Calibrate Weight Loss Program Review: Effective? A Dietitian Inspects

Losing weight is one of the hardest things to do for some of us, even if we change our habits, make lifestyle tweaks or even follow a rigorous exercise plan. As I write this, it seems that more people have a strong desire to optimize their overall wellness. This includes eating healthier, creating more time for exercise and improving mental awareness.

Let's face it, if we can't get our mind right, we won't take action on pretty much anything. And, if you're like most of us out there and tried every single weight loss program, supplement, or diet, and you still haven't lost the weight for good, then you're probably thinking, “does Calibrate work for weight loss… like, legit… does it actually work?”

It's crazy how some brands can “guarantee” things these days, like how Calibrate guarantees you lose 10% of your body weight, if you go all-in with their program. What's more intriguing is that there are hundreds of success stories that back up these claims, and, after raising over $100 million dollars to invest in their weight loss program even further, it's no wonder why many people are curious to see if it could be a legitimate solution to their overweight problem.

This article aims to bring all the facts of the Calibrate holistic weight loss program in one easy-to-digest place. This is a big decision if you're serious about it, and you're going to want all the information available – plus, I'll have all the best alternatives to Calibrate as well – some awesome brands that offer a similar program (just in case you don't think it's a great fit).

Quick Summary of Calibrate Weight Loss Program Review

Introducing the Calibrate Weight Loss Medication and Coaching Program

Calibrate, or Join Calibrate, is a holistic weight loss program that focuses on biology, utilizing FDA-approved prescription weight loss medication for those who are eligible. The one thing that Calibrate does that most holistic weight loss programs don’t, is that it guarantees you lose 10% of your body weight within six months if you fully commit to the program.

Pros:

• Fully digital plan offering access to doctors, life coaches, a medical advisory board and useful tools.
• No cookie-cutter plans! Your plan is based on your lab work and health history.
• Provides science-backed advice for a metabolic reset.
• Offers access to stimulant-free weight loss prescriptions.
• Doctor-supervised weight loss plans.
• One-on-one coaching.
• Yearlong plan helps you stay on track with predictable benchmarks and results.
• Provides tools for sustaining weight loss once you reach your goal.
• One of the only plans of its kind to work with insurance.

Cons:

• Relatively expensive when compared to some other plans.
• You'll need to meet some eligibility requirements to get weight loss medications through the program.

How Much Weight Can You Lose With Calibrate?

Calibrate is designed to help you lose at least 10% of your body weight throughout the course of your one-year program. Most people who enroll in Calibrate can actually expect to reach this goal by the six-month mark. The last six months of the program are intended to be all about learning to maintain your results.

What Does the Process Look Like?

Calibrate is really a journey for weight loss. Signing up means committing to Calibrate's One-Year Metabolic Reset Program. The program lays out clear steps to help you assemble the right tools and support systems to obtain significant weight loss in a healthy, balanced and sustainable way. The focus is on achieving metabolic balance through a mix of lifestyle changes and medication. It's an ideal fit for someone who has tried to “do it on their own” with very little success in the past.

First, you're going to get lab work done prior to starting your Calibrate journey. This will feel very refreshing for anyone who has ever signed up for an “online fitness plan” before because you'll feel like your personal biology is actually being taken into account for the first time. One of the reasons why Calibrate can be such a successful program for so many people is because you aren't simply paying to be “stuffed into a generic box” with all of the other people who are trying to lose weight.

Next, you'll meet with your Calibrate doctor using a convenient virtual visit. You'll have 45 minutes to go over your healthy history, lab work and any questions you have. This meeting is also very important because it's where you'll discuss using the best GLP-1 medication based on your personal biology. Your doctor won't “disappear” after your initial meeting. The Calibrate app allows you to schedule virtual doctor visits with the Calibrate medical team.

All Calibrate physicians are licensed, board-certified doctors in the United States. You can even check out your doctor's background and credentials once you're matched. In addition to providing members with personal physicians, Calibrate also has a Clinical Advisory Board staffed with experts in the fields of endocrinology, metabolic health, nutrition and psychology.

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Doctor-Prescribed GLP-1 Weight Loss Medication Plan

Most people who are interested in Calibrate get drawn in by the program's ability to offers medications for weight loss. Calibrate provides access to FDA-approved prescription weight loss medications for eligible members. The two brand names most commonly prescribed by Calibrate doctors are Wegovy™ and Saxenda®. When you sign up, your doctor will prescribe the most clinically appropriate medication based on your labs and medical history.

There's no need to be wary of Calibrate if you've had bad experiences with prescription medications for weight loss before after being prescribed a phentermine. Phentermines are actually stimulant amphetamines that create weight loss by suppressing appetite. Unfortunately, these medications are linked to a number of neurological, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular side effects that can be dangerous for your health.

Calibrate doesn't use stimulants. The program exclusively uses GLP-1 medications that are analogous to the hormones your body naturally makes. These medications work with your biology to balance hormone levels for a metabolic reset that promotes a healthy weight.

How Do I Know If I Am Eligible for Rx Medications?

Your Calibrate physician will help you determine if you are eligible for weight loss medications. Generally, you need a BMI of 30 or more to qualify for prescriptions. However, the requirement drops down to a BMI of 27 if you have a medical condition associated with obesity. This could be something like diabetes, hypertension, arthritis or reflux. Ultimately, you need to go through the process of being evaluated using lab work to discover if medication is an appropriate option for you.

Is the Medication Safe?

The GLP-1 medications prescribed through the Calibrate plan are considered very safe. What's more, they are very rarely associated with side effects. However, the reality of all medications is that safety varies based on your personal medical history. GLP-1 medications may not be considered safe for people with certain diseases, conditions or family medical histories. This is why the initial consultation with a physician upon joining Calibrate is so essential!

Wellness Coaching Plan

The wellness coaching plan is really the “meat” of Calibrate. This is the phase where you're going to see changes. In fact, your first coaching session is actually considered the official start of your yearlong journey. Calibrate members get a total of 26 one-on-one coaching sessions.

1.1 Coaching

Your biweekly video sessions are designed to help you learn wellness tips, set goals, stay accountable, address setbacks, plan comebacks and celebrate victories. You're also going to be free to pick your coach's brain. Here's a glance at what the process looks like:

• Level 1 (Start Day to Month #3): You'll be learning about metabolic health, meeting with your coach and establishing goals. This will be a time of integrating new changes into your life. You'll also work on one to two lessons from your coach per week.
• Level 2 (Month #3 to Month #6): After three months of studying and learning, you're now in the thick of doing the work both with your coach and independently. You should be well on your way to building new habits that are working for your life. You'll also spend time doing reading and research to help you with sustaining the results you're creating.
• Level 3 (Month #6 to Month #9): You're enjoying some personalized health and wellness topics while taking one to two classes per week. You should be at your goal of losing 10% of your body weight at this point.
• Level 4 (Month #9 to Month #12): You're now collaborating with your coach to maintain your weight loss for the long haul. While taking one to two classes per week, you're focusing on reinforcing everything you've learned about leading a healthy lifestyle.

This is really just a rough outline of how the program progresses. The reality is that every level is a true learning experience that allows you to access science-backed information for how to maintain a healthy weight. While the research can seem a bit academic at times, Calibrate's curriculum does a great job of breaking it all down to help you understand how data translates to real-world daily habits.

Lifestyle Tweaks

Coaching sessions actually lock in nicely with your structured coaching plan. Calibrate isn't just about taking medication to lose weight. You're learning how to change your relationship with food. In addition, Calibrate emphasizes lifestyle tweaks that aid in metabolic restructuring. This is what makes the program so different from some programs out there that simply drill members about sticking with a specific shake, supplement or meal plan. Calibrate offers you support and resources to make tweaks in your:

• Food choices.
• Sleep habits.
• Exercise habits.
• Emotional health.

We've known for a long time that poor sleep is linked with weight gain. However, the “diet” world largely ignores sleep. In addition, the psychology experts on Calibrate's medical advisory team are there to help members get resources for emotional health that help them to navigate bumps in the road. The tweaks introduced into your life through Calibrate help you to set yourself up for the balance needed to keep weight off.

Does Calibrate Work With Insurance?

Yes! While there's no guarantee that your insurance provider will cover Calibrate, most insurance plans do cover FDA-approved drugs like GLP-1 medications for $25 per month or less once your deductible is met. Calibrate claims that 95% of its members are paying $25 or less per month after meeting their deductibles.

How Much Does the Calibrate Weight Loss Program Cost?

Calibrate is so transparent about pricing! Unlike most plans out there, you don't have to dig around to discover hidden fees after you sign up. There are two costs associated with joining Calibrate. The first cost is the anticipated $25 per month for your prescription medication. The second cost is the set fee of $135 per month for your one-on-one coaching, curriculum and ongoing medical care. That brings the cost for most Calibrate members to $160 per month. With Calibrate being a 12-month program, members are paying $1,920 for the year to lose 10% of their body weight.

What's the Time Commitment Like If I Join Calibrate?

Calibrate is a one-year program. You'll have biweekly meetings with your coach lasting roughly 15 minutes. You will also need to devote a few hours each week to special classes or “homework” assignments. The curriculum does a good job of requiring enough engagement for you to actually benefit without making it feel like you're taking on a full-time job just to lose weight.

Honest Customer Reviews: What Are Members Saying?

Something that's really encouraging about Calibrate reviews is that most members are actually losing weight beyond the 10% guarantee. Overall, the reviews are very positive. Members have lots of good things to say about the content provided in the yearlong curriculum. A common theme is that people who have completed the program find it to be very “livable.” The only negative point that really pops up in Calibrate customer reviews is that some members wished better explanations of lab results were offered by their physicians.

Click to read more (honest) reviews

Alternatives Compared to Other Holistic Weight Loss Programs

Calibrate is unique in the way that it focuses on so many different aspects of weight loss to make members feel empowered and supported. However, it's not the only program offering a similar style. Calibrate is often compared to a similar program called Found. Like Calibrate, Found offers a mix of medication and coaching. The big difference between these two programs (see Found vs Calibrate) is that Found is a month-to-month program that doesn't offer a 12-month path to follow for getting to your goals.

Form Health is another program for medical weight loss. Form offers month-to-month subscriptions. While Form and Calibrate can look nearly identical on paper, the big difference is that FORM actually follows a plan based on recommendations from the American Board of Obesity Medicine (ABOM). Form will also prescribe medications outside of the GLP-1 category.

Finally, Noom is the last program in the mix that's comparable to Calibrate. While Noom provides coaching sessions, it's much more of a self-guided program compared to some of the other ones out there. The physician element is also lost with Noom. That's because Noom doesn't offer “medical weight loss” with prescriptions.

Is This Metabolic Weight Loss Program Effective?

Calibrate guarantees that you can lose 10% of your body weight within six months. The medications provided through the program can help people to get their hormones in balance for meaningful weight loss. While there's no way for a dietician to predict results for someone without looking at their medical picture, I can say that the collective effort provided by all of the different elements of Calibrate can create the right metabolic picture for weight loss.

Tips for Success From the RD

People who are planning to join Calibrate often want tips for how to excel in the program. It's important to remember that your membership is not a magic wand that can melt the pounds off. The program is only as effective as your commitment to following every single step. Here are three tips for Calibrate success:

• 1. Be honest with both your physician and coach. Trying to conceal things about your health, lifestyle or habits can be both dangerous and counterproductive. In addition, it's important to be honest when you aren't following the program as perfectly as possible because this enables your coach to go back to the drawing board with you to find strategies that work.
• 2. Be patient. Calibrate is designed to transform your body over the course of 12 months. The first three months are all about setting your body up for success!
• 3. Take the curriculum seriously. As a dietician, I've seen the way that some people struggling with weight expect medications to “do all of the work” for them. While the medications provided through Calibrate can help you to bust through the hurdles that have kept you overweight in the past, they are only part of the solution. You're going to make your medications far more effective by focusing on the rest of the work as though it's all up to you!

Calibrate is a great program that gets better when you commit fully! It's just important to remember that nobody on the Calibrate team can do the work for you. They can only empower you with the medications and information necessary to help you do the work.