid circulation and reduces bloating and puffiness.
Foods you should avoid
Often processed foods are packed with ingredients that "could cause weight gain, water retention, and inflammation—such as added sodium, refined carbohydrates and sugars, and trans fats," says Poon. So if you're looking to reduce puffiness, best to steer clear of highly processed foods.
Most people begin to notice a shift in the appearance of their face around their 40's and 50's, with some also noticing a change in their 30's. But with these physical changes brought on by aging also comes a change in the appearance of our face - Luckily, there is treatment available.
Chewing gum does not reduce face fat.
It is a popularised myth that chewing gum reduces face fat. The simple fact is that you cannot reduce fat from one spot. Chewing gum can give your facial muscles a good workout but isn't effective in reducing face fat.
Face exercises might also help improve muscle tone in the face and could theoretically help with gravity-related fat loss or redistribution on the face, says Dr. Olbricht. Building muscle in the face could potentially help keep fat — which might otherwise slide down with the pull of gravity — where it belongs.
“When you work out, your blood is pumping more, which improves the circulation of oxygen and nutrients throughout your body, including your skin and ultimately leads to that post-workout glow,” dermatologist Yoon-Soo Cindy Bae, M.D., tells SELF.
While your body benefits from your workout regimen, this often comes with drawn features, sunken cheeks, wrinkles and hollow eyes, all signs that experts attribute to a rapidly rising phenomenon called 'gym face'.
Skin laxity can change after losing about 30 pounds, says Desai. “If you notice changes in larger areas of the body, like arms, abdomens, thighs, and buttocks, you may get that change in the face as well.”
"By the time you hit 10 pounds, your jeans will feel differently, absolutely," Blum says. "Just a little looser. Theoretically, 10 pounds is considered one size." Once you get past that first couple pounds where you might not be able to tell, Blum says, you really do start to lose body fat.
Body-weight loss is usually noticed around the belly, waistline, and thighs first. This is because your body stores fat in different locations. For instance, men hold more fat around their belly, while women store it on their thighs and hips. Weight loss gradually starts with a reduction in belly size.