Studies have suggested that facial fat (primarily in the cheeks and neck) is strongly associated with visceral abdominal fat accumulation. The facial fat is a rich vascular region, that seems to be metabolically active and resembles abdominal white adipose tissue.
The relationship between facial cues and perceptions of health and attractiveness in others plays an influential role in our social interactions and attraction to the opposite sex. Several facial cues have historically been investigated in this regard, with facial adiposity being the newest addition.
Evidence is mounting that a robust link exists between facial adiposity and attractiveness, as well as perceived health. Facial adiposity has also been linked to various health outcomes such as cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, blood pressure, immune function, diabetes, arthritis, oxidative stress, hormones, and mental health.
If you have excess facial fat and are eager to get rid of them, focus on healthy weight loss goals to better your overall health. According to WebMD, the following activities will help you get rid of face fat.
Face Exercises
While you can’t fat burn for your face alone, you can tone your facial muscles. Benefits of facial exercises include:
- Improving your appearance
- Slowing down aging
- Improving your muscle strength
Examples of facial exercises include:
- Holding air in your mouth and pushing your cheeks out. Move the air from side to side to stretch your muscles.
- Puckering your lips in the middle and then alternating your pucker from side to side.
- Holding a big smile while clenching your teeth together.
- Stretching your neck out while pressing your tongue to the roof of your mouth. This stretches the muscles under your chin.
One study showed that completing facial exercises twice a day for 8 weeks added muscle definition. It also improved the appearance of aging in participants. The key to making a difference in the appearance of your face is consistency.
It’s important to understand that there is no data showing that facial exercises reduce facial fat. You can only reduce fat through diet and full-body exercises like cardio and strength training. Facial exercises are a good way to enhance your results.
Healthy Lifestyle
When you want to lose weight to improve your appearance overall, you may research popular diets. You can use any strategy you want, but it all comes down to eating less. To lose fat in your face, you want to have a calorie deficit each day. You can focus on eating more healthy foods and cutting back on sugar and fat. Losing weight burns fat from all over your body. While there isn’t a diet that targets facial fat specifically, you will notice results after some time.
Cut carbs instead of fat. You may think it makes sense to cut fat from your diet in order to lose fat from your body. This is a myth that may actually hinder your weight loss. Instead, follow a low-carb diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, and healthy fats.
Get Active
You burn more calories each day when you exercise and do strength training. To maintain your weight, you should get 150 minutes of moderate cardio each week. If you want to lose weight and reduce your fat, plan to spend even more time active. Examples of moderate cardio may include:
- Walking at around 4 miles per hour
- Doing light yard work like raking and bagging leaves
- Shoveling snow
- Playing outside with your children
- Riding a bicycle
If you’d rather spend less time active, aim for 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week. These activities make you breathe heavily and challenge your body more. Examples of vigorous activities may include:
- Jogging or running
- Jumping rope
- Playing a competitive sport
- Swimming
- Skating or rollerblading
- Skiing
If you drink soda and other sugary drinks, cut them out of your diet. Calories from juice and soda add up quickly. Instead, drink more water. Studies show that drinking a glass of water before a meal makes you feel fuller faster. Drinking more water also increases your metabolism, so you burn more calories throughout the day.
How to prevent facial fat
According to Healthline, there are several important long-term habits and broader lifestyle changes you can use to help prevent weight gain and fat accumulation in the long run:
- Eat a balanced diet. Following a healthy diet that includes plenty of nutrient-dense foods — such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes — can help you maintain a moderate weight and support your overall health.
- Exercise regularly. Experts generally recommend getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week to improve health and prevent weight gain.
- Limit your intake of processed foods. Not only are processed foods typically high in calories, sodium, and added sugar, but they have also been linked to an increased risk of weight gain over time.
- Stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of water is a simple but effective way to manage your weight and prevent excess facial fat.
- Get plenty of sleep. Some research suggests that better sleep quality could improve long-term weight loss maintenance.
- Try to manage your stress levels. Increased stress can increase appetite and cravings and make it more challenging to stay active, all of which can contribute to weight gain. Stress reduction techniques such as yoga and meditation may be beneficial.
Conclusion
Each person loses weight differently. Don’t feel discouraged if you don’t see a difference in your face right away. Be patient and persistent in pursuing your weight loss goals. If you do strength training, the scale may not move as much as you want. This happens because your body is adding weight to lean muscle. You will still see a difference in your face and overall appearance with time.
