Obesity is a widespread health concern, with millions of adults affected. Calibrate, founded in 2020, aims to combat this by offering a comprehensive weight loss program centered around improving metabolic health. This article delves into the details of Calibrate's program, exploring its methodology, effectiveness, benefits, and potential drawbacks.
The Calibrate Approach: Biology, Not Just Willpower
Calibrate's approach to sustainable weight loss focuses on improving your metabolic health. Traditional diets often fail because they rely on calorie counting and willpower, which are not sustainable long-term. Calibrate helps you improve your metabolic health through a combination of GLP-1 medications, 1:1 video coaching, and science-backed reading lessons.
GLP-1 Medications: A Key Component
Calibrate clinicians prescribe GLP-1 (Glucagon-like Peptide-1) medications like semaglutide (Wegovy®, Ozempic®) and liraglutide (Saxenda®), as research indicates they are most effective when combined with lifestyle changes. These medications work on key metabolic pathways to support sustained weight loss, unlike older medications like phentermine. Calibrate clinicians prescribe a variety of GLP-1 medications, including semaglutide and liraglutide, which you may know under brand names like Wegovy®, Saxenda®, Ozempic®, Zepbound®, or Mounjaro®.
How GLP-1 Medications Work
GLP-1 medications work by:
- Reducing Inflammation: GLP-1s are clinically proven to reduce inflammation markers, leading to a decreased inflammatory response and oxidative stress. CRP (C-reactive protein), a general inflammatory marker, is one marker followed during the Metabolic Reset.
- Shifting Set Point: GLP-1s help shift your body’s set point (the weight your body fights to maintain) by impacting areas in the brain to curb cravings, increase energy expenditure, and make you feel full faster.
- Regulating Digestion: GLP-1s slow the movement of food from the stomach to the intestines, helping you feel full longer by regulating sugar absorption.
- Improving Metabolic Function: GLP-1s regulate blood sugar levels by increasing insulin and decreasing glucagon when blood sugar levels are high. They also improve whole-body energy metabolism by increasing insulin sensitivity of muscle cells and regulating fat cell development.
The Metabolic Reset: A Year-Long Journey
Calibrate’s approach to weight management, the One-Year Metabolic Reset program, involves a thorough medical evaluation, the prescription of GLP-1 receptor agonist medications, and 1:1 online coaching. The Metabolic Reset program features a curriculum focused on enhancing the “four pillars of metabolic health”: food, sleep, exercise, and emotional health.
Read also: Discover the Calibrate approach
Program Structure
The One-Year Metabolic Reset includes four levels of accountability coaching that break down into sessions with Calibrate’s coaching team, focus classes on topics you choose, sessions focused on setting healthy daily habits, and learning techniques for long-term success.
The Metabolic Reset program is a yearlong program that is divided into four levels: Learning, Practicing, Setting, and Sustaining. Each level covers information on the “Four Pillars of Metabolic Health”: food, sleep, exercise, and emotional health. Members have a biweekly video call with their personal Calibrate coach that is focused on one of these pillars and involves setting goals designed to foster long-term healthy habits. Members also fill out regular medical checkups throughout the program and can request a follow-up call with the medical team if needed.
- Learning (Months 1-3): This level establishes a foundation for the program and helps you learn and understand the basics of metabolic health. It involves meeting with a Calibrate coach every other week, setting goals, and reading 1-2 lessons per week on the app.
- Practicing (Months 3-6): During months 3-6, you will continue talking with a personal coach every other week to discuss your goals and progress. This level also involves reading two lessons per week, which cover skills that were established during the Learning level of the program. As you progress, the curriculum allows you to select “focus classes” in specific areas that interest you.
- Setting (Months 6-9): During this level, you will continue to have biweekly video calls with your Calibrate coach and read 1-2 lessons per week. You can still select focus classes and set your own schedule regarding which pillars you’d like to work on.
- Sustaining (Months 9-12): This level is intended to help you maintain the healthy habits you’ve worked on throughout the program by continuing to work with your coach and read weekly lessons. As in the other levels of the program, you can still select focus classes to strengthen skills as needed.
Getting Started
- Sign Up: Take the eligibility quiz and get signed up. Then, you’ll download the Calibrate app and complete the Comprehensive Health Intake form.
- Meet Your Coach: Get started with the Calibrate curriculum and have your first 1:1 coaching session. In parallel, complete blood work at a lab convenient to you.
- Meet Your Clinician: Once your blood work results are ready, you’ll discuss them with your Calibrate clinician during your first virtual appointment. During your clinician visit, you’ll review your lab work and establish a treatment plan-including a prescription to the GLP-1 weight loss medication that’s clinically appropriate for you.
Real Clinicians, Not Bots
When you join Calibrate, your Medical Team will be with you every step of the way. The Calibrate Medical Team will always be available for support through structured check-ins and in the Medical Channel in the Calibrate app.
Calibrate combines FDA-approved GLP-1 medications with structured coaching, required lab testing, and medical oversight.
Calibrate's Effectiveness: Real Results and Data
Calibrate emphasizes the app's capability to track users' progress.
Read also: Does Calibrate Work?
Proven Weight Loss
Calibrate drives sustained weight loss in the real world. Research shows that, in combination with 1:1 video coaching and small lifestyle changes, GLP-1s are the safest and most effective long-term option for weight loss. By mimicking the effect of GLP-1 hormones naturally produced in the gut, GLP-1s address your underlying metabolic health. On average, members achieve 19% weight loss achieved over three years.
In an analysis of 2,643 members, the Calibrate weight loss program led to 15 percent average weight loss. At 12 months, members had lost 15.6 percent on average. At 15 months, the average weight loss was 15.9 percent. After 24 months, the average weight loss was 16.8 percent, though only 38 users participated for 24 months.
Calibrate’s own data show the average participant loses about 19% of their body weight over three years.
Improvements in Metabolic Health
In addition to weight loss, Calibrate results show improvements in some metabolic health markers.
Clinical Trial Data
While studies show that significant weight loss is likely when using GLP-1 medications, Calibrate has collected results to prove the efficacy of its weight loss program that includes medication plus lifestyle intervention.
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In a double-blind trial of 1,961 adults with obesity or overweight but not diabetes, participants in the group using semaglutide and lifestyle intervention lost an average of 14.9 percent of their starting weight. Seventy percent of the participants in the semaglutide trial group lost at least 10 percent of their starting weight.
A double-blind randomized clinical trial using tirzepatide also found strong weight loss results. In this trial, adults with obesity had average weight loss of 19.5 percent with 10 milligram (mg) doses of tirzepatide, and 20.9 percent average weight loss with 15 mg doses.
Outcomes-Based Model
Calibrate’s digital program, combining medication and behavior change, is the first outcomes-based model in obesity treatment. If you don’t achieve a 10% weight loss, Calibrate will refund the cost of your program minus a $250 fee for your Metabolic Health Assessment.
Benefits of Calibrate
- Holistic Approach: Calibrate addresses the underlying metabolic issues that contribute to weight gain, rather than just focusing on calorie restriction.
- Personalized Support: The program provides 1:1 video coaching and medical support to help you stay on track.
- Medication Management: Calibrate navigates insurance for prescription GLP-1 medication so you don’t have to.
- Structured Program: The program provides a clear, structured process that blends medical care with behavioral change.
- Clinician prescribed GLP-1 medication: Backed by science
Eligibility and Requirements
To be eligible for Calibrate, you must:
- Live in the United States
- Have commercial or employer insurance
- Be 18-64 years old
- Have a body mass index (BMI) above 30, with or without other conditions, or have a BMI above 27 and one or more of the following conditions:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Prediabetes
- High cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Polycystic ovary syndrome
The program is not recommended for people who:
- Are nursing
- Are pregnant or planning to become pregnant within the next year
- Have an active eating disorder
- Have type 1 diabetes
- Have active gallbladder disease
- Are being treated for cancer
- Have a history of medullary thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) syndrome
- Have undergone bariatric surgery in the past 18 months
- Have substance use disorder
- Have had pancreatitis in the past 6 months or have a history of pancreatitis caused by taking GLP-1 medications
Potential Drawbacks
- Cost: Calibrate starts at $138 per month, which is significantly more expensive than some similar weight loss programs. The cost of the GLP-1 medication is not included.
- Long-Term Commitment: The Metabolic Reset program is a 1-year program.
- Potential Side Effects: The GLP-1 medications Calibrate prescribes may be associated with several side effects, including nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.
- Weight Regain: More research is needed on the long-term effects of the GLP-1 medications Calibrate uses, especially when it comes to maintaining weight loss once the program is complete.
Pricing and Insurance
- Monthly subscriptions: $199/month
- Medication costs: As low as $25, but ultimately depends on your insurance plan’s copay
- Initial lab test: Labs are required before starting treatment. They are billed separately, often through your insurance. Coverage varies, and you may still be responsible for copays or deductibles.
Calibrate navigates insurance for prescription GLP-1 medication.
Calibrate Compared to Other Programs
Calibrate combines FDA-approved GLP-1 medications with structured coaching, required lab testing, and medical oversight.
| Clinic | Best for | Monthly cost | Treatment types | Lab testing | Add-ons | Insurance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calibrate | Long-term coaching plus insurance-backed GLP-1s | $199 + prescription copay | FDA-approved, name-brand GLP-1s only | Required, not included | None | Yes |
| WeightWatchers | People who want WW’s behavior program plus medical care | $74-$84 + medication cost | • Brand-name GLP-1s • Some compounded options | Not required; included | Optional in-person workshops ($22+) | Yes |
| Ro Body Program | Members who want coaching with either cash or insurance options | $145 + medication cost | • Wegovy • Zepbound •Compounded semaglutide | Not required; included | None | Yes |
| Found | People who want coaching and the option for compounded meds | $129 for membership + medication cost (cash or copay) | •Compounded & brand-name injectables • Oral meds | Not required; not included | None | Yes |
Real User Experiences
Calibrate earns a strong 4.6 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot, officially rated as “Excellent.” Feedback is highly polarized, though. Many reviews are glowing five-star endorsements, while a smaller but vocal group reports frustrating experiences.
Most satisfied members highlight Calibrate’s structure and accountability as game changers, while unhappy members say the process feels too slow, strict, or poorly managed.
Is Calibrate Right for You?
Calibrate may be a good fit for individuals who:
- Meet the clinical criteria for GLP-1 therapy (a BMI of 30 or higher, or 27+ with a weight-related health condition)
- Want a science-backed program designed by obesity medicine experts
- Want an insurance-backed path to brand-name GLP-1s
- Want clear medical oversight
- Want structure, accountability, and predictability
Calibrate may not be a good fit for individuals who:
- Rely on Medicare, Medicaid, or Tricare
- Want to pay cash for medications
- Want a “prescriptions only” approach with minimal involvement
- Are on a tight budget