Best Exercises to Reduce Face Fat

Drooping, sagging, and wrinkled facial skin are among the most common signs of aging. Jowls, double chins, and heavy cheeks are also fairly common, especially among those who have gained a bit of weight.

Face fat distribution can change due to a combination of factors including genetics, aging, hormonal changes, and overall body weight. Your body tends to accumulate fat around your cheeks and neck along with your belly, thighs, and buttocks. Thankfully, with the right exercises, it’s possible to reduce face fat and slim down your cheeks, chin, and jawline.

In this post, we’ll look at the reality of how to reduce face fat, examining whether it’s possible, how it can be done, and how much you can actually lose.

The Hard Truth: Facial Weight Loss Is a Myth

Anyone who claims you can lose fat in just one area of your body—known as "spot reduction"—is likely misinformed. Weight loss typically reduces fat across the entire body, not in isolated spots.

The accumulation and storage of fat is regulated by a complex interplay of hormones and enzymes. Losing fat from one specific body part is as unlikely as only building fat in one specific body part.

Adipose tissue deposits aren’t like muscles that you can target with exercises. They grow and shrink based on the amount of fat you consume or expend. Just losing weight in your face and nowhere else on your body is again not likely. 

The Keys to Losing Face Fat

The realistic steps to lose face fat are as follows:

1. Do more fat-burning exercise. Targeting your body fat overall via cardio conditioning and resistance training is the best way to combat facial fat. The more you burn in your entire body, the more is pulled from the adipose tissue deposits around your cheeks, neck, and chin.
2. Do more facial exercises. Facial exercises activate the muscles in your face, which may improve muscle tone and skin elasticity. While not a primary method for fat loss, facial exercises can enhance facial muscle strength and potentially help improve facial contouring. It can also help burn a few calories and while it’s not the be-all-and-end-all solution, doing facial exercises can increase the amount of facial fat burned.
3. Eat healthy. Follow a calorie-conscious, natural diet rich in lean protein, whole grains, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and more fiber. Cut unnecessary sugar and sugary drinks, processed foods, refined carbs, and excess unhealthy fats. Eating a healthy quantity and quality of food is the key to long-term healthy weight loss, especially when paired with a daily exercise program.
4. Live a healthy lifestyle. Quit smoking, cut alcohol consumption, get enough sleep, and manage your stress. All of these things can aid in weight management —not only in your face, but in your entire body—and work with your balanced diet and regular exercise program to make you healthier.

Combining all four of these ingredients into your routines will help support a goal of facial fat loss.

15 Types of Exercise to Reduce Face Fat 

This section is going to be split into two categories: exercises that can strengthen facial muscles, and full body exercises for overall effective fat-burning training.

Mixing cardio and muscular strength exercises into an effective fitness program will activate your body’s fat-burning mechanisms and target your body’s fat storage. Finishing your sessions off with a few exercises that target facial fat can help to slim down your face.

Let’s get training!

#1: Big Smile

Regular facial movements, like smiling, can help maintain facial muscle activity! Doing this exercise to reduce face fat could help increase facial muscle tone and also elevate your mood. In fact smiling, even a fake smile, can make you feel happier[1].

Intensity Level: Low

Equipment Needed: None

Target Muscle Groups: Facial muscles (mouth and cheeks)

How To Do It: Smile as big as you can. Don’t worry if it looks or feels excessive—that’s the entire point! Hold that big smile for 30 seconds, clenching your jaw as you do so.

Repetitions and Sets: Repeat the 30-second smile for three sets, with 60 seconds of rest between.

#2: Cheek Puff

The cheek puff exercise is an exercise that targets the muscles in your cheeks and around your jaw, strengthening them very effectively.

Intensity Level: Low

Equipment Needed: None

Target Muscle Groups: Facial muscles (cheeks and jaw)

How To Do It: Press your lips together to seal your mouth, then puff your cheeks out by pushing air against your lips. Hold the cheek puff for 10 seconds, then shift the air to your right cheek and hold for another 10 seconds. Shift the air to your left cheek for another 10-count, then shift back to both cheeks for a final 10 count.

Repetitions and Sets: Perform three sets of this 40-second facial exercise with 60 seconds of rest between.

#3: Lip Pucker

Puckering your lips engages all of the muscles around your mouth. Holding the pucker and shifting it from side to side can be an amazing way to strengthen those muscles.

Intensity Level: Low

Equipment Needed: None

Target Muscle Groups: Facial (mouth)

How To Do It: Pucker your lips as fully as you can. Hold the pucker for 30 seconds.

Shift the pucker to the left side of your mouth and hold for 15 seconds before shifting to the right side for another 15.

Finish off with another 20-30 seconds of a normal pucker.

Repetitions and Sets: Repeat this pucker exercise twice, with 60 seconds of rest between sets.

#4: Neck Stretch

This neck stretch engages the neck and tongue muscles, which can help to stretch the skin beneath your neck while also strengthening the muscles involved. It’s simple but can be an effective means of improving muscle tone and flexibility. It may also aid in reducing wobble and sag of your neck skin.

Intensity Level: Low

Equipment Needed: None

Target Muscle Groups: Neck, tongue

How To Do It: Stretch your neck as far forward as you can. As you do so, press your tongue against the roof of your mouth firmly. Apply as much pressure as possible while holding the stretch.

Start off with sets of 30 seconds, but work your way up to 45 and finally 60 seconds.

Repetitions and Sets: Repeat this exercise for three sets, with 60 seconds of rest between.

#5: Neck Curl-Up

Think of this exercise as crunches for your neck muscles. Neck curl-ups can increase your neck muscle strength, contributing to improved muscle tone and posture. We also hope it burns fat from around and under your neck.

Intensity Level: Low

Equipment Needed: A bench, bed, or Yoga mat.

Target Muscle Groups: Neck

How To Do It: Lie down on your back on either a bench, your bed, or a Yoga mat on the floor.

Place your hands on your stomach and extend your legs so they are stretched out flat.

Press your tongue against the roof of your mouth and slowly raise your head off the floor, bringing your chin to touch your chest.

Lower your head back down to the floor, rest for one second, then curl again.

Repetitions and Sets: Perform three sets of 15 repetitions, with 60 seconds of rest between.

#6: Jaw Push

This exercise engages your jaw muscles to push the lower half of your mouth forward. Don’t worry if it feels awkward; you’ll get used to it in time as your jaw muscles strengthen and your joint flexibility increases.

Intensity Level: Low

Equipment Needed: None

Target Muscle Groups: Jaw

How To Do It: Close your mouth. Push your jaw forward, lifting your lower lip and pushing up until you feel the engagement in the muscles around your chin and jaw.

Hold for 15 seconds before relaxing the muscle. Rest for a 3-count, then repeat.

Repetitions and Sets: Repeat the exercise 5 times.

Face Fat-Burning Exercise #7: Vowel Sounds

Certain vowels—particularly the "O" and "E" sounds—engage your mouth muscles more effectively than others. By forming these letters with your lips, you can strengthen the muscles that facilitate speech, which may enhance muscle tone in the facial region.

Intensity Level: Low

Equipment Needed: None

Target Muscle Groups: Mouth

How To Do It: Open your mouth wide to create an "E" sound with your lips. Really exaggerate the movement so you feel the facial muscles engage.

Hold the position for 10 seconds, then shift your lips to form an exaggerated "O" sound. Hold for 10 seconds before switching back to "E".

Repetitions and Sets: Alternate between "E" and "O" 10 times. One set should be more than enough.

#8: Forehead Workout

While a lot of the exercises above focus on the lower half of the face, you can’t forget the upper facial muscles. This simple sequence will target the muscles around your forehead, eyebrows, and eyes.

Intensity Level: Low

Equipment Needed: None

Target Muscle Groups: Forehead, eyes

How To Do It: Start off by furrowing your brow as hard as you can. Try to do it without frowning (you don’t want to add to the wrinkles or lines around your mouth). Focus on just furrowing your brow using the muscles in your forehead. Hold for 5 seconds.

Now raise your eyebrows as high toward your hairline as you can. Open your eyes widely as you do so, and hold for 5 seconds before furrowing your brow once more.

Repetitions and Sets: Alternate between furrowing your brow and raising your eyebrows 10 times.

#9: Chewing Gum

Yes, it turns out that chewing gum can be great for strengthening your jaw muscles. The constant chewing engages your jaw muscles, which can help tone muscles.

Intensity Level: Low

Equipment Needed: Chewing gum (sugarless, preferably, as it’s better for your teeth)

Target Muscle Groups: Jaw and mouth muscles

How To Do It: Chew gum for 15 to 20 minutes consistently. You’ll find it even more effective for facial fat burning if you pair it along with cardio exercises or resistance training workout (which is already activating and burning fat).

Repetitions and Sets: A 15 to 20-minute chewing session twice per day will suffice.

#10: Fish Face

This exercise targets your cheek muscles in a way that feels unnatural at first, but which will ultimately help strengthen them. It can also work your jaw and mouth muscles.

Intensity Level: Low

Equipment Needed: None

Target Muscle Groups: Cheek, jaw, and mouth

How To Do It: Close your mouth and press your lips together to form an airtight seal. Suck your cheeks into your mouth, forming a fish face.

Hold the pose for 15 to 20 seconds. Try to smile while you’re holding the pose, as that will amplify the engagement of your jaw and mouth muscles.

Repetitions and Sets: Repeat the 15 to 20-second pose three times, with 60 seconds of rest between.

#11: Burpees

Burpees won’t target your face fat specifically, but they’re some of the best overall fat-burning exercises because they combine resistance training with high-intensity cardiovascular conditioning. A few sets of these each day will do wonders to burn body fat, which could also translate into a slimmer face.

Intensity Level: High

Equipment Needed: None

Target Muscle Groups: Chest, triceps, shoulders, abs, glutes, quads, and lower back

How To Do It: Start in a standing position with your feet spread shoulder width apart. Squat, place your hands on the floor, and jump your feet back to Plank position.

Do a push-up, jump your feet back up to your hands, and extend your legs to leap off the ground with your arms extended overhead. As you land, drop once more into the squat to begin the movement all over again.

Repetitions and Sets: Perform 15 to 20 burpees for 3 sets, with 90 seconds of rest between.

#12: Running/Jogging

Of all the cardio workouts, running and/or jogging is one of the best. Not only will it push your cardiovascular system and strengthen your heart, but it can help activate and burn fat (especially when done after an intense resistance training workout).

Intensity Level: Medium to high

Equipment Needed: None

Target Muscle Groups: Legs, lower back

How To Do It: Following a resistance training session, run at medium intensity (around 65 to 70% MaxHR). This puts you in the prime "fat burning" zone.

Repetitions and Sets: Anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes is enough.

#13: Yoga 

Yoga burns fat, improves muscle tone and flexibility, through isometric muscle engagement. You’ll be surprised by how much you sweat even though you’re moving slowly and holding poses.

Intensity Level: Low to medium

Equipment Needed: Yoga mat, Yoga blocks, other Yoga gear

Target Muscle Groups: Whole body

How To Do It: Take a Yoga class or follow a Yoga video online. Working your whole body with a daily Yoga session will activate body fat for burning and help you lose weight.

Repetitions and Sets: Anywhere from 30 to 120 minutes of Yoga per day will be very effective for fat-burning, both on your face and your body overall.

#14: Cycling

Cycling is an excellent form of cardio that will burn a lot of calories and activate fat. It’s also great for strengthening your leg and core muscles.

Intensity Level: Low to high, depending on pace

Equipment Needed: Bicycle or stationary bike

Target Muscle Groups: Legs and core

How To Do It: Hit the road or get on your stationary or spin bike and get pedaling! The harder you pedal, the more calories (and fat) you will burn.

Repetitions and Sets: Spending 20-45 minutes of cycling or spinning, several days a week can be excellent for enhancing cardiovascular fitness and supports fat loss overall.

#15: Swimming

When it comes to cardio conditioning, you just can’t beat swimming. It works your entire body, pushes your cardiovascular system, and gets you breathing and working hard. It’s a game-changer for fat burning and overall weight loss.

Intensity Level: Low to high

Equipment Needed: A swimming pool, lake, or the ocean

Target Muscle Groups: Whole body

How To Do It: Find somewhere to swim—a municipal pool, a pool at your gym, a nearby lake or river, or even the open ocean. Swimming is one of the most efficient full-body workouts, supporting both cardiovascular fitness and overall fat loss.

Repetitions and Sets: Even just 20 minutes of swimming a day can be highly effective at reducing fat.

Wrapping Up: Facial Exercises’ Effectiveness 

The key to burning facial fat more effectively is to burn fat in your entire body by adding cardio conditioning and resistance training exercises to your daily life.

However, as you saw above, there are a few exercises that can target your facial muscles to not only strengthen them, but ideally burn through the fat deposits around your cheeks, chin, and jaw.

Pair that with a healthy diet and lifestyle, and you’ve got a great chance of toning underlying muscles contributing to a more defined appearance when paired with overall fat loss.

Frequently Asked Questions

What causes facial fat?

The accumulation of facial fat is caused by a number of factors: aging, weight gain or loss, and genetics, among others. Water retention, hormonal changes, and certain medical conditions (such as Cushing’s syndrome) can also contribute to an increase in facial fat.

Why is my face chubby but I’m skinny?

An increase in facial fat despite a skinny build may be the result of genetics, or your hormones causing the fat cells in your bloodstream to be deposited around your face. People with large buccal fat pads may have chubby cheeks even with no other signs of weight gain. Hormonal changes or medications can also contribute to facial fullness.

Can you reduce face fat?

The best way to lose fat in your face is to lose weight and burn fat overall. Certain cosmetic procedures (such as liposuction) can be used to spot-remove facial fat along with facial rejuvenation. The facial exercises we shared above may also help to eliminate excess face fat.

Can your skincare regimen help reduce puffiness?

Yes, your skincare regimen can help reduce excess puffiness. Using products with ingredients like caffeine, green tea, or cold compresses can minimize swelling, improving the appearance of your face shape.

What lifestyle changes can help have a slimmer face?

To have a slimmer face, reduce sodium intake, avoid white bread, stay hydrated by drinking water, and follow a balanced diet to support weight loss goals. These lifestyle changes also benefit overall health and help manage underlying health conditions.

Resources

Can You Lose Fat in Your Face?

How to Lose Weight in Your Face