Some of the links on this page may link to our affiliates. Learn more about our ad policies.
Calibrate Medical Weight Loss Review
-
Overall Rating4.5/5
-
Products & Services4.5/5
-
Cost4/5
-
Ease of Use4/5
-
Customer Support & Reviews3.5/5
- One-Year Commitment
- Uses FDA-approved GLP-1 Medication
- Members achieved a 15% weight reduction
Calibrate is an online medical weight loss program that requires a one-year commitment. Calibrate believes a long-term plan is the best way to lose weight and change your behavior to keep it off for good. The program is designed to ‘reset’ your metabolism by focusing on what you eat, how and when you exercise, how much sleep you get, as well as your emotional health. You may also be prescribed FDA-approved medications to help with your weight loss.
Find What You Need
Calibrate Services
Calibrate is a weight loss company that claims to use biology to reset the body. The program focuses on four areas – exercise, food, emotional health, and sleep. Their signature program is the Calibrate One-Year Metabolic Reset and it requires a one-year commitment.
When you join the program online, you’ll take a short quiz to give Calibrate some information about you and see if you’re eligible. The first question you’re asked is what state you’re living in. Calibrate will then find a doctor nearby for you to see so they can assess you and take blood work. That appointment generally happens within two to three weeks of signing up.
After the assessment, Calibrate’s medical team will design a plan that fits your specific biology, body type, and needs. In addition to lifestyle changes, you’ll be prescribed FDA-approved medicine based on your lab tests. You’ll also have one-on-one video chat time with your accountability coach twice a week through the app. Your coach will make changes when needed to help you reach your weight loss goals.
You’ll make biweekly goals for food, sleep, exercise, and emotional health and track them through the app. You’ll also be able to message questions and information to your coaching and medical team. The app also includes classes, recipes and workouts you can try.
In addition to weight loss, Calibrate works to reduce your waist circumference, blood sugar levels, blood pressure, cholesterol, and inflammation in your body. Reducing these numbers helps improve your overall health. And once you’ve sustained your results for six months, doctors will guide and wean you off the medication you’ve been prescribed.
There are a few requirements to participate in the program:
- You must be between 18 and 64 years old
- Have a BMI over 30
- You must have health insurance coverage
- Live in the United States
- Cannot have an active eating disorder, cancer, active gallbladder disease, bariatric surgery in the past 18 months, pancreatitis in the last six months, a history of medullary thyroid cancer or an active substance abuse problem.
Body Mass Index Calculator
What Medications are Prescribed with Calibrate?
As mentioned, you will be prescribed FDA-approved medication while on the Calibrate medical weight loss program. Calibrate doctors may decide GLP-1 will be helpful for your weight loss. GLP-1 stands for glucagon-like peptide 1 and it was originally developed and is widely used to treat type 2 diabetes. The brand names for the medications prescribed by Calibrate include Wegovy, Saxenda, Ozempic, and Mounjaro.
Researchers have discovered it’s also an effective drug for weight loss because it helps curb hunger, but they aren’t completely sure how or why. Studies have shown taking GLP-1, on average, can result in a weight reduction between 10 and 15 pounds without dieting.
It’s important to note, GLP-1 drugs are usually administered through an injection, meaning you’ll have to give yourself a shot either daily or weekly – depending on the prescription. Common side effects while taking the drug are diarrhea, nausea or vomiting. The GLP-1 drugs prescribed are usually under the brand name Wegovy and Saxenda, but others may be used.
This class of drugs is not recommended if you have a family or personal history of multiple endocrine neoplasia or medullary thyroid cancer, because they’ve shown to cause thyroid tumors in lab rats. The risk to humans isn’t known until more long-term studies are done. You also shouldn’t take GLP-1 if you’ve had pancreatitis.
It’s important to note that before taking any prescribed medications through Calibrate or any medical weight loss program, it’s best to check with your doctor to see if they think it’s right for you.
Calibrate Results
Calibrate has released its first annual results report. The company tracked hundreds of its participants over a 12-month period. According to the report, members achieved a 15% weight reduction, on average, and lost more than six inches in their waist circumference. At least 70% of the plan participants they followed returned to pre-diabetic levels in blood sugar, improved inflammation issues and cholesterol.
Customer Reviews
Calibrate guarantees the results of its medical weight loss program. If you don’t lose at least 10% of your weight within a year on the Calibrate One-Year Metabolic Reset, you’ll receive a program refund. The company sets realistic, sustainable goals for your weight loss and you’ll will find most plan participants lose more than 10%.
While many customers are happy with their weight loss success, you will find many complaints online about prescription problems. Calibrate switched prescription providers in June of 2022 and many of their customers have had trouble receiving the drug and experienced lapses in their prescriptions. There has also been difficulty for many customers in getting answers and resolutions for the problem. Calibrate does respond to the complaints on websites like the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Consumers Advocate and tries to rectify the situation.
Calibrate Cost
The cost for Calibrate is fairly average based on our research of online weight loss programs. It requires a one-year commitment that will cost $1,649 if you pay the lump sum up front. The company does offer a financing plan through Affirm that runs around $138 a month. You can see if you prequalify for the financing program on the Calibrate website. They will often run specials or discounts for first-time customers, as well.
Calibrate does not take insurance to cover the cost of the One-Year Metabolic Reset program. The program itself is out-of-pocket but Calibrate will work with many insurance providers to get coverage for your medication and the lab tests you must undergo before starting the plan.
Calibrate has an insurance quiz to find out if it will work with your insurance. If the quiz determines Calibrate can work with your insurance, the company guarantees your medication cost will be $25 or less a month or they’ll give you a refund.
Company Background
Calibrate is relatively new to the weight loss industry. It was founded in 2019 by Isabelle Kenyon – who has a background in business operations and healthcare technology. She started Calibrate because of her mother, who struggled to lose weight but finally found success with a doctor who is only one of a few thousand in the U.S. who specialize in obesity medicine. Calibrate is based in New York.
The Bottom Line
The Calibrate medical weight loss program is an effective avenue to weight loss. The one-year program’s focus on food, exercise, sleep, and emotional health, along with FDA-approved medications and regular video coaching is showing success in its plan participants.
Content on this site is for reference and information purposes only. Do not rely solely on this content, as it is not a substitute for advice from a licensed healthcare professional. Aging.com assumes no liability for inaccuracies. Always read labels and directions before using a product or prescription.
