If you look in the mirror and see a flabby neck, don’t despair. There are ways to get rid of that excess skin, commonly known as a turkey neck. Excess fat around the neck can be reduced through a variety of exercises, along with reduced calorie intake and daily exercise that helps shed body weight, which often first accumulates around the face and neck. Several easy and basic exercises can help tone and firm the muscles of the neck, helping you look younger and reduce the signs of aging, according to the Shape Your Face website.
Neck Tilt
Work the entire front of the neck by performing a neck tilt. You can stand or sit during this exercise, but make sure you can keep your balance while looking upward. Start by tilting the head back until you can see the ceiling, says Tom Hagerty of Shape Your Face. Then, press your tongue against the roof of your mouth. You can feel the pull along the front of the neck and the underside of your chin. While keeping the tongue pressed against the roof of the mouth, lower the chin in a downward motion toward your chest. Do this exercise 10 times.
Tongue Extensions
You may want to do this exercise in the privacy of your bathroom because it looks rather silly. However, it’s an effective exercise for working all the muscles of the front of the neck and under the chin, according to Dermaxime. Tilting the head back, gaze at the ceiling and stick out your tongue. Try to curl the tongue downward, as if you want to touch the bottom of the chin. Your lips should be relaxed. Stick your tongue out for about five seconds and then relax. Repeat at least five times. You’ll really feel this one under the chin and at the front of the neck.
Double Chin Throat Stretch
Stand or sit in a comfortable position, back straight. Bring the lower lip up and over the upper lip. Then, inhale and tilt your head backward until your nose is pointed straight up toward the ceiling, suggests the Chinese Holistic Health website. Hold the position for several seconds and then lower. Repeat this exercise between five and 10 times several times a day.
Increase the exercise benefits of this stretch by performing this sequence after the basic stretch. With the lower lip still pulled up and over the upper lip, look straight ahead and then turn your head and try to touch your chin to your right shoulder. Keep the shoulders pressed down during the turn. Hold that position for a second or two and then look forward again. Then, repeat the exercise to the left side. Repeat these stretches about four times on each side several times a day.
About this Author
Denise Wang is an experienced freelance writer and editor. She has written professionally for seven years, and is a published fiction author. She regularly provides content for health-related and elder-care websites. She is currently completing coursework for a degree in health information management from Penn Foster College.
