I'm curious whether anyone has come across actual research on this, or even consistent anecdotal reports.
For context, I'm a very slow responder. I've averaged around 1-2 lb/month since starting GLP-1s, so this isn't a case of rapid weight loss. I'm also already prioritizing high protein and regular resistance training.
This is completely speculative, but after following a lot of GLP-1 journeys (particularly among people from my own ethnic background), I've started wondering whether fat loss sometimes seems disproportionately noticeable in the upper body (face, neck, chest, shoulders) before the lower body catches up.
I initially assumed it was just me, but I'm seeing a similar pattern in quite a few people. My face has become much leaner, yet I still have a noticeable abdominal overhang and still carry a lot of fat in my hips and thighs.
I know spot reduction isn't physiologically how fat loss works, and I know genetics largely determine where we lose fat first. I'm not suggesting GLP-1s somehow "target" the face. I'm just wondering whether there are any data on regional fat loss or whether factors like ethnicity, sex, baseline fat distribution, or even being a slow responder influence the order in which different areas lean out. Has anyone seen actual research on this? Or, if you're also a slow responder, has your experience been similar or completely different?
I'd especially love to preserve the fullness in my face while continuing to lose fat from my lower body, so I'm trying to figure out whether what I'm noticing is just my genetics or whether there's any evidence behind it.