How to lose weight on the face

What girl does not strive to look fresh and young, to be slim and fit? And it often happens that the weight is within the normal range, and the face remains full or swollen. And then, a woman needs to find ways to quickly and effectively lose weight in her face.

The modern cosmetology industry offers many ways to quickly tighten the face’s oval, reduce the cheeks’ volume and make the cheekbones visually sharper. But how can this be achieved without resorting to radical cosmetic and surgical methods?

It is important to understand that everyone has a different face type. For example, in the fashion world, there are five main types of faces: classic face (classic), commercial face (commercial), baby face (children), strong face (strict), and strange face (strange). The baby’s face will always be distinguished by pretty features and often by chubby cheeks, regardless of body weight. Therefore, it is important to objectively assess body weight, face type, and the presence or absence of puffiness both on the face and on the body.

Is it possible to lose weight in certain parts of the body?

To start losing weight, you must meet at least one important condition:

• Reduce the amount of processed food in the diet (chips, snacks, chocolate, pastries, sugary drinks).
• Increase the percentage of whole foods.
• Add a physical activity.

The energy we receive is spent not only on training in the gym but also on breathing, walking, cooking dinner, digesting food, and other household needs. The brain alone spends about 20% of all the energy we expend at rest. 

Accordingly, if the diet is built incorrectly and is dominated by empty calories, we can exclude foods high in calories and thereby reduce the calorie content of the diet by 10-20%. The body must look for additional energy sources to satisfy all its needs.

But adipose tissue accumulates unevenly. For some, most of the excess fat accumulates in the waist; for someone, in the abdomen; and for someone, the arms, face, and knees increase. And all this adipose tissue is also different: fat in the waist (visceral or internal) usually accumulates with an excess of incoming calories and a lack of physical activity, and subcutaneous fat is sensitive to the effects of insulin and is quite stable.

When the number of calories is reduced, the body gives an alarm and produces adrenaline, which increases blood circulation and accelerates the burning of internal fat. Therefore, internal fat is first burned when the body is in a stressful situation, for example, when reducing food volumes and increasing loads. Simply put, the body itself chooses which fat to burn depending on external conditions. But it is impossible to program the body to burn fat in any area; losing weight is complex.

Why is the face rounded?

It is impossible to lose weight in certain parts of the body. Still, it is possible to reduce swelling, tighten the skin and form a beautiful oval face without even resorting to cosmetic and surgical interventions. The condition of the face can say a lot about our habits and lifestyle.

Among the main reasons why the face is getting fat the following can be distinguished:

• excess fast carbohydrates in the diet;
• imbalance of potassium and sodium;
• decreased thyroid function;
• lymph stasis.

“Sugar face” is the name given to a face that is swollen and has lost its contours due to an excess of simple carbohydrates in the diet, particularly sugars.

With the use of a large number of fast carbohydrates and end products of glycation, the structures of collagen and elastin, which keep the skin elastic and toned, are destroyed, and the synthesis of new structures slows down.

Sources of these carbohydrates include:

• sugar and sugar-containing products (sweets, chocolate, sweet pastries, cookies, ice cream, juices, soft drinks, etc.);
• bread, bakery products, and pasta;
• honey.

Glycation end products include food that is fried to a crisp.

Glycation is how sugar molecules react with protein molecules and break them down. Protein molecules, in this case, are molecules of collagen and elastin fibers. In addition, 1 g of carbohydrates retains 4 g of fluid, respectively; with an excess of simple carbohydrates in the diet, the face not only loses its shape but also becomes swollen and more voluminous.

An imbalance of potassium and sodium is another reason the face will appear full. Potassium and sodium are the main elements that maintain the water-salt balance in the body. And if this balance is disturbed, fluid accumulates, and swelling appears. Often this swelling develops in the face area.

To maintain health, we need both potassium and sodium, but in the correct ratio – 1:2 or 1:4, most of it is potassium, and the smaller part is sodium. But often, in the modern diet, there is much more sodium than potassium.

It is a mistake to assume that potassium-sodium imbalance develops only against the background of an excess of salt in the diet – the source of that very sodium. The potassium-sodium balance is also disturbed when too few potassium-containing foods are in the diet.

We get sodium not only from salt. Foods containing sodium also include:

• salted and smoked products (sausages, ham, sausages, pickled vegetables);
• chips and crackers;
• salted fish (herring, mackerel, etc.);
• cheeses;
• ketchup, soy, and other sauces.

Potassium is found in the following foods:

• avocado;
• legumes (peas, lentils, beans, mung beans, chickpeas);
• Vegetables and greens (red and Brussels sprouts, parsley, tomatoes, beets, garlic, horseradish, spinach, sorrel, eggplant, etc.).

In addition, it is important to exclude such a failure in the functioning of body systems as a decrease in thyroid function.

The thyroid gland is an endocrine gland (which produces hormones) located under the larynx in front of the trachea. The thyroid gland synthesizes hormones and regulates all types of metabolism, excretion of water and potassium from the body, body weight, activity of the central nervous system, and growth and development of the body.

In the case of congenital or acquired causes, thyroid function may decrease, and this process is due to a decrease in the synthesis of thyroid hormones T3 and T4.

The main symptoms of a decrease in thyroid function are the appearance of swelling of the face, body, and tongue (in the morning, teeth marks are visible along the edges of the tongue). That is why the face becomes swollen and puffy with reduced synthesis of thyroid hormones.

To exclude or confirm the presence of this problem, it is necessary to do an ultrasound of the thyroid gland, pass the necessary laboratory tests and contact an integrative doctor and nutritionist to compensate for this condition if it is detected.

Lymph stasis is another reason why the face will appear fuller. Slowing the lymph flow in the face can be manifested by the retention of excess fluid evenly throughout the face and in its parts: bags under the eyes, double chin, and nasolabial folds. And diet for weight loss will not solve this problem.

The lymphatic system is part of the body’s immune system. It consists of branching the lymphatic vessels and capillaries, lymph nodes, and lymphatic organs. This system circulates fluid – lymph. It cleanses all cells, tissues, and organs of the body and transports immunocompetent cells.

The lymph flow is affected by physical activity and compliance with the drinking regimen. The lymphatic system is not closed and does not have a “pump” that would pump it, unlike the circulatory system. And the heart is the same “pump” that pumps blood. A sedentary lifestyle is the main trigger for lymph stasis.

To solve the problem of lymph stagnation in the face, it is necessary to consider the health of the ENT organs and teeth. Indeed, in the face area, there is a whole cluster of lymph nodes that work as filters of the lymphatic system: parotid, cervical, sublingual, chin, and deep facial lymph nodes.

Lymph nodes in the face always react sharply to any infection or the onset of an inflammatory process. This can be affected by dental problems (caries, periodontal disease) and infectious type problems (flu, colds, sinusitis, sinusitis rhinitis). All this leads to inflammation of the lymph nodes, their increase and slowing of the lymph flow in this area. These processes can also lead to swelling and an increase in facial volume. It is important to carefully monitor oral hygiene, visit the dentist regularly, and attend scheduled examinations by an otolaryngologist.

How to lose weight on the face

1. To reduce the volume of the face, you should first review your diet and reduce the consumption of foods containing sugar and bakery products. Reducing the amount of simple carbohydrates in the diet will reduce the negative impact of the glycation process on the collagen and elastin fibers of the skin, help maintain a more strict facial contour and reduce the appearance of edema.

2. Use the “rainbow on a plate” rule. Antioxidants found in vegetables and herbs give food different colors. The brighter the filling of your plate, the more antioxidants enter the body. Antioxidants neutralize the glycation process’s negative impact on the skin’s structural components.

Antioxidants in food:

• red – tomatoes, grapefruit, watermelon, raspberries, strawberries, red onions, apples, peppers, cranberries, cherries, cranberries;
• orange and yellow – lemons, melon, oranges, carrots, pumpkin, tangerines, papaya, turmeric, mustard;
• green – spinach, parsley, lettuce, cilantro, dill, cucumbers, avocados, grapes, all types of cabbage, kiwi, apples;
• blue, black, and purple – grapes, blueberries, blueberries, blackberries, eggplant, plums;
• White – coconut, banana, cauliflower, onion, garlic, potatoes.

3. Watch the amount of salt consumed and try to salt only ready meals. Using many ready-made sauces, pickles, smoked meats, and industrial semi-finished products are undesirable.

Enter more foods containing potassium and magnesium into the diet: green vegetables, herbs, berries (lingonberries, cranberries, blackberries, blueberries, currants, raspberries), apples, pears, buckwheat, zucchini, pumpkin.

4. Drink enough pure water.

The rate of fluid intake is individual. The norm can be calculated by the formula: 30–40 ml of liquid per 1 kg of body weight.

If you have been drinking much less than your normal amount, increase the amount of water gradually, for example, 100 ml every three days.

5. Eliminate the possibility of disruption of the thyroid gland. An integrative doctor and nutritionist will help you with this. It is necessary not only to pass the necessary laboratory tests but also to interpret them correctly.

6. In the morning, after waking up, do “lymphatic drainage jumps.”

After a long night, during which the body hardly moves, the lymph flow slows down, and edema may appear. You can get rid of them with the help of lymphatic drainage charging. For example, performing “lymphatic drainage” jumps.

Place your feet slightly closer than shoulder width. Slightly bend your legs for cushioning. Within a minute, jump to a height of 5-7 cm, ensuring that the main impact falls on the heel. Hold your chest while jumping.

7. After lymphatic charging and morning procedures, do a gouache massage.

This massage is done with the help of special tools: a scraper or a roller. These instruments are most often made from natural stone. And in the home arsenal, it is better to have both of these tools or choose one that will be more convenient.

The essence of the massage is to gently massage the face along the massage lines with a scraper or roller, dispersing stagnant lymph, increasing blood circulation, and reducing muscle spasms. As a result, swelling decreases, the face acquires a blush, and the muscles maintain a healthy tone.

When performing a gouache massage, follow some rules:

• Before the massage, take a shower or bath to steam your face a little;
• Apply serum or oil on your face;
• Start to massage from the neck area, moving with a scraper or roller from the bottom up, but do not put pressure on the larynx and thyroid gland;
• Then go to the forehead area, performing movements from the central part to the temples;
• The next zone is the area under the eyes; it should be massaged carefully in the direction from the bridge of the nose to the temples;
• Then massage the area from the wings of the nose to the temples and from the corners of the mouth to the temples;
• Perform 5-10 movements in each area;
• Adjust the intensity of pressure – the procedure should not cause discomfort;
• After the massage, be sure to disinfect the scraper or roller.

The fullness of the face is only sometimes associated with excess weight. Puffiness is often caused by lymphatic congestion, swelling, and loss of muscle tone. And achieving face weight loss, in this case, is possible only with a change in eating habits and lifestyle in general. But if the weight is above the norm, it should be remembered that it is impossible to lose weight in a separate zone, and the volume of the face decreases only with a general decrease in body weight.