A double chin is a severe self-esteem issue for many people. And while in most cases it is a result of age or genetic factors, a person’s weight also plays a significant role in whether they end up with the condition or not.
Can weight loss get rid of a double chin?
In most cases, a double chin is caused by excess fat. Losing weight will reduce a double chin. However, other times, it is not as simple as that, sometimes it is caused by age, even when the person is not overweight; in other people, it is due to genetics.
For example, some families with a history of little skin elasticity are predisposed to the condition even when they are still young.
What Is A Double Chin?
A double chin occurs when the skin around the neck loses elasticity and sags, leading to a wrinkle. Often, this makes a person look like they have two chins.
Causes Of A Double Chin
John Hopkins Medicine journals list the following as causes of a double chin:
Excess Body Fat
Weight is the primary cause of a double chin. Excess weight increases a person’s chances of developing the double chin condition since they’ll carry excess fat on their body.
When excess fat is deposited around the neck, placing strain on the skin, it is bound to lose elasticity and sag, leading to the illusion of two chins. Shedding extra weight should fix your double chin problem if excess weight is the cause.
Age
Excess weight is not the only reason skin loses elasticity. Aging is a significant factor too. Elastin is an essential protein in the body; it gives ligaments the ability to resume their normal shape after contracting or stretching. Aging decreases elastin and, consequently, muscle tone.
When you lose muscle tone due to old age, the chin weakens, and the skin around your neck is bound to look saggy.
I’ve written an article on muscle loss.
Hereditary Factors
As mentioned earlier, some families have a history of less elastic skin and do not have to be overweight or significantly aged to develop a double chin.
Posture
You may not know it, but bad postures have the same effect as excess fat and aging of the skin around the neck. These make muscles around the neck weak and saggy after some time.
Will Losing Weight Help Get Rid Of A Double Chin?
Since weight is a significant cause of the double chin problem, exercising more, and eating a healthy diet should fix it. Excess fat is stored on many spots around the body, including the chin and the neck’s upper area. A healthy diet and regular exercise should help get rid of the double chin.
If you need help with getting started, check out my article on low-calories meal preparation.
What Exercises And Diets Help Get Rid Of A Double Chin?
Experts recommend a combination of resistance training, cardio workouts, and consuming fewer calories. The chin and throat are among the body stores’ excess fat; overall weight loss should help with the double chin issue.
However, what you cannot rely on is spot reduction. When you exercise, the body does not pick which area to burn the fat needed for energy. Instead, it utilizes fat from all over. Losing fat is, therefore, a matter of burning more calories than you get through your diet.
Breakdown Of Exercises And Diet To Get Rid Of A Double Chin
Aerobic Activity
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, doing strenuous aerobics 75 minutes a week should help with excess weight problems. These can be running or even aerobic dancing.
Zumba is a fun way of losing weight. Check out my wife’s article she wrote for me, does Zumba help you to lose weight.
Spread the workouts throughout the week and exercise for more than 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can do brisk walking, swimming, or any other mild aerobic 150 minutes a week.
Strength Training
Strength training is when you use some external resistance to target and exercise a specific muscle. Muscles play an important role in weight loss.
A gain in muscles results in a higher basal metabolic rate; you burn more calories even when resting. Moving muscles require energy, too; we even burn energy while we sleep. I’ve written an article on what basal metabolic rate is.
Experts advise strength training at least twice a week with 24 hours of rest in between workouts. Full-body strength workouts that require multi-joint movements are the best. Target large muscle groups on your thighs, arms, chest, neck, and abdomen simultaneously to burn more calories.
Tip
If it’s been a while since you hit the gym, it’s always wise to consult a doctor to determine if you are in a good position health-wise for regular workouts. Start with low-intensity exercises and gradually up the intensity as you get used to the routines.
Consume Fewer Calories
A calorie restriction is necessary for weight loss. If you want to shed excess fat, you need to use more calories than you eat. Watch your diet; you can use various resources, including online software, to track your eating. The recommend calorie deficit is around 500 calories per day. Use my calorie calculator for calculating your calories.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the best dietary practices for weight loss include:
- Reducing sugar intake
- Consuming more fruits
- Eating more veggies, including dark green, orange, red, legumes, starchy, etc.
- Eating poultry, fish, and other lean proteins
- Consuming healthy fats
- Eating more whole grains instead of refined grains
- Eating healthy fats
But weight loss is not the only way to lose a double chin. There are other ways to deal with the problem if it refuses to go away even after losing excess fat.
Other Ways To Deal With A Double Chin Problem
- Cosmetic surgery to remove loose skin
- Liposuction: surgically removing the fat pad under the chin
- Mesotherapy: Using injectable drugs to dissolve fats
Experienced and licensed doctors should perform double chin correction surgeries and procedures to reduce the risk of nerve damage.
Conclusion
Chin up, ladies and gentlemen; there is no reason to feel low self-esteem every time you look into the mirror and see your double chin; while there is no cure for the problem, it can be eliminated. Regular exercising and a healthy diet should help with many of such cases, but if the problem is stubborn, some corrective surgery may be required.
