I have an embarrassing problem that I would like to get help with. I’m beginning to get a double chin and chicken neck where my skin is sagging and flapping around. I never really noticed it before but my neck is fat and jiggles and it’s really bothering me. I’m starting to get very paranoid about it since it’s something that people notice right away. It’s not like I can hide it or cover it up with clothes. What do you suggest to firm this area up?
There are two main things to be concerned about. The first is the elasticity of the skin and the other is the amount of fat that has accumulated in your chin and neck area. As you get older the elasticity of your skin, which is the ability to stretch and then go back to normal, is reduced which creates looser skin. Many times, this skin elasticity is a big issue with people who have lost a large amount of weight in a short period of time. The skin simply can’t keep up with such a drastic change and it stays at the old size and does not shrink down to the new size of the person which leaves excess and loose skin as a result. This sagging skin sounds like the main issue with your “chicken neck” and unfortunately it’s something that you may not be able to firm up with exercise and diet. We will discuss your options a little later.
Now, your double chin issue is something that you can firm and tone up but it does take some dedication and discipline in terms of putting in the time needed with an exercise program and a healthy diet. A double chin is just excess body fat that has accumulated in your face and neck area. How many times have you seen a skinny or lean person with a double chin? Not too many.
So, your first course of action is to lose body fat with an exercise program and a healthy diet. I highly recommend implementing both of these key elements into your fitness plan for the quickest results since it’s very hard to burn the calories needs without exercise. On the other end, your diet is very important since all the exercise in the world will not help you lose weight if you keep eating high sugar, fat and salty foods like candy, chips, fast food, cookies and other processed foods that are packed with tons of calories. To learn the basics of a healthy diet, read our Nutrition 101 article which will provide the perfect road map for you to follow.
For exercise, I recommend starting with workouts in the privacy and convenience of your own home. This way, you will be able to workout at anytime without the hassle of driving to a gym and dealing with traffic and crowds. Here are some great home workouts to get you started:
- Home Bodyweight Workout – 5 Exercises To Tone Your Body
- Home Medicine Ball Ab Workout – 5 Exercises For Six Pack Abs
- Full Body Home Workout – Quick Body Toning Exercises
For specific resistance exercises for your neck, you can review these exercise guides and implement them into your exercise routine as well:
With the combination of a clean diet and a solid exercise plan, you will be able to create a calorie deficit which will result in weight loss. By dropping fat, you will lose adipose tissue from all over your body including your face and this will help to tighten up your double chin. After you have lost some weight, you will notice your double chin starting to get smaller. You should also keep an eye on your “chicken neck” to see if it’s getting any tighter also. If it is, then good job! The flapping skin with body fat and it just took a little working out and dieting to reduce it. If you still have the flapping skin after dropping the pounds, then it’s most likely a skin elasticity issue. You probably want to see a skin specialist and even a facial cosmetic surgeon who specializes in the face, head and neck. They might inform you that the only way to tighten up the area is through a surgical procedure. However, make sure you drop some pounds and hit your goal weight before going in to see a specialist. This way, you will know for sure if it’s actually loose skin or body fat, which could save you thousands of dollars in medical expenses. It’s much better to invest some sweat equity into yourself to see if it can resolve your issues!
