I work with countless women who are in the perimenopause to menopause stage of their lives. Weight loss and handling hormonal shifts are a major topic of conversation between me and my clients, and GLP-1s have been a hot-button topic for a couple of years now.

Recently, one of my clients asked me about Join Josie, a menopause-specific weight loss company that provides GLP-1 medications. She wanted to know if Josie was a better option for GLP-1s based on its specificity when it comes to working with menopause patients or if she could get the same level of care with a generic provider. I decided to dive in and find out!

I went through the process of getting started with Join Josie; this is my review of my experience along with my feedback and recommendations for other women considering this company for medical weight loss.

By the way, this isn’t my first GLP-1 provider analysis. I’ve already tried Willow, the first claimed “cosmetic weight loss” GLP-1 provider - you can read all about it here. 

My First Thoughts On Josie for Menopause Weight Loss

My first thought when seeing a GLP-1 provider that caters specifically to women in menopause was that these companies are getting smarter and they know that niching down and focusing on one demographic at a time can actually be more fruitful than trying to serve the masses. 

I scanned through Josie’s full website and got the impression that they were really committed to serving women over the age of 35 who were struggling with stubborn weight gain that they just can’t seem to get off. I think that Josie's specificity is very appealing to women during this phase of life because they clearly understand the needs of women in menopause and have experience dealing with that demographic.

From a practical standpoint, Josie isn’t prescribing medications that are different from any of the other GLP-1 providers, but their focus on women in menopause is unique. As a woman approaching perimenopause myself, I know I would much rather work with a company that understands my needs and struggles and has experience dealing with women in the same boat vs one that serves everyone and might not have as much experience with my demographic.

Getting Started

Getting the ball rolling with Josie is really simple and straightforward - you start by taking a short quiz. The quiz is pretty standard, asking basic questions like what your goals are, your age, your current habits, what weight loss methods you’ve tried in the past, your height/weight, and the state you live in. At the end of the quiz, you’ll be told whether or not you qualify for medication through Josie. 

After inputting my personal information, I was told that I did qualify. I am not overweight, but my BMI is on the higher side due to muscle, so I was not surprised when it qualified me. The next step is to enter your name, email, and phone number to see your full results.

On the next screen, Josie recommended compounded semaglutide for me with a target goal weight of 128 lbs. I haven’t been 128 lbs since I was in high school, and while that number sounds great, knowing that I want to maintain my muscle for health, metabolism, and body composition, I wasn’t sure that goal weight would be realistic for me. That being said, I fully understand that it’s just the company’s algorithm giving me a projection - It’s not necessarily what would be realistic or desirable for me. 

Cost and Payment Options

After viewing my results, I was then offered three different options for payment: a month-to-month payment plan, a 6-month payment plan, or a yearly payment plan. The monthly plan comes out to $299/month, the 6-month plan is $249/month, and the yearly plan is $199/month. Clearly, the longer you commit to it, the less it costs.

Note: They do offer a $100 off promo on your first month with code JOSIE100.

I imagine most women who are new to using a GLP-1 would go with the one-month plan to kick things off because they aren’t sure how they will respond to the medication or if it will work. The cool thing about Josie is that they have a money-back guarantee. Their website says there is a 6-month money-back guarantee, so if you don’t lose weight, they’ll refund your money. I don’t see that a lot with these GLP-1 providers, so I thought that was great. It gives women peace of mind that they aren’t wasting their money.

I also noticed that Join Josie was HSA/FSA eligible. This is great news for women who have an HSA or FSA. Josie doesn’t take insurance, but knowing that it’s a qualified health-related expense makes the cost easier to handle. I personally have an HSA account, and I love that I can use it for weight loss medications. 

Consulting With the Medical Team

After choosing your payment plan and making the purchase, then you go through to the next step which is to create your account and fill out a short questionnaire. Essentially, Josie pre-qualifies you, has you pay for the medication up front, and then your information gets sent to the medical team for review.

I filled out the questionnaire and then needed to verify my identity. This is a standard practice with all telehealth companies, and it’s important (they need to make sure you are who you say you are). Josie had a fantastic verification process that was really seamless and efficient. 

Josie uses technology that has you scan your ID (I used my driver’s license) and then your face (holding your phone up like a selfie). It’s a really simple process and so long as you are who you say you are, it’s really painless. 

Once you’ve submitted your verification information and consent, everything is sent to their medical team for review. You can see the progress of your account inside your portal account. After submitting my information, I assumed I would get an email or something to confirm, but I didn’t, which left me questioning if everything went through. However, my account showed that everything had been submitted and was being reviewed by the Josie team. 

Approval (Or Not)

I went through the sign up process with Josie on a Friday afternoon right before the weekend, so I didn’t expect to hear back from them until the next week. Sure enough, by Monday, I had a response from one of their doctors. I did not meet the criteria of being eligible for weight loss using a Josie GLP-1. I pretty much expected this considering I am not overweight.

If I were someone who was really struggling with my weight, but my BMI didn’t meet the qualifications for weight loss through a company like Josie who is strict with their requirements, I would try a provider like Willow who (as far as I know) is the only one who authorizes treatment for “cosmetic weight loss,” meaning they’ll likely prescribe you the meds without have an overweight or obese BMI classification. 

When I received the message that I would not be approved for medication, the doctor was very pleasant and polite. She recommended some resources for me for that could help me on my journey and advised that my payment was refunded. I was happy overall with the experience, I didn’t have to ask for my money back and I felt secure knowing that Josie isn’t hanging out GLP-1s like candy - they’re very cautious and considerate.

I Didn’t Get Approved, But My Friend Did…

While I was going through this process, I had a close friend who I was consulting with about GLP-1s and whether or not she should go that route. She’s 46 and struggling with menopause weight gain. I mentioned that I was going to be checking out Josie as I’ve had several clients ask me about it and she was super interested. 

My friend ended up going through the process alongside me and, because she’s overweight and qualified, she was approved for compounded semaglutide through Josie. She got her first shipment a little over a week ago, I asked her about her experience so far, this is what she said:

“The whole process felt easy. When the doctor messaged me, I felt supported and encouraged that this could be the solution to my weight struggles. She talked to me about starting off on a low dosage and what my GLP-1 journey would look like as I navigate the unique struggles of menopause. I approved the medication and it shipped out pretty quickly. I think I got it within like 5 days of ordering. It came in a discreet package at my door. I took my first shot a few days ago - so far so good! Food noise was shut off almost immediately and the only side effect I’ve felt is a little bit of nausea. I’m already down a couple of pounds and am really excited to see where this takes me.”

Parting Thoughts

There are so many ways to get access to GLP-1s right now, Josie is the only one I’ve found that caters specifically to women in menopause. I appreciate and respect the fact that they denied me (a 37 year old woman who is not overweight) the medication, and I’m very glad that my friend who truly needs the help was able to get it safely.

One thing that I harp on over and over with my clients (and my friends and family who are considering taking a GLP-1 medication) is that there is absolutely no shame in it, but I cannot stress enough the importance of strength training and eating a balanced, high-protein diet throughout the process. Maintaining muscle is vital for your long-term success. 

I have many clients who workout with me inside the FHM+ App who are taking GLP-1s to help support their weight loss efforts. They are strength training 3-5x per week for 30 minutes per session and seeing incredible results. If you are someone who is considering taking a GLP-1 whether from Josie or anywhere else, do yourself a favor and come join us inside the FHM+ App where we’ll help make sure you stay fit and fueled so you can maintain your results for the long-term.