People are battling ghost fat after losing weight on GLP-1s

Sometimes, seeing isn’t believing.Across the country, Americans are losing weight faster than ever thanks to blockbuster obesity drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound, with roughly one in eight US adults now turning to GLP-1s to slim down.But for some users, the dramatic physical changes come with an unexpected psychological twist.Experts are calling it “ghost fat,” a phenomenon in which people who have lost significant amounts of weight still see themselves as being in a larger body than the one they now inhabit.It’s sort of like a cousin to phantom limb syndrome, the strange sensation that an amputated body part is still attached, functioning and even capable of feeling pain.At its core, ghost fat reflects a disconnect between the brain and the body.

A person’s internal self-image — shaped by years of emotional memories, body dissatisfaction, trauma, stigma and other factors — can lag behind physical reality.“We see this not only with weight loss but with other body-altering procedures.It takes the brain time to catch up to the new appearance,” Dr.

David Sarwer, director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education at Temple University’s Barnett College of Public Health, told Medscape. “In rhinoplasty, for example, it may take patients a while before they become accustomed to looking at their new face in the mirror after decades of looking at a more prominent nose.”Researchers believe ghost fat may be more prevalent among people who lose weight rapidly, like through bariatric surgery or GLP-1s, compared with those who slim down more gradually.One study of 40 women who were 18 to 30 months post-bariatric surgery found that nearly two-thirds still perceived themselves as obese despite having lost a substantial amount of weight.That disconnect can affect behavior in surprising ways.Someone struggling with ghost fat might automatically reach for a larger clothing size than they need or choose a wider seat out of habit.

They may also instinctiv...