How To Lose Neck & Face Fat: Effective Methods To Get Rid Of Them In 2024

how to lose neck and face fat
Consistent healthy habits can reduce neck and face fat. Photo: kei907/Shutterstock

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Losing weight in your neck and face can be tricky, but it is possible with the right strategies. Choosing natural fat burners, nutritious foods, and targeted exercises can help reduce overall body fat, leading to a slimmer neck and face. 

With patience and consistency, using methods like eating a healthy diet, implementing facial exercises, and managing stress, you’ll be on your way to learning how to lose neck and face fat.

How To To Burn Fat From Face And Neck

  1. Adopt a healthy, low-calorie diet.
  2. Drink more water and reduce sodium.
  3. Add facial exercises to your routine.
  4. Manage stress levels and get enough sleep.
  5. Lose weight sensibly with exercise and intermittent fasting.

Incredible Ways To Get Rid Of Neck And Face Fat

Shedding excess fat around your neck and face requires approaching weight loss holistically. You need strategies that address the underlying causes of weight gain while actively working to trim down problem areas. If you’re interested in how to lose weight in the face and neck areas, be sure to take a multifaceted approach. Do this by incorporating both dietary changes and targeted facial exercises to tone the muscles for a defined look.

If you are interested in learning how to lose neck and chin fat through your diet, focus on calorie counting, reducing sodium intake, and staying hydrated. Managing stress, getting enough sleep, implementing facial exercises, losing weight sensibly through methods like intermittent fasting, and considering supplements are also helpful.

Read on to learn more about how to get a slim, sculpted neck and face.

Adopt A Healthy, Low-Calorie Diet

The food you eat plays a significant role in fat storage and weight gain, so nutrition should be a cornerstone of your neck and face slimming efforts. To effectively lose fat in the face and neck, focus on maintaining a healthy daily calorie deficit[1] of 500-750 calories below your total daily energy expenditure. 

Use an online calculator or tracking app to determine your total daily energy expenditure based on age, height, current weight, and activity level. Reducing calories[1] by 500-750 per day will promote a more realistic, sustainable fat loss of one to two pounds per week. 

Achieve this deficit by filling your balanced diet with nutrient-dense whole foods like lean proteins, dairy, eggs, fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Emphasize high-fiber, antioxidant-rich choices like berries, kale, squash, avocado, salmon, chickpeas, almonds, and quinoa. 

Strictly limit intake of processed foods, fast foods, packaged snacks, sweets, soda, juices, alcohol, and other empty calorie sources. These provide excess sugar and sodium that encourage fluid retention and puffiness. 

Healthy eating habits focused on whole foods, portion control, and a calorie deficit are instrumental for slimming excess fat from the neck, jawline, and cheeks.

Drink More Water And Reduce Sodium

Staying hydrated[2] and minimizing sodium intake are two critical lifestyle strategies for losing puffy, swollen facial fat. Drinking adequate water flushes out toxins, prevents water retention, and keeps skin looking supple.[3]

Aim for 1.5-3 liters of water[4] daily, depending on your age and gender. Sip water constantly throughout the day, and avoid waiting until you feel thirsty. 

Additionally, limit sodium to 2,300 mg daily[5] to avoid bloating, swelling, and puffiness in the face and neck region. Avoid adding extra salt to foods, and beware of high-sodium options like canned soups, deli meats, sauces, condiments, chips, fast foods, and processed items. Always check nutrition labels and aim for under 600 mg sodium per meal. 

Further reduce bloat by avoiding gas-inducing foods like certain dairy products, broccoli, onions, and carbonated drinks. When grocery shopping, fill your cart with fresh, unprocessed whole foods to minimize sodium intake. 

Drink a glass of water with every meal and snack to promote feelings of fullness and sufficient hydration. Proper water intake and sodium reduction flush out toxins and deflate the face for a slimmer look.

Add Facial Exercises To Your Routine

how to lose neck and face fat
Facial exercises can strengthen facial muscles. Photo: Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock

Incorporating targeted facial exercises[6] into your daily routine provides a sculpting effect by toning underlying facial and neck muscles. 

Take 5-10 minutes one to two times per day to perform facial exercises like puckering your lips, puffing out your cheeks, lifting your eyebrows, rolling your tongue, and turning your head against resistance. Use your hands to provide light pressure as you work through the movements. Other practical exercises include smiling wide, kissing the air, opening and closing your mouth, sucking in your cheeks, and pronouncing vowels. 

Over time, consistently activating and contracting the facial muscles can enhance the definition of the jawline, cheekbones, and neck. The increased circulation oxygenates the skin for a healthy glow while stripping away fat deposits. 

Doing a facial exercise improves muscle tone to lift saggy areas and smooth wrinkles. Maintain proper form and move slowly through each exercise without straining. Patiently stick with your facial workout regimen to slim excess fat that can lead to double chins and puffy cheeks.

Manage Stress Levels And Get Enough Sleep

Chronic stress and lack of sleep[7] disrupt hormone levels in your body, causing fluid retention and bloating in the face. Manage stress through yoga, meditation, adequate sleep, and other relaxation techniques. 

While everyone’s needs differ, getting 7-9 hours of quality sleep[8] each night generally allows your body to recharge and reset. This keeps stress hormones in check and prevents next-day puffiness.

Lose Weight Sensibly With Exercise And Intermittent Fasting

Losing weight sensibly and sustainably will slim your entire body, including your neck and face. To slim your face and neck area, focus on losing weight safely and effectively through a calorie deficit. Add cardio exercise and strength training to burn extra calories and build muscle. 

You can also try incorporating intermittent fasting[9] by restricting meals to an 8-hour window during the day. This allows your body to burn fat energy stores, leading to fat loss. However, intermittent fasting is not appropriate for everyone. Consult your doctor before starting a restrictive diet. 

Causes Of A Fat Neck And A Puffy Face

Genetics

Some people are simply prone to a puffy face and a fat neck area due to their genetic predisposition. 

With age, a double chin and chubbier cheeks can emerge due to natural shifts in fat storage over time. Genetics largely determine where your body deposits fat. But above, you read about how to lose double chin and how to lose face fat, so genetics shouldn’t discourage you.

Weight Gain And Obesity

Weight gain and obesity are a huge cause of excess facial fat and neck fullness. As your body fat percentage rises, you lose muscle definition throughout your body, including in your neck. Excess body fat can lead to a larger face and eventual double chin.

Diet And Lifestyle

Factors like a high-calorie, high-sodium, and high-sugar diet and sedentary lifestyle also contribute to facial fat storage. Things like alcohol, fatty foods, and lack of exercise cause weight gain and inhibit your ability to lose fat, specifically in the face and neck.

Benefits Of Removing Excess Fat In The Face And Neck

Trimming down excess fat in the face and neck can provide several benefits that make the effort completely worthwhile. Losing facial fat can have a dramatic impact on both your appearance and your overall health.

Appear Years Younger

One of the most significant benefits is that removing extra fat in the face and neck leads to a more youthful, defined facial appearance. 

As we age, we naturally lose collagen, muscle tone, and skin elasticity in areas like the cheeks, jaw, chin, and neck.[10] Excess fat in these regions only exacerbates the visual signs of aging. Losing fat reveals and accentuates the facial bone structure, highlights the contour of the jawline, and leads to a slimmer, firmer neck. 

With the fat trimmed down, features become more chiseled and sculpted. Things like nasolabial folds, sagging jowls, and double chins are significantly reduced. 

The face takes on a smooth, slim shape with excellent muscle tone. You’ll shave years off of your appearance, look instantly fresher and brighter, and regain a youthful vibrancy.

Boost Confidence And Happiness

how to lose neck and face fat
Having a slim face can boost your confidence. Photo: Ground Picture/Shutterstock

Losing excess facial fat also boosts confidence and overall happiness. Being overweight and having excess fat in visible areas like the neck and face can severely undermine self-esteem over time. 

You may become self-conscious about profile photos or constantly turn your face to hide a double chin. Removing the excess fat can diminish self-consciousness about your looks. 

You’ll feel confident looking head-on without angling your face or needing to fake a slimmer jaw. This freedom can boost self-assurance. 

Thanks to your boosted body image, you’ll smile brighter with happiness radiating from within. Greater self-confidence can also lead to projecting more charm and charisma in social situations.

Improve Overall Health And Wellness

Trimming down the overall body fat percentage provides incredible benefits for your overall health and wellness. Carrying excess body weight puts you at higher risk for obesity-related conditions[11] like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, stroke, and arthritis. 

Losing just 5%-10% of your body weight[12] can lower the dangers of these conditions. Other health markers like cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and triglycerides also improve with weight loss. Losing facial fat occurs alongside fat loss in the rest of the body. 

Enhancing your diet, exercise regimen, and lifestyle habits can pay off with better health outcomes. This gives you an improved sense of health and well-being, both physically and mentally.

Summary

Losing excess fat in your neck and face requires consistency with diet, exercise, sleep, stress management, and other healthy lifestyle factors. Adopt habits like proper hydration, facial exercises, and intermittent fasting while limiting salt, sugar, and alcohol. Be patient through the process and make permanent lifestyle changes like adding cardio and strength training to your routine. 

Incorporating all of these strategies and maintaining a sensible calorie deficit will help you achieve defined facial features and a slim, sculpted neck and jawline. The benefits for both your appearance and overall health make slimming your face and neck area worth the effort. If you have questions about weight loss, seek guidance from your doctor or registered dietitian nutritionist.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my face and neck getting fat?

Common causes include weight gain, genetics, diet, declining muscle tone, lifestyle factors, and aging.

How can I slim my face and lose neck fat?

Losing weight sensibly through diet and exercise is key. Proper hydration and sleep, reducing sodium and sugar intake, and managing stress can also help.

Will my neck fat go away if I lose weight?

Losing weight through an overall calorie deficit will reduce fat everywhere, including the neck. Targeted neck exercises also can help lose neck fat.

Which foods increase face fat?

Foods like fatty meats, fast food, fried items, sugary foods, and alcohol contribute to weight gain and increased facial fat.

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EHproject has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We work mostly with peer-reviewed studies to ensure accurate information. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

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  2. Armstrong, L.E. and Johnson, E.C. (2018). Water Intake, Water Balance, and the Elusive Daily Water Requirement. Nutrients, [online] 10(12), pp.1928–1928. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10121928.
  3. Palma, L., Liliana Tavares Marques, Buján, J. and Luís Monteiro Rodrigues (2015). Dietary water affects human skin hydration and biomechanics. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, [online] pp.413–413. doi:https://doi.org/10.2147/ccid.s86822.
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  7. Hirotsu, C., Sérgio Tufik and Mônica Levy Andersen (2015). Interactions between sleep, stress, and metabolism: From physiological to pathological conditions. Sleep Science, [online] 8(3), pp.143–152. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.slsci.2015.09.002.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Christine is a certified personal trainer and nutritionist with an undergraduate degree from Missouri State University. Her passion is helping others learn how strong and healthy they can become by transforming their daily habits. Christine spends… See More