Chubby cheeks with plenty of face fat may seem cute to others, but they can certainly be an inconvenience for those who have them. That’s why many people are looking for a cheat sheet on how to lose face fat fast.
Well, if you’re one of those looking to learn how to lose face fat, congratulations, you’re in the right place!
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll go over everything you need to know about how to lose face fat and how to get rid of it.
So, without further ado, here are all the scientifically proven ways to get rid of chubby cheeks!
What Causes Face Fat?
Face fat can be attributed to many things, including your weight, your face structure, as well as other dietary and lifestyle habits. Here are the main causes of face fat:
What You Eat and Drink
The most important thing to be aware of is what you eat. Some foods might make your stomach feel bloated. Similarly, there are foods that can make your face feel bloated, as well.
However, face bloating and stomach bloating are caused by different foods. Thomas DeLauer, a celebrity nutritionist, states that face bloating can be caused by the following things.
Dehydration
Dehydration is one of the main causes of face bloating. When you don’t drink enough water, your body tries to retain what little you have left.
The main area of retention is the face. This is why you might notice that you wake up with a puffy face. It’s simply because you have slept 8 hours without drinking water.
Staying properly hydrated is very important, not only for losing face fat but also for staying healthy. Here are some of the signs of dehydration that you’ll want to look for:
- Low energy: If you feel exhausted and drained without having done much, then you’re probably dehydrated.
- Headaches: When your body is lacking fluids, it causes brain contraction, which results in a headache. If you find yourself experiencing a headache, the first thing you should do is drink water.
- Dizziness: Being dehydrated will cause your blood pressure to drop, which means that your body won’t be able to send enough oxygen to your brain. This will cause dizziness.
- Mental Confusion: Dehydration might also cause confusion, delirium, and hallucinations.
- Nausea: In the case of severe dehydration, you might feel nauseous to the point of vomiting, which will only make the situation worse.
Sodium
Salt is not necessarily bad for you. Mineral salts are actually needed, so your body functions properly. However, table salt can cause face bloating.
Alcohol
Since alcohol is high in calories, it can lead to dehydration, and as a result, cause face bloating. It’s recommended that men take no more than two drinks a day while women take one.
Not Getting Enough Sleep
If you don’t give your body the amount of rest and sleep it needs, then your cortisol levels will be higher than average.
Cortisol is a stress hormone that can have nefarious effects on your body. One of its most visible effects is gaining weight.
Make sure you’re getting the amount of sleep your body needs. This can be anywhere from six to eight hours, and it varies from person to person.
Your Overall Weight
Usually, being overweight means that your face will be chubby, by extension. If you want a slimmer face, you also need to have a slimmer body to go with it.
The best way for weight loss is by combining weight training and cardio exercises with a healthy diet.
Is Face Fat Hard to Lose?
The face doesn’t store a lot of fat. In fact, face fat tends to build up slowly and burn quickly. It’s the last place where fat builds up. With that said, some people will have an easier time losing face fat than others.
Another factor that comes into play is the amount of adipose tissue. For instance, it isn’t hard how to lose face fat if you are slightly overweight.
However, if you already have a double chin, for example, then it will take much longer to get rid of it.
The majority of people tend to lose chubby cheeks when they achieve less than 20% body fat. Having less than 15% of body fat will get rid of the majority of face fat.
How long it will take to get rid of unwanted face fat depends on how much body fat you have. Here are some references for different percentages of body fat:
- If you have 20% body fat, meaning you have no gut but lack muscle definition, then it will take you anywhere between one to two months.
- If you are above 25% body fat, meaning your gut is clearly visible, and you have a double chin and round face, then it will take anywhere between two and four months.
- If you are above 30% body fat, meaning you have a big belly and sagging arm fat, it’s highly possible that it will take you more than six months.
The most important thing in How to Lose Face Fat fast is your diet. You need to limit your caloric intake so your body can burn the excess fat.
10 Tips on How to Lose Face Fat Fast
Cardio Exercises
One of the best ways for weight loss is exercise. There are numerous types of exercises. Each type has its own uses and benefits.
There has been a study in 2012 that looked into different types of exercise and their impact on fat mass. 119 adults participated in one of three 8-month exercise programs:
- Aerobics training (AT) is a type of cardiovascular exercise.
- Resistance training (RT) which builds lean muscle.
- A mix of AT and RT.
Both the AT group and the AT + RT group showed better results than the RT group in terms of fat mass reduction. However, the differences between these two groups were insignificant.
Consequently, the study authors concluded that people who want to burn fat should partake in AT exercise rather than RT ones.
While cardiovascular exercises can be performed at different speeds and paces, the fastest way to burn fat is to opt for a high-intensity workout several times per week.
In 2015, a study was conducted to examine the effects of different amounts of exercise on body fat in postmenopausal women.
All participants took part in moderate and high-intensity workouts for a year. It turned out that the women who worked out for 300 minutes a week burned more fat than those who worked out for 150 minutes per week.
Even though these studies did not look specifically at how to lose face fat, it’s natural to assume their benefit extends to losing face fat, given that face fat and body fat are tightly correlated.
How to Lose Face Fat: Consume Less Alcohol
As we discussed earlier, drinking too much alcohol can cause dehydration, leading to water retention in the face and bloating as a result.
Alcohol also contains empty calories, which contribute significantly to weight gain without offering any nutritional value.
Some research has also shown that alcohol can inhibit hormones that make you feel full, which results in an increase in appetite.
Furthermore, a 2015 review of alcohol consumption and obesity showed a link between weight gain and heavy drinking.
How to Lose Face Fat: Drink More Water
Drinking more water can help a lot when it comes how to lose face fat fast, and also helps in weight loss. Drinking a glass of water before eating can help you feel fuller.
The 2016 review of hydration and weight loss showed that consuming water stimulates lipolysis, which happens when your body starts to break down fat stores into energy. This is a key factor for weight loss.
Staying hydrated by drinking water also prevents your body from retaining water in your face and avoid having a puffy face.
How to Lose Face Fat : By Consuming Less Salt
Eating food with too much salt can lead to water being retained in the body, which causes bloating and swelling.
If you’re sensitive to fluid retention, it’s advisable that you avoid diets with high amounts of salt.
This means eating less processed meals and snacks. These foods contain a lot of salt, so it’s advised that you make your own snacks at home.
How to Lose Face Fat: Follow a Healthy Diet
Following a healthy diet will provide the foundation on which you’ll build on with exercise and good sleep hygiene, so make sure the foundation you build is sturdy.
Avoiding processed foods and refined carbohydrates can help you avoid weight gain. Processed foods have more calories, sugar, and salt than whole foods.
What we mean by refined carbohydrates is a group of highly-processed grain-based food. Avoiding these foods is advisable because they lose their nutritional value during processing. As a result, they are mostly empty calories.
Furthermore, refined carbohydrates can cause rapid spikes in blood sugar, which can lead to overeating. Here are some examples of refined carbohydrates:
- White bread
- White rice
- Sucrose
- Reduced-fat products
- Syrups and frostings
- Most breakfast cereals
How to Lose Face Fat : By Getting More Sleep
Having good sleep hygiene has a plethora of health benefits. If you don’t sleep enough, you’re more likely to gain weight.
The National Sleep Foundation states that lack of sleep disrupts the balance of certain hormone levels. Not getting enough sleep can lead to the person feeling hungrier and mess with their eating schedules.
More specifically, lack of sleep stimulates the secretion of the ghrelin hormone, also known as the appetite hormone, while inhibiting the secretion of leptin, which gives the feeling of being full.
The NSF also says that people who lack enough sleep tend to have a slower metabolic rate. When this is coupled with an increase in appetite, it can lead to dangerously fast weight gain.
Perform Facial Exercises
There is some evidence that points towards facial muscles helping to reduce face fat.
In 2014, an article was published in the Journal of Clinical & Diagnostic Research. The article suggests that performing facial exercises can help tone and strengthen the muscles of the face.
However, it doesn’t directly point out that it helps burn face fat.
Furthermore, there have been no studies that examined the relationship between facial exercises and the loss of facial fat.
However, doing facial exercises can help tone the face’s muscles and make one’s face appear firmer.
How to Lose Face Fat Fast: See If You Have Food Intolerance
Some food allergies and intolerance’s can lead to facial bloating. If you suspect you have a food allergy or intolerance, consult a doctor.
One of the most well-known intolerance’s is gluten. As a result, many restaurants and grocery stores offer gluten-free alternatives.
Additionally, some people have irritable bowel syndrome, which can lead to a puffier facial appearance. In fact, gastrointestinal disorders affect about 15% of adults.
Hormones such as PMS can also cause your face to look fuller.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
Face fat is closely correlated to body fat. Consequently, maintaining a healthy body weight by adopting a healthy lifestyle will also translate to a slimmer face. Here are some tips that can help you maintain a healthy weight:
- Exercise regularly and focus on cardio exercises.
- Follow a balanced diet. Make sure it’s rich in lean protein as well as whole fruits and vegetables.
- Eat less processed food.
- Avoid sugary drinks such as energy drinks, sodas, and juices.
- Drink a lot of water.
If All Fails, Consider Plastic Surgery
If you have followed all the aforementioned tips to no avail, you can consider plastic surgery. If the excess facial fat is really bothering you and nothing can help reduce it, this option is your last resort.
With that said, plastic surgery is an extreme option that shouldn’t be taken lightly. You should consult with your primary care physician and ask him to refer you to a plastic surgeon. Alternatively, you can find a plastic surgeon on your own if you want to.
Keep in mind that plastic surgery is expensive and dangerous. You might not get the result you want, and you shouldn’t consider it unless you truly have no other option.
There are plenty of natural ways on how to lose face fat, and attain a natural and elegant face shape. Not all face fat is bad, and it can even complement some people’s silhouettes and overall body shape.
7 Exercises to Lose Face Fat
Aside from losing face fat, you can tone your face muscles to give your face a slimmer appearance. Even though research on the matter is limited, one study showed that doing these exercises can help facial rejuvenation and improving muscle thickness.
Here are seven exercises you can perform to tone the muscles of your face.
Fish Face
If you’re a fan of taking selfies, then you already have this facial exercise in your pocket.
All you have to do is suck your lips and cheeks inward, just like a fish. Hold this position for some time and try to smile. Rinse and repeat throughout the day.
This exercise tones and stretches your cheek muscles.
Cheekbone Lift
If you want to have more pronounced cheekbones, the cheekbone lift exercise is an excellent way to do so.
Start by placing your fingers over each cheekbone and gently lift the skin until it’s taut. Open your mouth and form an elongated “O” form. Hold it for 5 seconds and repeat the process for 10-15 sets.
Locked Tongue Pose
Do this exercise to tone the shape of your jawline.
While sitting down on the ground, put the tip of your tongue against the upper wall of your mouth. Force your tongue against the wall of your mouth until you feel the stretch in your neck. Rinse and repeat four to five times.
Chin Lock
This exercise helps shape your facial jawline muscles.
Sit down in the Lotus position. While breathing deeply, place your hands on your keens and lift your shoulders up while bending forward.
Firmly stick your chin against your chest in between your collar bones ad hold your breath for as long as you can. Relax and repeat the exercise.
Mouthwash Technique
This exercise tones your cheeks and helps you lose the double chin.
Fill your mouth with air and transfer it from one side to the other as if you’re cleaning your mouth with a mouthwash. Do this for a while, then relax and repeat the exercise.
Eye Focus
This exercise smoothens your eyebrows.
Open your eyes wide while making sure your eyebrows are not wrinkled. Maintain this position and focus on a distant point. Relax and repeat the exercise.
The Jaw Flex
Having a double chin can make you appear chubbier and older than you really are. This face workout aims to get rid of the double chin.
Tilt your head backward until you’re looking at the ceiling. Put your lower lip on your upper lip as far as you can.
You should feel resistance in your jaw muscles near the ears. Hold this position for 10 seconds and repeat for 10 to 15 sets.
How to Lose Face Fat: Which Foods Make You Lose Face Fat?
The food you eat is the primary influencer when it comes to body gain and loss. Some foods go through different metabolic pathways in your body than others.
Here are five foods that will help you know how to lose face fat.
Leafy Greens
When we say leafy greens, we mean kale, spinach, collards, swiss chards. There are other examples, but these are the main ones.
Many studies have been conducted that show that people who eat fruits and vegetables are healthier than those who don’t.
These foods contain natural sugar and are rich in fiber. They have a low energy density and take some time to chew. All of that makes these greens the perfect recipe to lose weight, even in the face.
Unless you have an intolerance or you’re following a ketogenic diet, you can’t go wrong with eating more fruits and vegetables.
Cruciferous Vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables include cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. They are rich in fiber and protein, which means that they can help you feel full faster, eat less, and, therefore, lose weight in different areas of your body, including your face.
They have plenty of health benefits and even have cancer-fighting substances.
Beans and Legumes
Beans, peas, and other related vegetables are beneficial for weight loss.
Black beans, kidney beans, lentils, and other legumes are rich in protein and fiber. They also contain some resistant starch, which has plenty of health benefits such as lowering blood sugar levels and improving insulin sensitivity.
However, a lot of people have trouble tolerating beans. This is why it’s important that you prepare them thoroughly before eating them to avoid any digestive issues.
Fruit
As the saying goes, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” In this case, fruit, in general, is very healthy, and fruits are recommended in almost every weight-loss diet for a good reason.
They have low energy density while containing natural sure. They’re high in fibers, which prevent sugar from being released too quickly and raising the blood sugar level.
Avocados
Avocados are unique in that they are full of healthy fats, which is why this fruit is the symbol of the ketogenic diet. They are rich in monounsaturated oleic acid, which is the same type of oil you’d find in olive oil.
Avocados also have a lot of water and fiber, which makes them have a low energy density.
Furthermore, avocados can be added to vegetable salads. Their fat content can stimulate carotenoid antioxidant absorption from vegetables anywhere between 2.6 and 15 times.
Can Chewing Gum Reduce Chubby Cheeks?
It provides great facial exercise. However, make sure that you only chew sugarless gum. Moreover, you shouldn’t chew gum all day. 20 minutes should be enough.
Furthermore, the best times to chew gum are before a meal and right after it.
How to Lose Face Fat Fast: Conclusion
While there haven’t been any studies specifically showing how to reduce facial fat, losing excess body fat seems to be the best way to lose face fat as well.
Doing cardiovascular exercises while following a healthy diet is the way to go when it comes to losing weight. You can use the face exercises we mentioned to tone the muscles of your face and make your face look firmer.
By following the tips we provided, you’ll hopefully be able to know how to lose face fat fast and feel better overall quickly, and hopefully share your success stories with the world.
If following these tips still doesn’t help, you’ll need to consult with your doctor, dietitian, or personal trainer to figure out an approach that is custom-tailored to your needs.
Disclaimer: I may be a good marketer, but I’m in no way a certified healthcare professional, so take my words with a grain of salt and consult your physician/trainer before doing any of the above exercises.