Monique Ramsey (00:02):
Welcome to The La Jolla Cosmetic Podcast. I'm your hostess, Monique Ramsey. And today we're going to talk about the skinny shot that we are offering at the center. And I have an expert about it, and the reason I'm going to call her an expert is because she's kind of been the one to head this whole thing up and put it together with Dr. Haas, who's our medical director for the skinny shot, but she's also a patient. And so I'm really excited to find out about how her journey has been going over the last few weeks with the skinny shot. So welcome to April. April, how are you today? And thanks for coming on.

April (00:39):
Thank you, Monique, for having me. I'm doing amazing. It's Monday and it's always kind of my favorite day because I do my shot today, which means that I weigh myself. And so hopped on the scale today, dropped another probably 2.6 pounds today, so I have two pounds left and then I will have achieved my goal.

Monique Ramsey (01:05):
That's amazing. And so what is your goal? Do you mind saying how many pounds you were looking to drop?

April (01:11):
So I wanted to drop, I think it was 26 pounds. So I have been on the skinny shot since I think February 3rd or fourth. I just got back from a cruise and had been thinking honestly about this program for about the last three years as many of my coworkers started doing the weight loss program during Covid. And I watched all of them kind of go through the highs and lows of losing weight. And as the director of patient engagement, I was sitting on the sidelines trying to encourage management to add this very powerful service to our office. And the timing just became right at the end of 2023. So I was super excited when we added it.

Monique Ramsey (02:03):
And I can't believe that you started in February. I didn't realize that. Okay. So I'm assuming that if your goal 26 pounds, you said you're two pounds away that people are starting to notice, friends, family, coworkers?

April (02:18):
A lot of coworkers are noticing family members. I've got three kids, one of them lives with me and two of them don't live with me. And the one that lives with me love you, child that lives with me, but is a little bit oblivious to what it is I'm doing. But definitely all of my coworkers that have seen me go through this process have been cheering me on and notice how I look more confident. My clothes definitely fit better and many of them are encouraging me that you're pretty close to your goal weight. It's probably time for you to get on a maintenance program as we want you to stay healthy and happy, so yes.

Monique Ramsey (02:59):
Right. What other non-scale victories besides fitting into your gold pants, which we'll put a little link to the video that the girls did of you in your skinny jeans or your gold jeans, which we all have that pair in the closet where it's just like, yeah, when I can put those on, that means I've won. So what other non-scale victories?

April (03:21):
So I find when I go to eat, I have kind of mentally adjusted my appetite as I'm eating. I don't feel the need, nor am I really hungry to eat the entire pretzel or the entire chicken wing. So just to kind of share a story, I spontaneously hopped over to Las Vegas this past weekend and was at a trade show and trade shows for those of us that go to trade shows know that it's pretty difficult to maintain healthy eating habits when you're at trade shows because there's just food all day long. And as I a went out to dinner the first night and we're entertaining clients, I'm looking at all the food that's getting ordered and going, okay, let's keep it in perspective here. You've been working so hard to be on this diet. A, you're not really hungry anyhow, so instead of getting caught up in the moment of these six different appetizer choices and three different entrees, like, graze, have a little of this and a little of that and kind of meet your needs to be participating in the social aspects of eating, but then don't feel the bloating if you overeat.

(04:38):
And so I've really, through this process, taught myself to modify what it is I'm eating so that when I do get off the shot at the end, I'm slowly preparing myself for smaller portions.

Monique Ramsey (04:54):
And I think traveling in general, it's like, oh, I'm on vacation, or, oh, I'm at, and it seems like, but yeah, there's enough special things in our life where there's always a good excuse. So what you're talking about preparing yourself mentally to sort of think about it logically, how hungry am I or should I even eat what that is? Because sometimes I think with, so I've been on Ozempic, the brand name, not through the center because I have type two diabetes, which is awful. And so it was very shocking to find that out. And now I've worked my way back under the number that makes you type two diabetic, which is great. I've lost 48 pounds now.

April (05:40):
Awesome. Good job.

Monique Ramsey (05:41):
But it's like, okay, what are those things that if I look at, let's say a hot artichoke dip or something super rich, and it's just like I don't even think I'm going to feel good if I eat that, I know I would like, it would taste good. But then so having those moments of checking yourself, I guess, and that's kind what you're alluding to.

April (06:06):
And I'd also just to that point when indulging in an alcoholic beverage as well, historically, I've always been the person that's gone, oh, fruity tuity, sweet, that's me. And from the very get go of being on this plan aligning my a little bit that maybe I enjoyed of alcoholic beverages, I've also made different choices and stopped and thought, you know what? The strawberry daiquiri or the mojito or all of these super sweet drinks that absolutely speak to me aren't the best choices. I've modified what little alcohol because it doesn't even really taste great anymore that I'm having to, a spritz of cranberry juice in a single alcoholic beverage really kind of does the trick for me. And honestly, most nights when I do go out, I'm not even drinking the alcohol because it just competes with whatever else is in my system.

Monique Ramsey (07:10):
I think super interesting because I've experienced the exact same thing and nobody said, don't drink, and I don't drink that much anyway, but I don't even want it. I'm like, nothing even sounds good. And I think it's because either the times I have had a drink then I didn't feel, well, I'm not sure because it's been two years that I've been doing this, but it just doesn't even sound good, which is weird. And I was hearing something on a podcast yesterday and they were talking about how semaglutide/tirzepatide might be used for addiction because for other things like maybe alcohol, people are drinking way less and it's just weird kind of side effect, which I think is interesting. And do you think it was easier to go to that trade show? Because I've done those aesthetic shows and you feel, I think when you're feeling not your best self, whether it's weight or whatever that is going on, just having to pack the clothes is hard. So when you did a last minute jet off to Vegas, would you have even done that maybe in the past or is this something that was easier to do maybe because you felt more confident?

April (08:28):
It definitely was pretty easy. I knew I was only going for 36 plus hours. So to your point in the past, you'd pack three or four different options per day ending up with two large suitcases, and I'm going to be there for two days. Here's the dress I'm going to get in the dress, and this is the dress. That's all I'm wearing and I'm going to wear this outfit at. And I'm going to a, I did go to the pool and I enjoyed being at the pool. I felt confident I didn't have any type of body dysmorphia as I am at the pool. And I was comfortable and happy with myself, and it was a new place, it was a new feeling, a new sense of I'm here and I love it. It's just changed my whole attitude.

Monique Ramsey (09:23):
And that's amazing. So February to April, having kind of a whole new, and let me ask you, I feel like I've never thought you were ever overweight 10 pounds, not even like five maybe. I don't know. I didn't think that when I heard you were on the skinny shot, I was like, oh, okay, but you're tall, so maybe that's easier to hide it. I don't know. But with that skinny shot kind of assistance, do you feel like this is kind of going get you to where you want to be and then with lifestyle changes, you're not going to really have that same tendency, I guess maybe to overeat or to gain weight?

April (10:03):
Sure. So myself and a lot of the prospective patients that I'm talking to are in a little bit of that menopause, the early 50 ish zone where in our forties, our thirties, and even our twenties, we could look at the pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream and sit down. And before we knew it, the pint was gone in one sitting.

Monique Ramsey (10:32):
I've been there too.

April (10:33):
The metabolism was like, okay, gone. And then three or four days later, I mean, that is my spot, is I absolutely love sweets. And as I entered my fifties, I mean I have three kids and after kid one, I hopped on Atkins and lost the weight. After kid two, I was in a modified and after child three. There's something about that concept of zone defense that you're not necessarily running around as much. You have one attached to you when the other two are entertaining themselves. And I don't, to your point, I'm definitely in most eyes, probably not overweight, but there's just parts of myself that I've always been a little bit self-conscious about and didn't ever feel comfortable enclosed despite really losing a lot of weight. I've always carried extra weight around my hips. And despite really doing the Atkins, despite doing a lot of exercise, I paddleboard, I enjoy dancing on the weekends.

(11:39):
I could honestly never really get it off of the hips. And even as, like I said, I went into my early fifties, nothing was working, not modifying my eating habits, doing more exercise, and this just seemed like this solution that would help me get back to where it is that I wanted to get to and help me change my behavior and my eating habits moving forward. And it's been revolutionary. I don't know. It's really done something that nothing else could do. And as I am working with a fair number of patients who are in the same boat and I have a lot of empathy, I can appreciate what they're going through. I went through the same thing myself, and I'm able to share my own stories about this program and how if you just kind of stick to the process and you follow the water suggestions that we have and you increase your protein and truthfully, you don't partake in the snacks when you're really not hungry, you will lose the weight. I was pretty fortunate that every single week while I was on the shot, I was losing weight, but I'm investing in myself and investing in myself. I've made conscious decisions that I'm not snacking when everybody around me snacks. Three out of five days a week, I sit at my desk, and I ignore it.

Monique Ramsey (13:07):
There's always food there. I don't know how you're doing it. That's amazing because every time I walk into the surgery center and go in the back office, there's food every day. I'm like, if I were on site, thank God now my refrigerator is right next to me because I work in my home office, which is adjacent to the kitchen. But yeah, I mean if there's just, it is hard. There is what you mentioned earlier, that social aspect of eating and just especially being somebody who's kind of a grazer, it's like that mindless eating. And if all you have to do is reach your hand over and you can pick something up.

April (13:45):
Yeah, that's hard. Yeah.

Monique Ramsey (13:47):
Well, and I think, so going back to the menopause, perimenopause, post menopause, yeah. Oh my gosh, it is crazy how hard it is to get weight off and where it starts to accumulate. You're like, what is happening to my body? And it's really frustrating. And so I have a lot of empathy for that too. But I think there's some percentage of naysayers out there. Oh, if you were to just diet and exercise, you could do this on your own. Well, I'm guessing a hundred percent of them are not menopause perimenopause, post menopause. Seriously. Yeah, that's true. That was true when I was in my twenties and thirties, it, I could put my mind to something and I could get close to my goal, at least close. But when your body has shifted so much in terms of the hormones that are being produced, that really does change everything.

(14:47):
And I do agree with you that the semaglutide and tirzepatide are game changers because they do quiet the mind, the noise, the food noise, I guess they call it food noise. And I think that really does, if you're sort of a person who might be obsessed with food, I am, I love it. Then it just helps make all that go away. Every other diet I've ever done, and I don't know about you, you're still thinking about food. What's my next meal? What's my next, what's on the little calendar? What do I get? How many portion of how many points or whatever that you're doing in that way, have you found this to be easier?

April (15:26):
I have just from the mean overall perspective is it suppresses your appetite, so you are not eating as frequently. And when you do go eat, it's the smaller meals. And I find that when I quote meal prep and my meal prep is, okay, let me throw some vegetables in the bag for today. I've got the protein bar, I've got an apple, maybe some salad. And that's kind of what my meal prep is. And a lot of it tends to be like the leftover food from last night. It's my daughter and I, so I'm not making a lot anyhow. And half the time, she doesn't particularly enjoy the vegetarian stuff that I'm making for her. And so not going to throw the food away. It's coming in for lunch tomorrow, yay me. And it keeps it easy. And the food noise isn't there. So late in the day where maybe I was in a place where I needed that snacky, snacky, snacky to get me to over that hurdle, that hurdle between about three and six when you're like, I'm a little tired. I don't have that ravenous part. And I work from home one day a week. And honestly, when I work from home, I could go eight or nine hours from the time I wake up, I have a cup of coffee with a protein shake. The little shakes, I add a little bit in there. I could go till five. And even at five, I'm just not hungry. And it's like encouraging yourself just to get some food.

Monique Ramsey (17:12):
Now a lot of people talk about side effects with these medications. And now I don't know if you said, are you taking the semaglutide or the tirzepatide?

April (17:24):
I'm taking the tirzepatide.

Monique Ramsey (17:26):
Okay. So tell me about side effects and have you had any, if so, what were they?

April (17:31):
So the side effects with tirzepatide are identical to the side effects with semaglutide, but because of the different makeup of the medication, fewer patients are actually experiencing the side effects of nausea, vomiting, abdominal planes. For myself, it's been a very easy peasy weight loss experience. I really didn't experience any of that with the exception of maybe a couple days over 10 weeks, honestly, over 10 weeks. I maybe had a little bit of, maybe a little bit of dizziness, a little bit of, oh, I've got a little uncomfortable. But other than that, I wasn't throwing up. I didn't have nausea, I didn't have abdominal pains. But I don't know, I come from a different stock and try not to let any of that stuff bother me. But truthfully, there really wasn't anything that slowed me down.

Monique Ramsey (18:29):
And why did you choose to do the tirzepatide over the semaglutide?

April (18:36):
I chose the tirzepatide because of the scientific data showing that the side effects were less having watched, as I mentioned, probably half of my coworkers in 2021, 22, 23 on the semaglutide, they lost weight. A little, little, little, but they all complained about how uncomfortable they were. And as I said, the scientific data available when we started this program was tirzepatide, virtually cut that back by 50%, so.

Monique Ramsey (19:09):
Yeah, I know that me being on the Ozempic, which is the semaglutide, I have even still now still have some days where either I throw up or I feel so sick and now I need to talk to my doctor and say, Hey, there's another option. And I didn't know, but I was kind of so happy that all my numbers are trending in the right way. All my lab work looks a lot better, my diabetes number goes. The A1C has gone way down like two points, and I've lost so much weight. So it's like, okay, but that's a good part maybe. But now I love the fact that there's something that would really help. If you're a person who, let's say you start on the semaglutide and maybe you are experiencing those things, that's when Dr. Haas will help you say, okay, well maybe we need to switch to the tirzepatide if that might make it easier and make it quicker too. I think people lost a little bit more weight with the Tirzepatide, and maybe that is because it's a little bit easier.

April (20:15):
We are finding that the weight loss seems to be every patient is different. Everybody's body reacts to the medications differently. But I would say overall, we're seeing great results with the Tirzepatide, and it's a little with the semaglutide, it's the long haul, and so patients are losing the weight, but it's just slow and steady, which works for some patients, it's going to help them moderate their behaviors and probably keep it off longer.

Monique Ramsey (20:50):
Now, how has your overall relationship with food, has that changed at all, or do you think, did you have an unhealthy relationship with food, did you consider, and how are you feeling now?

April (21:04):
I think my only unhealthy relationship with food was my love of sweets, my love of donuts and chocolate and cookies and candy. I do, as I mentioned, I enjoy travel and every travel experience included a huge food component, be it getting ready to go and stocking up the bag with candy, you got to have candy, you got to have something while you're on the plane and you get off the plane and you're going and getting some, I mean, as I listen to myself, I'm like, she has an issue with candy. But even when we'd go to different cities, I'm a very good friend of mine, we would look and pick out, so where's the best ice cream places? And every time we'd go to a trade show, we'd be checking out, where's the gelato? Where's the fancy ice cream place? And I traveled with my daughters for cheer for over a decade, and we would basically have our own version of seven 11 that would empty itself onto our desks in the hotel room.

(22:11):
And there was food every day, all day. And I went to Las Vegas and I walked by the candy store and didn't have to think about it in the morning. I am going to go get coffee or tea, and I'm looking at all the pastries in there, and I'll have a banana. And I didn't feel bad, and I wasn't feeling left out that I didn't have the pastry because I jaunted along and was like, ah, I'm feeling confident and I'm just where I want to be, and I don't really need that in moderation. So in 10 weeks, I've had a couple little moments, two moments where candy bag did come out for about an hour, and then it passed. But for 10 weeks, I mean, to know me is to love me and go, that's amazing.

Monique Ramsey (23:01):
Yeah. Yeah. Well, that's something that, like you say, in 10 weeks, that's pretty fast to be making those changes. And I think that feeling the trade-off is by saying no to the candy bag. You're saying yes to the skinny jeans and you feel so good. And what is that one quote? Nothing tastes as great as skinny feels.

(23:27):
And it's like when you're trying to make that judgment call, should I have this or should I keep, I do love this feeling. And that's the payoff. That's the reward is the payoff is how you feel, or the fact that you can go in your closet and not be stressed out to pick what you want to wear if you're going somewhere. So speaking of traveling, because I know you do love to travel, you're going to be going to Ireland soon. So tell me how do you see the Skinny shot fitting into there? Or might you be at your goal by then?

April (23:56):
So I am leaving in two days.

Monique Ramsey (24:00):
Oh, I was thinking it was like next week.

April (24:03):
No, no, I'm leaving in two days to go to Ireland for a long weekend. So a lot of people have the question, how do you travel with your shots? And I can get to that. I happen to be gone for about five days. So my shot happens today and I'll have my next shot, you'll be back next Monday. So I won't need to travel with my shots. I have plans to leave the candy at home and replacing the candy will be protein bars that I'm taking with me. I'm going to probably pack some nuts and stuff like that. And conscientiously, when it's time to go eat, I mean, I was just in Las Vegas this weekend, so I've kind of got my mind set on how I handle this when it's time to go eat breakfast, I'm traveling with somebody, she's not on the shot, so I'm going to let her eat what she wants to eat, and I'm going to continue with, I don't need a big portion, I'm going to have oatmeal or I'll have a banana.

(25:02):
And while we're out and about, I'm going to make great choices. And then at nighttime, nighttime might be my indulge moment. But it's really the balance between when you're on vacation also, I really try and step up my exercise game so that if I'm planning to eat or if I'm planning to maybe partake in some alcohol at the end of the day, I've made up for it In the beginning, I mentioned earlier this year, I had gone on a cruise, and typically you go on a cruise and you're like, oh, it's a free for all you can eat and do whatever you want. And the ice cream throughout the day, not a big deal. Well, the group of gals I went with every single day, we got up and had our watches on and said, we're getting our 10,000 steps in before we put anything in our mouth. And I feel like I'm going to have that same mentality and approach as I'm on vacation in Ireland this week that I'm going to be out exercising and balance. It's all about balance in life. You can partake in this, partake in that if you balance what you're doing and then your body isn't impacted by the choices that you make.

Monique Ramsey (26:16):
And I know as far as traveling, so you want to, if you're going on a car trip, put it, have a little coolly pack with your shots, but you don't want the ice pack touching the skinny shots because freezing can be as bad as warm. So that's important. But I think the key when you're traveling by plane, because I've done this, so I've gone to Cabo and you sort of self declare a TSA like, Hey, by the way, I've got my medicine. And you have to have your prescription. That's the key, have your prescription. And in the skinny shot, we have those cool boxes that you get on your first skinny shot visit. And that's good to keep that box. It has everything in it, and you can keep your shots in there. You can keep your prescription in there. I think it is okay to travel with medication, it's just making sure that you are doing it in a way that keeps the medicine safe and is compliant. What would be the worst thing is to have them confiscate your shots at TSA, not good.

April (27:24):
Right. Bye bye investment.

Monique Ramsey (27:26):
Yeah, exactly. No, it's one thing to lose shampoo, but it's a whole nother thing to lose your skinny shot. Alright, so that's good that you're having your shot today and you won't need to worry about the travel part of it. And I think having the steps doing, look at the Europeans, they're a lot thinner than we are. They walk everywhere, which is perfect.

April (27:46):
Yes, yes, they do.

Monique Ramsey (27:47):
Okay, so back at the very beginning, so close to your goal, you were talking about maintenance. So what does maintenance maybe look like for you? What's the plan?

April (27:58):
So it's going to look like probably at the beginning twice a month of a shot with a smaller strength. And that's probably something we're going to do two to three months because your body's going to be weaning off of that medication. And I mean, science is showing that people that achieve their weight loss and then drop right off, eventually they're gaining that weight back. So we want to help provide you with the tools to get your body to adjust to this. And then the next step is going to be probably every three weeks, once again, a smaller dosage.

Monique Ramsey (28:38):
Just to sort of, yeah, that weaning off mentality.

April (28:41):
Yes.

Monique Ramsey (28:41):
And making sure that you're doing it slow enough that allows you to not be in panic mode. Like, oh, we're going to get you to your goal and then bye, we're never going to see you again. I do think it is important to sort of like, okay, here's my new normal and how do I take that new normal forward and make it a success? So April, what would you say to somebody who's considering the skinny shot?

April (29:07):
My best advice for you is sometimes in life we need to prioritize ourself and we spend our entire life helping others, our kids, our friends, and this and that. And now is the time for you to do something for yourself where you've tried the eating right, you've tried the exercise and embrace it because you're not alone. And everybody that's on this program is feeling and looking great about themselves. And when you get into those gold pants, it's like a life changer. You feel magical, you feel excited, you feel just energized, and I want to help get you there, as does our team.

Monique Ramsey (29:49):
And what does that look like, kind of those check-ins? So you come in the first time and what happens and then when you come back a month later or what happens in that first month?

April (30:00):
So at the initial shot pickup, we provide you with your medications. We provide you with different tools that we know are going to help you achieve your results because honestly, the shots help, but it's having sense of accountability on what you're eating and doing some exercise and drinking the water. And during that first month, our nursing team led by Rachel reaches out and touches base with you to the very first month. It's three times. So right after you have the shot, because we want to make sure, as I said, everybody's reaction to medications is different. So we want to be aware of did you have any side effects? And if you did have side effects, what were they? And we also have patients, they're provided with a scale. It's a Bluetooth scale, so we are getting notified every single week of your weight loss achievements. And so as we go through the program, Rachel's reaching out and in the third and a half week, she and you are working together to determine do we need to modify the dosage that you're getting to help you get to your next plateau? And so after the first month, you come back in, you pick up your medications and take them home and continue to interact with Rachel.

Monique Ramsey (31:15):
And then after that first month, then it's maybe on a monthly or what's the check-in process look like?

April (31:22):
So Rachel checks in with patients every two weeks after the first month, just once again, because we're constantly managing the medication dosage in the side effects to make sure that nobody feels like they're out on an island by themselves. And so we're able to make adjustments throughout the process if we need to before it's time that your medication re-ships.

Monique Ramsey (31:45):
And I think that there's all these online places that you can get the skinny shot essentially, but it's like that you don't have that human component of, I have Rachel and I have Dr. Haas, and we can problem solve and we're going to take pictures along the way and celebrate and make modifications if we need to. And then also have that maintenance, that maintenance program for you.

April (32:13):
It's like you're with a community of others that are going through the same process as you are and they can relate and they can support you through the weeks where maybe you haven't lost the weight and kind of keep you in a good mind space as well as make the adjustments because we know what it's like. We're all right there in that same boat and we want it to be a win-win for you and not just provide you with medication. To your point, you can go get medication anywhere. But one of the things that sets us apart here is we're all about the service and we're all about supporting you throughout because you're like our family and we want our family to achieve their long-term results and feel good and look good during the process.

Monique Ramsey (32:59):
And I think enough staff members have been on it, Dr. Haas has been on it, you've been on it. And I think that just helps to know that there's somebody else like, Hey, would this happen to me? Did this happen to you? And just having that support system I think is so critical. And having that team behind you, I guess to really make it a personal experience, it's not just like, okay, you get program A, you get program B and bye. And that's kind of always been the way that La Jolla Cosmetic has done everything, right? It's very high touch. We handhold you through whatever it is you're going through. And I think one of the reasons that we thought about adding this as a line of service for our patients is that for those of us who are thinking about a mommy makeover or thinking about liposuction for a certain area, there's guys out there who want it for their midsection, but if you're not at your healthy weight, you're not going to have a good result.

(34:00):
And you might not. If you're at a weight that's too high that your BMI is too high, you're not even really a good candidate for surgery at all. And so there's been a lot of people who maybe need to lose 25 pounds before they could have their mommy makeover or before they could have their facelift or tummy tuck or whatever it is that they're thinking about. And this helps bridge that gap like, okay, I don't want to operate on you till here and you're over here. Let's move you closer to that goal and maybe have you at that goal weight for a few months to make sure you can sustain it and then have your surgery and you're going to have a much easier recovery. You're going to have a much more beautiful result just because you're at that weight.

April (34:43):
Absolutely. And this kind of bridges the gap for those patients that have been told in the past that their BMI is too high. Now we have something that partners with them, helps them get to that next level, supports them so they can achieve the wow results.

Monique Ramsey (34:59):
Now, if somebody is saying, okay, I want to try this, and if I call today I want to get booked for my consultation, how long would it be before I find out I'm a candidate and I could come in and pick up my first round of shots?

April (35:15):
So it takes a few days to get started. Part of our process includes the blood work aspect. We want to be able to determine what your blood rates are on four different tests. And so that typically takes 24 hours for you to get the results posted. And from that point you'll have a consultation, a virtual consultation, Dr. Haas, and then the medications take five business days to come in. So kind of beginning to end, you could probably be in and out within about seven days.

Monique Ramsey (35:48):
Okay. So planning ahead before that big event, you might have, you've have a reunion coming up this summer. I know I have one coming up in the fall from my college reunion. I'm at 35. How is that possible? Because I'm not that old, I'm going to be able to look really good. So I was kind of excited about that because I looked pretty good for the 25th, but for the 30th, not so much. So it is something that it's like, okay, I can set my sights on if a lot of times if you have a goal for an event or a certain dress in your closet or whatever it is, the skinny jeans, that helps keep you motivated. But I think that the difference for me, because I've tried different diets my whole life, it's always been a struggle, is that this really for me, I don't even want to eat certain things and I know I won't be able to eat a huge portion even though I might have in the past wanted to. And I think that was the hardest mindset for me to get over at the very beginning because you're in a routine of either grazing or eating something that's maybe not so good for you and eating all of it. So every other diet has sort of been a deprivation situation, whereas this I don't feel deprived at all. And that has been a game changer. And I think you sort of mentioned the same thing.

April (37:13):
I did. I think about being deprived. I feel bad for my favorite donut shop and I won't mention them on here. I wonder who supports them now that I'm not in there once a month picking up the extra large 5,000 calorie donut along with the cold brew flavored it had about 7,500 calories. And boy was I flying high. I didn't even need to take the elevator up to the eighth floor when I was having that because, "woosh"

Monique Ramsey (37:45):
<laugh>

April (37:45):
And so it's with the sadness and also a sense of glee is I can walk into that favorite donut shop and buy the sweets and the treats for my team members, bring them into the office and go enjoy and not have to feel that I need to have one.

Monique Ramsey (38:05):
Yeah. Or if you do, it's like I'll have a little end.

April (38:07):
Nibble.

Monique Ramsey (38:09):
A little nibble. Yeah, exactly. I think you can get yourself over those humps easier with the skinny shot. And that's the difference between that and anything else I've done. And I've pretty much done all of it. So one last question for you is sort of how do we track that monthly progress? So you mentioned the app and a Bluetooth scale. How do we kind of monitor you from the beginning to you reaching your goal?

April (38:36):
So we have the app and the app goes ahead and shares with you on a week by week progression. It's tracking about eight different things. It tracks your weight, your BMI, your body mass, your muscle tone. It's got all the components that you want to be aware of. But internally we also keep track of benchmarking each individual patient as they've been going through this process. And we kind of know where they want to be, where they're starting and helping them get towards that end goal and celebrating those successes with them.

Monique Ramsey (39:09):
April, thank you so much for sharing your own experience with the Skinny Shot. And for anybody out there, if you're listening today and you're thinking about doing it, April is going to be probably one of the first people to talk to you except for when she's in Ireland. And then she won't be the one to talk to you, but you'll have a conversation with us, we'll talk about how to get started. And then if you go to our specials page on our website right now, we have in the month of April, we have $75 off your first three months of whichever shot you pick and a hundred dollars off your enrollment fee. So that might get you sort of motivated to get started after you hear this episode.

(39:59):
And then if you want, you can see on our YouTube page we have a playlist about the skinny shot. It shows how to take the shots, how to give yourself a shot, how to have a friend give you a shot. It's really not scary. And we've got other videos, so keep staying tuned because I think that it's sometimes a fun way to kind of learn about something is to watch a video. And we also have an on demand seminar that's about 30 minutes. And so you can hear Dr. Haas talk about the science behind the skinny shots and why they're effective and what are the sort of risks and how important that following are following you through the process, how that is. So all of that will stick in the show notes for you. And thanks April for coming. It was really fun to talk to you and congratulations. Oh my gosh. On 24 pounds and almost 26. And that's incredible.

April (40:59):
Thanks Monique. And look forward to welcoming everybody to our Biggest Losers Club. So give us a call.

Monique Ramsey (41:06):
The Biggest Losers Club, we love losers. Right? Alright, well thanks again and thanks everybody, and we'll see you on the next one.

Announcer (41:17):
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