Calibrate Weight Loss Review - 12 Things You Need to Know
Introducing Calibrate weight loss. Losing weight seems impossible for some. Maybe you have tried numerous weight loss programs, but you have not seen any results. If you are on the verge of giving up, you may be considering prescription weight loss treatment.
Calibrate is a telehealth company offering weight loss programs that have been clinically researched. We will review Calibrate to help you understand the program.
Calibrate Weight Loss can be purchased through their Official Site.
What is Calibrate Weight Loss?
Calibrate weight loss is a year-long program prescribed by a medical doctor. The program is virtually supervised and consists of regimented activities like lessons, goal setting, and virtual training sessions to help clients gradually transform their habits, thus resetting their metabolic health. In other words, Calibrate Weight Loss is a behavior therapy program intended to help you lose weight.
Calibrate is a medical company that claims to use biology to reset the body, promoting weight loss. The company’s program includes a metabolic reset lasting for a year that starts with a medical assessment of the client. Calibrate doctors will first assess your metabolic health to determine the appropriate GLP-1 medication.
Once you join Calibrate, you will meet the accountability coaches twice a week to check on your progress. In addition, during the meetings, they will also help you set your body goals and track the pillars of metabolic health, that is, food, emotional health, sleep, and exercise.
Let’s look at a little research as it pertains to Calibrate.
- Nutrients – according to this study, “the use of food supplements for weight loss purposes has rapidly gained popularity as the prevalence of obesity increases.”
- JAMA – Not only does GLP-1 promote weight loss, but it also continues to work well after the treatment period. “Among adults with overweight or obesity who completed a 20-week run-in period with subcutaneous semaglutide, 2.4 mg once weekly, maintaining treatment with semaglutide compared with switching to placebo resulted in continued weight loss over the following 48 weeks.”
- JMIR – Research also shows that self-monitoring weight loss works well, at first, but eventually the progress slows and may reverse. Calibrate combines self-monitoring with weekly meetings to improve results over time.
Calibrate Weight Loss Competitors
| Product | Review | |
|---|---|---|
| Wegovy | read | |
| Saxenda | read | |
| Contrave | read | |
| Noom | read |
Who’s Behind Calibrate Weight Loss?
Calibrate was established by Isabelle Kenyon in 2020. Kenyon has experience in business and health tech, having been in charge of operations of the online pharmacy, Capsule.
The New York-based company provides users with guidelines they are supposed to need to control their metabolic health. Workers at Calibrate believe that an individual’s weight reflects their metabolic systems. That is why some people can eat whatever they want and remain slim, while others gain weight rapidly.
Metabolism determines the conversion of food into energy, and it can be affected by health issues, age, and stress. Calibrate approaches weight loss from a scientific view where it targets your emotional needs, metabolic system, habits, and knowledge. Kenyon is dedicated to ensuring everyone has access to healthcare services. According to her, individuals can actually lose weight with Calibrate if they are determined.
Calibrate and the Better Business Bureau
Calibrate Health is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), but they do have a dedicated page on the site. The company has an average customer review of 1.23/5 stars based on 35 total reviews. They’ve earned an F rating thanks to many customer complaints. The BBB has closed 244 complaints in the last three years, but 242 have occurred in the previous 12 months.
Scroll below for one of the best products we’ve seen over the last year.
Contacting Calibrate Weight Loss Customer Service
Customer experience matters a lot when addressing client issues. When you sign up for the program, you want to lose weight and get guidance and advice. You also want professionals to hold you up during the weight loss program.
In addition, you want someone to hold you accountable for your actions. These are some reasons that propel individuals to sign up for the program, so you’d think the company should offer great customer service.
Most Calibrate reviews talk about their friendly and courteous professionals. Many reviewers have given compliments about Calibrate’s customer service.
You can reach a member of the Calibrate customer service department by:
- Calling 631-307-4916 (alternate 646-863-1411)
- Using the chatbot
- Writing 85 5th Ave Fl 8, New York, NY 10003
Popular Products From Calibrate Weight Loss
If you are participating in the one-year metabolic reset program, Calibrate will prescribe GLP-1 medication. GLP-1s are powerful hormones occurring naturally in your gut. These hormones signal your brain to reduce appetite, regulate digestion and increase metabolism, making you feel full for extended periods.
Calibrate only prescribes FDA-approved GLP-1 weight loss medications, which work similarly to the receptors as the natural-occurring GLP-1 hormones to help manage your weight. There is a wide range of GLP-1 medications. So, Calibrate physicians will prescribe the ones that match your biology and are covered by your insurer.
Calibrate Weight Loss Claims You’ll Lose Weight
Researchers have proven that weight loss is about biology and not willpower. Although you cannot change your genes, you can influence your biological response to help decrease your body’s set point and enhance your metabolism, or so Calibrate claims.
Remember, metabolism is much more than what the scale indicates. It is your overall health and how well-balanced your body is. Metabolic health influences your immunity, risk for chronic conditions, inflammation levels, and mood. Calibrate weight loss program aims to help reprogram your system with clinically-tested medications and minor changes to your diet, sleep patterns, exercise routine, and emotional support.
Calibrate combines different techniques, including lifestyle coaching, one-on-one visits, and prescribed medications to ensure you attain your goals.
Calibrate Weight Loss Prescription Medications
Calibrate prescribes different weight loss medications. Many, of which, have been clinically researched for their effect on weight loss, according to Current Hypertension Reports. Examples of GLP-1 prescription meds are:
- Semaglutide
- Wegovy
- Rybelsus
- Liraglutide
- Saxenda
- Victoza
- Dulaglutide
- Trulicity
Does the Calibrate Weight Loss Program Work?
Essentially, to answer this question you have to break down the Calibrate weight loss system. It includes:
GLP-1 – Though Calibrate has funded no research into the effects of GLP-1s on weight loss, they’ve been used for years by medical providers, especially in patients with T2DM.
For instance, Lancet published research in 2018 that showed, “In combination with dietary and physical activity counseling, semaglutide was well tolerated over 52 weeks and showed clinically relevant weight loss compared with placebo at all doses.”
Then you’ve got the New England Journal of Medicine with research showing, “A strategy combining exercise and liraglutide therapy improved healthy weight loss maintenance more than either treatment alone.”
So, GLP-1s help with weight loss and weight maintenance.
Bi-Weekly Support – Now, what about those two-a-week sessions. Studies show cognitive behavioral therapy, easily performed by doctors at your visits, is more effective for people who are overweight or obese than lifestyle changes alone, according to Fertility and Sterility.
You also have research from the International Journal of Obesity that found when physicians counseled their overweight and obese patients on weight loss, there was “a significant impact on patient attempts to change behaviors related to their weight.”
Potential Medication-Based Calibrate Side Effects
GLP-1s medications for the Calibrate weight loss plan are non-habit forming and lack stimulants. These medications are approved by FDA and have been clinically tested, according to JAMA. That doesn’t mean there aren’t side effects.
MedlinePlus.gov lists:
- “Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal Pain
- Constipation
- Heartburn
- Burping”
Others include, but are not limited to:
- Stomach Pain
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Gas
- Bloating
Cost and Where to Buy
The annual metabolic reset plan goes for $129 monthly. Alternatively, you can pay $1550 for the full year. The weight loss program encompasses all the features discussed above, including a welcome kit and a video appointment with a Calibrate physician.
Pricing Update September 2022: The Metabolic Reset price has been increased to $138/month or $1649 as an upfront payment.
However, if you are not ready to commit to the plan, you can pay $249 for a one-time metabolic health examination with a medical practitioner from the organization.
The fee includes a virtual appointment with a doctor to examine your health status, review your laboratory results and highlight what the full-year program would entail. In addition, you may have to pay for the medications prescribed. The cost of these medications will depend on your insurance coverage and in some cases insurance won’t cover the medications at all.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Potentially effective and sustainable weight loss
- FDA-approved GLP-1 prescription weight loss medications
- One-on-one support from personal doctors and life coaches throughout the program
- The weight loss program can be customized to fit your lifestyle
Cons
- Calibrate eligibility requirements prevent some individuals from signing up
- Some individuals say the program’s application is not user-friendly
- The cost is much higher than other programs
- Insurance may not cover the medications
What Users Are Saying
“Calibrate has helped me lose 15% of my body weight by making small lifestyle adjustments and using medications over the past 8 months. I love the 1 on 1 coaching as well as the medical team that has been very responsive to any questions I have had. I don’t feel like I am missing out on life by being on a “diet”.”
“They prescribe GLP-1 agonists off label for weight loss. Might as well just get that anywhere. The “wellness” industry makes as much money as big pharma and I promise they’re not looking out for your back prescribing you things off label.”
“Too many meds. Having to stick yourself in the stomach with meds reserved for diabetics is not fun. Also, it is a pain to deal with insurance and the pharmacy every month when the prescription changes. They didn’t do a thing for me anyway.”
Bottom Line on Calibrate Weight Loss Results
Though relatively expensive, Calibrate medical weight loss program could be worth a shot. Many people have good things to say about the plan, but there are also a few complaints. You have to weigh the pros and cons. Make sure to contact your personal healthcare provider before taking any medications from a Calibrate physician. This is especially important if you’re currently taking medications or have underlying medical conditions of any kind.
Looking for something that doesn’t require a prescription medication? We’ve reviewed tons of programs and one that stands out is Noom. Not only is the program recognized by the CDC as a healthy lifestyle choice, but each user is partnered with a personal coach and a dedicated support group.
All this and more comes with a much lower price than Calibrate and, for limited time, you can take advantage of a free trial offer of Noom.
Learn More About Noom »
Stacy P (Verified Purchase)
My wife and I are both currently enrolled in the Calibrate program. My wife has been with Calibrate for four months now and lost almost 40 pounds that she was otherwise not able to lose on her own. I have only been with the program a few weeks but am also seeing results. The insurance company is a pain in the butt to deal with. But calibrate was super helpful, all be it slow, but was able to get the medication approved. I saw some negative comments about how it’s “scary using medication’s for off label use”. The FDA has approved some GLP-1 medication’s for weight loss, including the one that my wife and I are both on. So it is technically not off label. The counseling is good, they do take an average of 3 to 4 days to respond to questions or issues, however, it says that right on the app and when you send a message. People just need to have patience. They’ve always been responsive and helpful. I think it all boils down to expectations and results. My wife and I have set our expectations high, however, we are patient people. We have also had results from the program. No complaints here.
I will be getting in touch with my credit card company to reverse my payment. I agree with every post I’ve read. Comes down to NO customer service!
Alex (Verified Purchase)
Once they have your money – they vanish.
They make promises about medically supported weight loss but they will not give you the medications. They have repeatedly tried to move me to medications my insurance won’t cover and once I have declined them STILL BILLED MY INSURANCE. You cannot talk to a person – only endless emails and chats on their app – if you can use it without it crashing – which they don’t answer for days at a time.
The one person you do talk to is limited to 15 minutes every two weeks and is so crunched between appointments that no meaningful conversations happen.
Go anywhere but this program! It is all advertising, no substance
Donna Knop (Verified Purchase)
I decided to try Calibrate. I mistakenly thought the financial risk would be $250.00, if my meds were not approved. I had my labs done at a lab that was in my network. I had no doubt that they would be covered by my insurance program. I was wrong. Because they were ordered by an out of network doctor, they were considered out of network, too. Apparently this is not uncommon for insurance companies. The Calibrate doctors are not going to be in your network. I would have even been ok with paying for the lab work, if I had been approved for the GLP1. I wasn’t. There was very little effort to get them approved. They submitted 2 drugs for approval in the 8 weeks they have to get you a medication. There was zero communication. They just did nothing! I met every other week with my coach. He was very nice, but he follows the guides provided to him, which is drink more water, weigh yourself, track your sleep and finally avoid “red” food. The foods that we all know are bad for us. No coach needed!
I am now paying a lab bill for $569.28 and I lost the $250.00 for the doctor appointment. Total of $819.28. I truly don’t believe my insurance situation is unique. I hope anyone considering Calibrate, talk to you insurance company first. I also do not believe they success rate they claim in obtaining insurance coverage for these drugs. Talk to personal doctor first. They may be able to help you obtain insurance approval and coupons from the drug manufacturer.
Bink (Verified Purchase)
Issues: I’m on my 4th coach. You start working with someone and then they fire them or they quit. You start over. Sessions are only 15 mins every two weeks so very difficult to have to keep re-starting. Exhausting. Today my new coach (that I didn’t yet know I had) stood me up or perhaps there was a technical issue but I was just sitting in the zoom waiting. I finally messaged but no response.
Communication and customer service have been bumpy at best.
It took forever to get the meds unless I paid $700 additional out of pocket for a ONE MONTH SUPPLY since my insurance said they are not medically necessary. This sounds like the case for most. My last coach finally helped me with a drug coupon. It will only get me two months of the shots. Oh by the way, most of the meds require self injections.
Their app and website don’t sync properly and the app is one of the clunkiest I have used in a very long time. Jumps around and not intuitive.
I did everything else they have told me to do but it has not resulted in much weight loss. I have been on the program since March. Less than 10 lbs, which flucuates, and that includes significant time in the gym as well. Other than my biceps growing from the gym, nothing none of my other measurements have changed.
This program is sold and priced as a high-level guided weight loss experience with long term effects. While I have improved some of my habits like drinking more water and getting more sleep, they have not helped me lose weight and the whole experience has been stressful, which can make you GAIN weight.
I am so disappointed with this program . The customer service is horrible , I am now one week without medicine it went form 25.00 copay to 800.00 dollars the new pharmacy in place never contacted me either did calibrate . It has been five days i have been sending emails and no response . This program is fully automated very little personal contact but they always are ready to get the money , Maybe if I don’t pay it I will get a response.
Run, do not pay for Calibrate. The customer service is awful, and they no longer have Wegovy. You will end up frustrated and wanting to eat more.
Nmaig (Verified Purchase)
Agree with the reviews regarding poor customer service. It takes awhile for any answer. Their program is nothing new. Aside from the medications they prescribe everything else is old information. If you are someone who has struggled with life long overweight you will hear the same information for weight loss however marketed in a different fashion, I did not tolerate the ozempic prescribed and just never heard anything from them after I inquired about it. I ended up waisting my money and quit their program. also after being on Ozempic for 1 month they apparently switched pharmacies and were having a difficult time providing the medication, so 1 month after not receiving anymore medication as well as not receiving an answer to my question of possibly getting switch to another medication I just quit. Overall extremely dissatisfied with their customer service
Melissa (Verified Purchase)
A complete waste of money. No customer service to speak of. You might as well just get prescribed a GLP1 and use a free app!
Tammy Swift (Verified Purchase)
I agree with this top review. Even my most basic questions — such as how to synch a certain fitness watch with the Calibrate app — took over a week for their “support” staff to answer. Also, they don’t make it clear that it will take AT LEAST SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS before you can get your medication approved for the alleged $25/month. (I am currently on the ninth week and haven’t heard ‘boo’ from the support network, even though I wrote a fairly lengthy email complaining about this.) They will blame this on your insurance company, but I suspect they are also vastly overcommitted and understaffed. I agree that the coaches are usually pretty good, but it’s also very hard to accomplish anything in one 15-minute session two times per month. My recommendation: Just get the meds. This is what my sister did — and she got the meds prescribed from her doc, with approval, almost immediately. My biggest complaint about this company is that they represent what too many US companies today do: Lots of marketing and hype, but very little actual substance, commitment to clients or follow-through. What a waste of time and money.
Noelle (Verified Purchase)
The coaching sessions are a joke, at 15min/session every two weeks what real information am I supposed to get from it? Half the session is talking about how I did from last week, a quarter is talking about the lesson we learned that week, and the last quarter is talking about what we’re going to work on in the next two weeks. There’s no real progress being made here, I’m not learning new recipes or learning why specifically I, being a vegetarian, am still hungry.
And if your insurance changes mid way through the program good luck getting a hold of anyone to change it. People will dodge your calls or say they’ll call you back and then not. They’ll never email you back. They’ll not reply to your messages in the chats. It took me 10 days of not getting any replies on what was happening with my medicine after I had been off it for 1.5 months before I decided enough is enough, I’ll just leave.
I don’t know if they’ll give me my money back, they customer service rep I talked to seemed very rude about the whole thing. I hope they do so I don’t have to keep paying for a junk product that didn’t even give me the medicine I needed to complete the program.
Stacy Ford (Verified Purchase)
I am at the end of my year long program with Calibrate. I can say it was not worth it.
I had great hopes when I had my first doctor visit with the endocrinologist. We discussed I can’t take metformin. It makes me violently ill. Like I drank the water in Mexico ill. I will be hospitalized ill. She said no problem, no metformin.
I get a call from the pharmacist (friend) telling me there is a mistake somewhere because someone rx’d me Metformin and he knows I can’t take that. They also sent a GLP-1 that is not covered by my insurance. I tell him to cancel all the scripts sent.
I then wrote a review for calibrate and get a call from their fearless leader, telling me she is so sorry, that they are in a learning curve. It never should have been sent. As far as the GLP-1’s they will send ever med in that category over and over until one sticks, so to speak. So to no waste anymore of my pharmacy’s time I go onto my formulary and show them the 3 that are covered. So easy to do, why Calibrate can’t figure that out, I will never know.
So I get coach Sara. She’s nice. And I do look forward to seeing her, but nothing was actually helpful to what i would need to lose weight. We talked about my baking with less sugar and recipes, but I don’t know what I was supposed to get out of those meeting, I didn’t get anything.
Then after I am supposed to go up to 1 mg, they still RX me the smaller amounts. So now I have to stick myself twice to get my dose. I send an e mail to Calibrate and get a message back from a Dr Wong who acts like an ass. That was really it for me.
I never got any follow up blood work. I never got any follow up from any doctor, so I can’t say this is a doctor led or you are supported by a doctor. Hell my coach didn’t even have a fitness, nutrition or medical background, she went to law school.
When my coach quit, which I saw coming because she always had long sighs and oh course they didn’t, when I had all these issues I told them not to bother assigning me another coach. But now I keep getting calls from another coach interupting my work days.
At the new year I needed another pre auth for my RX. I asked calibrate 4 times, my pharmacy did 4 times but it wasnt until the coach wrote something that it got done.
And now i am due my last refill and Calibrate won’t do it. Pharmacy says they won’t respond to them.
So Calibrate is a rip off. They don’t actually have a doctor supervising you, they don’t follow through on their promises and don’t refill your meds even though you paid in full at the beginnin