Facial exercise to eliminate double chin

Aditi Singh, sports physiotherapist at Aktivortho, orthopaedic rehabilitation and physiotherapy services provider, has listed some exercises that could be followed easily:

* Chin lifts: It helps in working and stretching most of the facial muscles, including the jaw, throat and neck. But make sure not to use any other facial muscle other than the lips while doing this exercise.

Begin by tilting your head towards the ceiling, keeping your eyes fixed towards it. Now, make your lips tight, as if trying to kiss the ceiling, hold it till a count of 5 seconds and relax. Repeat it 10 to 20 times at a stretch.

* Platysma tone: This helps in toning the chin and cheek muscles. Working on platysma also helps in firming the neckline and prevents sagging of the neck. 

Open your mouth slightly pulling back your lips tight and turning them downward, move your jaw up and down while keeping your lips pressed against the teeth. Remember that the muscles of the jaw should be engaged and the tendons of the neck should feel the tension. 

Move your jaw up and down 20 times at a stretch and relax. Repeat this exercise 20 times.

* Lip pull: The lip pull is one of the most effective facial exercises, which when performed regularly can help in lifting up the face muscles, making you look more youthful with high cheekbones and a prominent jaw line. Begin in a standing or sitting position with your head in the normal position.

Lift your lower lip up as much as possible by pushing the lower jaw out. You will feel the stretch and tension build in the chin muscles and jaw line. Remain in this posture for 10 to 15 seconds and relax. Perform the lip pull exercise 10 to 15 times at a stretch.

* Fish Face: Also known as the "smiling fish face" is an easy and one of the best facial exercises for cheeks that you can do anywhere. This exercise helps in toning and stretching the cheek muscles and reducing the flabbiness. 

Simply suck in your cheeks and lips as we use to do as kids and form a fish face, now try smiling, hold the posture for 5 seconds, you will feel the burn in your cheeks and jaws. Now relax and again repeat it 15 to 20 times at a stretch for best results.

* Cheek lifts: A wide smile is one of the best exercises to tone the cheek muscles, and the cheek lift exercise is based on the smile movement itself. It helps in toning and firming drooping cheeks and smoothing cheek folds to give you a younger looking face. 

Start in a comfortable sitting position and smile as wide as you can and lift up your cheeks towards your eyes. You will sense the stretch and strain in your cheek muscles. You do this exercise by shutting your eyes for a better lift. 

Hold the posture for 15 seconds and relax your face. Repeat it 15 times at a stretch for best results.

* Blowing air exercise: This helps in working almost all the facial and neck muscles and is one of the effective face exercises to reduce double chin and get rid of chubby cheeks. It targets the cheeks, jaws and neck muscles and tones them to provide a natural face lift to give a leaner appearance.

Sit on a chair with your spine straight, tilt your head back as much as you can so that you face the ceiling, pucker your lips and blow out air from your mouth. Continue for 5 to 10 seconds and relax. Repeat it 15 to 20 times at a stretch for best results.