[Big Nilla]

Even with being lean my face tends to bloat a bit. I fight that by doing face exercises. I've done them on and off for 15+ years and they definitely work to tighten up your face, frame it better, and help you look younger. They also give you better color, probably due to increased and better blood flow. You have to do them regularly to maintain the results, though.

One of the best ones is the lion face shown here: http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/10-yo...your-face/ ... I do that without sticking out my tongue. Great for tightening up the jowls area. I open my mouth as wide as possible for 5 seconds and then tense it down into an "O" shape and hold that for 5-10 seconds.

Another good one is where you put a finger or 2 over your lips with a closed mouth... then blow up your lips and hold for 10+ seconds.

Just found a new exercise that I've been doing the past few days and liking the results. It's the smiling fish face at the link above. Can see the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WOI1Ce5L4A

That tightens the jowls area and seems to help make your mouth more expressive. It's also bringing out my dimples more. I do that for 10 seconds at a time.

I also do acupressure with a pencil eraser all over my face sometimes.

Just thought I'd share. I try to put in 5-10 minutes a day.

[Beyond Borders]

I've wondered about this ever since seeing that Jack Lalanne used to promote it.

Can you refer any credible, non-biased research backing these types of exercise up?

[Big Nilla]

Who cares about research. The results I see in the mirror is my research. (I'm saying that in a non-asshole way.)
Just pick a few of the exercises (can google for more) and do them for a total of 10 minutes a day for a week and you'll have your answer and non-biased research.

[haze]

Sorry but a sample of 1 (especially yourself who is seeking a good result) does not = good advice.

[Basil Ransom]

I always wondered about these, but never practiced them really. Will look into later.

That said, if your face is bloated, the culprit might be your diet. I lost only about five pounds, and I'm not exactly sure why - a friend I see daily tells me my face is a lot less puffy. I switched from rice to potatoes as my source of starch, plus started eating more coconut oil and less cow casein.

[Big Nilla]

Haze, I'm just sharing. If you're not open to it, that's fine. I'm not here to convince you. It's your face. All that matters to me is my face... and it shows that face exercises work. Whenever I've done them regularly/daily over the past 15+ years, my face responds... fast. As far as sample size... go look on google/youtube for 100's of others who talk about face exercises. I'm not the only one.

Basil, I take in a lot of salt (sea salt). My body isn't bloated at all, but I tend to hold bloat in my face if I don't do face exercises regularly.

[hoops330]

Do I need to take protein for recovery after getting a face workout in?

[Shotgun Styles]

(12-05-2013 11:11 PM)haze Wrote:  

Sorry but a sample of 1 (especially yourself who is seeking a good result) does not = good advice.

Why you gotta criticize my Nilla like that? If the shit works for him, it works for him. I've heard of way crazier remedies having success.


Nilla:

Your facial muscles can indeed be strengthened. Like all muscles, they are firmer and more erect when fit. I have read this several places. My family doesn't get wrinkles, so I can't give any first hand feedback, but I have heard good things.

[Hades]

Go keto, it will kill "face-bloating" almost immediately.

[Big Nilla]

I do 5-6 days of IF a week. Without testing, I may be in ketosis because my carbs are basically nothing for 18+ hours a day. I've done a 3 day ketogenic coconut oil diet a few times where there's no doubt I had to be in ketosis. Those things help, but the face bloat comes and goes. It's not a major bloat.

The only consistent way to keep it gone is to do about 10 minutes of face exercises that focus on the jowls/cheeks daily. Getting rid of the bloat and toning and tightening the facial muscles easily adds a point to my face.

[Texas_Tryhard]

(12-05-2013 10:34 PM)Beyond Borders Wrote:  

I've wondered about this ever since seeing that Jack Lalanne used to promote it.

Can you refer any credible, non-biased research backing these types of exercise up?

BB, I think you're going to have trouble finding scientific research on the subject. After all, you need a hypothesis to test, no? How would you quantify results?

That said, there is evidence that it does have several effects. The link is below:

http://www.flexeffect.com/research.htm

[germanico]

(12-05-2013 10:29 PM)Big Nilla Wrote:  

Just thought I'd share. I try to put in 5-10 minutes a day.

Thanks, ill try them for a week and see how that works for me.

[LucienM]

I swear by them. Especially the jawline exercise, cheek exercise, eyelids exercise, and forehead exercise in Carole Maggio's 'Facebuilder for Men'. Can do them while sitting at the computer. Very satisfying (the difficulty and pump are comparable to lifting weights). I have a lot I could say on the matter, but I'll just say don't knock it before you try it. Gave me confidence I've never had before.

Also, a so-called program called 'Flex Effect' may be worth looking into..

[Big Nilla]

Lucien, know of any exercises for bags under the eyes that you've done and can vouch for?

[LucienM]

The thing with these exercises, is it's difficult to develop a 'mind-body' connection. It's a weird idea to your brain, to 'work out your face', and makes less sense than working out your body - your body is there to be worked (born to run and all that). Then you have to develop a bit of muscle growth, so you can flex that muscle, and find it - that's when you start to develop that connection. Once you do, you can work every muscle in the face (of course!). I look at the 'exercises' as only a rough guide. But it's also important to physically place your fingers directly onto your face, for both resistance and to feel the muscles contracting. As such, I modify the 'cheek' exercise, and place the left hand thumb and middle finger on bottom/outside of eyes, and squint inwardly, holding each one for a second or a few seconds, 40 or 50 times.

Combined with stopping smoking and working out, people can't believe it when I tell them my real age, they always think I'm in my mid-20s without fail.

In the end, all these exercises fucking suck to do. The jaw one is probably the least annoying (I ball up a fist, fit it between my lip and chin, and move my jaw in an up and down 'scooping' motion, like you're trying to scoop up ice cream. Insane burn, feels so good). It's because it's relatively awkward. But, the rewards are really worth it. I can't believe this 'area of fitness' isn't yet socially accepted. It should be. My 2 cents.

[rekruler]

Facial exercises to preserve a youthful look seem counter-intuitive to me. In general, people with "mobile" faces tend to form wrinkles earlier than those with comparatively stoic facial behavior. If you always furrow your brow when talking, you will have forehead wrinkles much sooner, etc. Since facial exercises revolve around moving your facial muscles around and contorting your skin as a result, you'd expect that to lead to wrinkles, no?

[Low Status Beta]

For the past few months, I've been holding a smile on my face for minutes at a time, randomly through out the day.

This is actually a mental thing foremost, rather than a physical thing (they say it Produces "Happy" Chemicals which prevent depression from occuring).

But something I noticed recently, is that my face looks alot better. I guess if you have a blank expression on your face 24/7 like most people, the muscles in yoru face get weaker and weaker and thus you end up getting more uglier over time.

I just tried LucienM's Jaw Exercise he mentioned (fist pushed between lip/chin) for 10 minutes, and afterwards when I went to do my smile routine, I notice my face felt totally different, very interesting. I'm going to make sure to do this again tommorrow.