Calibrate Review – Is it Legit for Prescription Weight Loss?

How do the Four Pillars of Metabolic Health fit into Calibrate’s program? 

Calibrate’s One-Year Metabolic Reset is rooted in behavioral changes made to the Four Pillars of Metabolic Health (food, sleep, exercise, and emotional health). These can help lower your body’s set point, or the weight your body fights to stay at, as well as address underlying biology and sustain long-term metabolic health and weight loss. 

Here’s a bit more on their philosophy for each pillar:

• Food: Minimize fast-digesting carbs and make healthier overall choices that include protein, fiber, and healthy fats. 
• Sleep: Develop a consistent sleep schedule to improve sleep quality and prevent the risk of cardiometabolic health factors by getting 7-9 hours of restful sleep every night.  
• Exercise: Make movement a regular part of the day and incorporate resistance training over time to improve metabolic health. 
• Emotional Health: Learn to incorporate science-backed methods to reduce stress and recognize emotional triggers that influence metabolic health. 

Together with the comprehensive 52-week curriculum, these four programmatic goals were created by Calibrate’s Expert Council and Clinical Advisory Board. You can track your metabolic health pillar progress via the Calibrate app to review with your accountability coach during your 1:1 video sessions.

Calibrate isn’t for everyone. Are you eligible?

Some weight loss programs are for anyone, whether you want to lose a few pounds or a significant amount of weight. But Calibrate is different. It’s only intended for adults between the ages of 18 to 64 who have a BMI of at least 30 and above (or 27 and above with metabolic conditions, such as pre-diabetes and diabetes). Additionally, at present, you need to be covered by a commercial health insurance plan to join Calibrate. 

Where is Join Calibrate currently available?

As of May, 2022, Calibrate is available in all 50 states (in the middle of 2021, you could only join Calibrate if you lived in 28 states. 

Why did Join Calibrate say it was not available in my state?

We’ve heard of some kind of a strange software bug that sometimes incorrectly says that a person is not in a state where Calibrate is offered. The company suggests trying to sign up using an “incognito” browser – on a iPhone, click the little two box icon on the lower left of the screen, then where it says the number of tabs you have open you can click and see the option to do a “private” browser. Do that! Or just email them at hello@joincalibrate.com. 

The program is not clinically appropriate for certain populations, including pregnant or breastfeeding women, women planning to become pregnant in the next year or undergoing fertility treatment, or people currently being treated for eating disorders, recent bariatric surgery, active cancer treatment, active gallbladder disease, in treatment for drug or alcohol abuse, history of pancreatitis, or history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN syndrome. 

You can take a questionnaire on joincalibrate.com to see if you’re eligible for the program. Click here to start.

What happens after you sign up? 

• You get lab work done in the beginning and then at 6 months to evaluate your progress. 
• You have a 45-minute video visit with a Calibrate doctor to go over your lab results, overall metabolic health and the history of your weight. 
• Your Calibrate doctor will then prescribe you a clinically appropriate FDA-approved GLP-1 medication. 
• You are matched with an accountability coach whom you meet with bi-weekly (total of 26 sessions). 
• You receive a smart scale and free app, which help you track your weight and habits. Your doctor and coach see your tracking information and use it to guide you along the way.
• You are provided with a full curriculum of science-based information on food, sleep, exercise, and emotional health––the Four Pillars of Metabolic Health. 
• You focus on one small change per week that’s targeted to take you from where you are now to the next step on your metabolic health journey. You’re taught the scientific reasoning for the change and given clear lessons that help you make the change a regular part of your lifestyle.
• You will receive a  program that is adjusted to your life—so if you’re struggling, or if you need to adapt to certain situations like going on vacation, you can make the right tweaks. This flexibility makes your goals achievable and helps you stick with them long-term.
• You rely on the Calibrate app. In the app, you can message your doctor or support team, and leave notes to discuss with your coach during your bi-weekly call; learn through step-by-step guides and tips; and access digital tools for setting and tracking goals, treatment, and progress. 

What kind of results can you expect from Calibrate? 

Calibrate’s program is based on clinical research that shows that 10% weight loss is clinically significant and also sustainable when it comes to long-term health. Many of Calibrate’s members lose more than 10%, but 10% is the goal because it leads to clinically significant improvements across all metabolic and inflammatory markers. 

How much does Calibrate cost?

Calibrate is currently offering Early Access Pricing on its One-Year Metabolic Reset program, which costs $129 per month through their payment partner Affirm or $1,550 billed once. For those who instead opt for the one-time Metabolic Health Assessment with a Calibrate doctor, the cost is $249. Learn more here: joincalibrate.com/pricing. 

How does Calibrate weight loss stack up to other weight loss apps?

The following chart compares Calibrate head-to-head with competitors Form Health, Noom, and Cerebral. Note:  Torch was previously included in our comparison, but is now a defunct business.