Gaining weight is an unwelcome change for pretty much everyone, but it can look different from person to person. In men, excess fat typically builds up around the midsection, but for women it tends to be more in the hips and thighs. One area of the body that is especially distressing to many people is there every time you look in the mirror: the face. Facial fat accumulates in the same way as other fat on the body, so your strategy for losing it will have to be part of an overall weight loss strategy.

Why Do I Have Face Fat?   

Face fat, like all other fat stores in the body, accumulates over time as a result of consuming more calories than the body needs to function. Not everyone gains visible weight in the face, however, because the locations of these fat stores around the body differ from person to person. Sex, hormones, and genetics all play a role in where it ends up, and it’s unfortunately just as much out of your power the order in which it can be burned off.  

Even though there are various fad diets and special exercise routines that claim to help you specifically lose face fat, the truth is that weight loss cannot be targeted in that way. The only way to reverse the trend and lose body fat is by shifting the balance between calories eaten vs calories burned. When you are operating within a caloric deficit, either by eating fewer calories or increasing physical activity levels, the energy stored in adipose tissue will begin to be used by cells around the body.   

Weight Loss Strategies

Some people claim that you can lose those chubby cheeks or that double chin by using special facial exercises that supposedly tone the facial muscles. Unfortunately, this is a myth, and the only way to truly burn off face fat is to approach weight loss as a comprehensive, whole-body effort. Below are some tips and strategies for how to get your weight loss journey started: 

• Cardio Exercise: One of the primary health benefits of cardiovascular exercise is that the heart muscle will get stronger and become more efficient at pumping blood. In addition to reducing blood pressure and helping you build muscle faster, aerobic exercise provides a variety of benefits for your overall health and wellbeing; it can even help you sleep better at night, especially if you suffer from sleep apnea. From a weight loss perspective, cardiovascular exercise also burns calories faster than if you live a sedentary lifestyle. 
• Less Alcohol: Anytime you consume alcohol and it enters the digestive system, it is processed and used for energy before all other food nutrients. In addition to the calories contained in alcohol, the fact that it disrupts your metabolism makes it even harder to lose body weight. Reducing alcohol consumption is one of the simplest ways to take your first steps toward a balanced diet, and it is also more healthy for your liver. 
• Feeling Full: If you’ve ever tried to lose weight before, you know how challenging it can be to have strong cravings for food, particularly when you first start to cut back. One way to make it easier to fight these cravings is by incorporating into your diet foods that are more filling yet have relatively fewer calories. Examples include fiber-rich foods like vegetables, oats, and nuts. 
• Healthy Diet Choices: Nutritional studies continue to indicate that a diet that is high in processed foods and refined carbohydrates will lead to weight gain. Our bodies need carbs to function, but the typical American diet is far too high in foods and beverages that disrupt our blood sugar and insulin levels and consequently end up promoting weight gain, increased blood pressure, and a higher chance for developing heart disease. Instead, choose fresh, whole foods whenever possible: fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, lean meats, and nuts/legumes should dominate your diet, with processed foods and saturated fats making up a very small portion. 
• Sleep: In recent decades, research has shown that not getting enough sleep is associated with numerous health concerns, including weight gain. This is in part thought to be because of how a lack of sleep negatively impacts the hormones related to hunger and satiety. By getting sufficient sleep (usually around 8 hours for most people), you’ll be putting yourself in a better position to be able to lose weight and keep it off. 
• Less Salt Intake: If you have a diet that is especially high in salt content, it can cause water retention and bloating that might lead to puffiness in the face and body. So even though reducing the amount of salt in your diet can improve your blood pressure, it can also potentially help you look a little slimmer simply by not retaining as much water.         

Weight Loss Alternatives   

Millions of Americans try to lose weight every year, yet the proportion of citizens who are obese or overweight is higher than ever. Relying on a popular fad diet or a brutal exercise regimen, many people manage to lose some weight only to gain it right back within a few months. This kind of yo-yo dieting can go on for years and years, never really yielding the desired results. 

It is because of the desire to help people break out of this cycle that True You Weight Loss presents a very different approach to losing weight in the face and anywhere else in the body. Rather than unsustainable diet and exercise plans, we offer a series of non-surgical weight loss procedures that have a demonstrated track record of safety and weight loss success. 

One example of a procedure is endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG); an ESG involves reducing the size of the stomach and reshaping it into a banana-shaped “sleeve.” With less stomach volume, you become full faster and you eventually become accustomed to eating fewer calories. The procedure is done via endoscope, a special tube with suturing tools mounted on the end that is fed down the esophagus; because the entire procedure is done without the need for incisions, the chance for complications is low and the recovery time is brief. 

Freedom is Waiting!

If the face staring back at you from the mirror is a little fuller than normal, it can be tempting to search for spot treatments to make you look thinner. The truth is, though, that you can’t target an area of your body for fat loss. But if you haven’t had success with the traditional methods of weight loss, it might be time for a different approach. If you’d like more information about our state-of-the-art weight loss procedures, contact us today to request a consultation.