Sequence vs Calibrate: Which Weight Loss Program is Better?

In this article, I'm going to be comparing two weight loss programs that offer GLP-1 medications: Calibrate vs. Sequence.

I will present the facts of each program, what they offer and things to look out for, followed by a comparison section across a few criteria that I believe is important.

Many people reading this article will want to see if they qualify for prescription medication with one of these brands, mainly because you want to lose weight fast, and maybe you've been trying so many different things out there and you're frustrated that nothing has worked as much as you wanted it to.

It's hard to say if Calibrate or Sequence will help you lose weight because it all depends on your level of commitment. But this goes with any type of weight loss program.

The truth is, you can change your habits, even without using a weight loss program like Sequence, Calibrate or Found.

Programs like these can definitely help you map out a clear plan to lose weight, but they won't do the work for you. And I feel like that's an important key decision making factor to know before spending this kind of money.

Let's go over The Hot Takes, where I keep it real - these are the key points to know in a TLDR fashion.

Calibrate at a Glance

Calibrate is a weight loss program focused on medically supervised, sustainable weight loss. While other diets focus on fads, Calibrate looks at a member's biology to activate fat burning and weight loss. Each member signs on for a full one-year commitment. The three pillars of Calibrate are doctor-prescribed GLP-1 medication, one-on-one biweekly video coaching, and a holistic curriculum built around food, sleep, exercise, and emotional health.

While there's a lot to know about Calibrate, the core thing that anyone looking for a medical weight-loss program online should know is that this system uses what it calls its Metabolic Reset to help members lose 15% of their body weight on average. Once the weight melts off, Calibrate then focuses on helping members sustain weight loss at 18 and 24 months.

Pros:

• Guaranteed weight loss! If you don't lose at least 10% of your body weight, you're eligible for a refund.
• Offers a variety of GLP-1 medications.
• Certain costs can often be covered using a flexible spending account (FSA).
• Certain costs associated with the program may be covered by insurance. There's even a dedicated Insurance Navigation Team to help avoid paying out of pocket whenever possible.
• Proven to drive 15% weight loss that's sustained for at least two years.
• Highly rated by customers.
• Free smart scale and app for tracking your weight, sleep, activity, and food intake.
• Membership can be paused for up to 90 days.

Cons:

• Blood tests and prescription medications are not included in your membership cost. However, insurance may cover them.
• While the curriculum is overseen by healthcare professionals and medical doctors, not all coaches are healthcare professionals.
• The price commitment is no joke.

Join Sequence at a Glance

Sequence is a program that "works backwards" with weight loss by addressing the biological factors that can prevent weight loss. The program provides members with ongoing, detailed access to online care and medication management for a flat monthly rate. Like Calibrate, Sequence integrates the use of GLP-1 medications with lifestyle changes to aid in sustainable and significant weight loss. In addition, members work with a fitness coach and dietitian to make plans for eating and exercise that support their weight-loss goals. Most Sequence members lose 15% of their body weight.

Pros:

• Some costs may be covered through your insurance or FSA. Sequence provides an insurance coordinator as part of your care team to help you reduce out-of-pocket costs.
• Stellar companion app allows you to log progress, request refills, and message your team directly.
• Diet and exercise support from a dedicated personal team.

Cons:

• As a month-to-month program, it can feel "easy to quit" because there's no committed end date.
• Sequence isn't as transparent as it could be regarding the steps of the program.
• There's no money-back guarantee.
• End goals for the amount of weight lost by month are slightly ambiguous.

Comparing Weight Loss Programs

Both Calibrate and Sequence are designed for people who have tried to lose weight over and over again without achieving the results they want. While GLP-1 medications are prescribed for most members, both programs will only approve you as a candidate for medication following lab work.

The Calibrate program follows a predictable path that lasts 12 months. Members start with lab work that assess and screens for the following:

• Glucose control.
• Cholesterol conditions.
• Baseline kidney and liver function.
• Insulin resistance.
• Thyroid conditions.

During a video visit, your Calibrate doctor reviews your lab work with you before prescribing an FDA-approved weight-loss medication that's the right fit for your unique biological profile. Following this appointment, you'll have ongoing access to your Calibrate medical team. You'll also get one-on-one video accountability coaching from your team that's focused on food, exercise, sleep, and emotional health.

There's lots of flexibility regarding how you want to build out a system for keeping in touch and tracking progress. During the process, you'll be using weekly curriculum lessons developed by a clinical advisory board. You'll also be using the Calibrate app to track your progress.

Sequence starts with a quick quiz asking you about your medical history and weight journey. From there, you'll meet with your assigned board-certified clinician to review your assessment. Your clinician will then work with you to develop a custom treatment plan.

If you're approved, you'll receive the GLP-1 medication your clinician has decided is the right fit. This is also the point where you'll begin your work with your registered dietitian and fitness coach. Both will help you to create and monitor a progress plan that keeps you on track with your weight-loss goals. You'll also have check-ins with your clinician to make sure your medication is doing what it should.

Overall, the experiences of using Calibrate and Sequence are very similar. With Calibrate, you're working toward a one-year goal that has a clear ending. Sequence can feel slightly more ambiguous at times because progress dates are less clear. Sequence fails to say "when" members can expect to hit 15% weight loss. However, the program does share that most members hit 10% weight loss after six months.

Comparing GLP-1 Medications

Like the other features of these programs, the medication plans used for Calibrate and Sequence are very similar. In both cases, the exact medication prescribed to you will be determined by your team based on your medical history and biology.

Calibrate doctors can prescribe semaglutide and liraglutide under the brand names of Wegovy, Saxenda, Ozempic, and Mounjaro.

Sequence members may be prescribed tirzepatide (Mounjaro), semaglutide (Wegovy, Ozempic, and Rybelsus), liraglutide (Saxenda and Victoza), dulaglutide (Trulicity), naltrexone, bupropion, zonisamide, or topiramate. Members are free to discuss the option of switching to a new GLP-1 medication if the one initially prescribed to them doesn't appear to be working as intended.

Comparing Cost/Pricing

Calibrate and Sequence are both pretty transparent with their pricing. Lab work and medications can be grey areas because what you'll pay ultimately comes down to what your insurance or FSA can cover.

Calibrate costs $1,649 for a year. If you choose to make monthly payments, Calibrate allows you to spread the cost out using $146 payments for 12 months.

Sequence uses a monthly subscription costing $99. There's also a one-time $40 fee for your initial consultation. The math adds up to $1,649 for a year of Calibrate versus $1,237 for a year of Sequence.

Do Sequence and Calibrate Take Insurance?

This answer is actually "yes" and "no" for both programs. Insurance will not cover enrollment and membership costs for Sequence and Calibrate. However, insurance can be used to cover the out-of-program costs for lab work and medications. In fact, both companies have dedicated teams focused on helping you to get all non-membership costs covered.

How Much Weight Can You Lose With Join Sequence and Calibrate?

The sky is the limit. Of course, it's important to be realistic. Sequence and Calibrate are both intended for people with a body mass index (BMI) above 30. You may be approved for these programs if you have a BMI above 27 that's accompanied by a medical condition that's exacerbated by obesity.

The average weight loss experienced by Sequence and Calibrate members is 15% of body weight. For people with more to lose, it's possible to lose more. Generally, reaching 15% takes a year with both programs. The benefit of the constant monitoring and assistance provided by care teams full of doctors, clinicians, dieticians, and fitness experts is that members can adjust their plans based on how successfully they're reaching benchmarks.

Do You Qualify? Qualifications for Calibrate and Sequence

Calibrate is a program designed for people between the ages of 18 and 64. You must have a BMI higher than 30. For someone with a BMI between 27 and 29, the metabolic conditions of diabetes, pre-diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, obstructive sleep apnea or PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) must be present. Disqualifying factors include an active substance problem, an active eating disorder, type 1 diabetes, cancer, recent bariatric surgery, gallbladder disease, pancreatitis, or a history of medullary thyroid cancer.

Sequence is slightly less transparent about what it takes to qualify. However, the insider scoop is that the guidelines are essentially the same as Calibrate's guidelines.

Are Calibrate and Sequence Available in Every State?

Yes! However, let's break down what availability looks like.

Calibrate is available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. However, members must share their primary state of residence when signing up because all in-person appointments required for lab work and prescription medications will need to be scheduled in that state.

Sequence is also available everywhere in the country. However, Sequence does share that appointment availability can vary on a state-by-state basis. This is due to the fact that all prescribing providers working with Sequence need to be licensed in the state where a member is located.

Which Is Better: Calibrate or Sequence?

Calibrate and Sequence offer similar systems. There are two main areas where these programs diverge. Sequence offers a slightly wider variety of GLP-1 medications compared to Calibrate. However, this isn't necessarily the big deal that it might appear to be at first glance simply because semaglutide is what's commonly prescribed for medically assisted weight loss.

The second major differentiator is that Calibrate's system seems a little more developed than Sequence's system. The fact that you can plan out a year-long journey from the first day is beneficial from both the practical and emotional standpoints. You can also budget for a year instead of wondering how long your Sequence monthly subscription will need to be extended until you achieve your results.

That last point is important because Sequence is technically cheaper than Calibrate when doing a year-to-year comparison. The savings disappear if you need to stay on the program. Let's not ignore the fact that Calibrate also offers a money-back guarantee if you don't reach your goal by the end of the year.

Calibrate comes across as more transparent and organized compared to Sequence. While Sequence doesn't really run you through what to expect until you're already signed on, Calibrate actually markets itself based on its winning four-level program. You already know that you'll spend your first three months in Level 1 learning how to make changes. You'll then pivot into the Level 2 practicing phase for the next three months. After that, you'll pivot into Level 3 to set your newly adopted practices in place. Level 4 is the sustaining phase that allows you to learn how to stick with the changes that have helped you to successfully change your body.

It should be said that Sequence recently became a part of Weight Watchers. It will be interesting to see how that broadens the program.

Ultimately, both Calibrate and Sequence will get you into a medically supervised virtual weight-loss program offering GLP-1 medications. A person with the right mindset can certainly thrive in either program. However, Calibrate might push the odds in your favor just a little more by being a neat, well-supported program with a strong track record of helping members meet their goals.