Metabolic Research Center

I have a love-​hate relationship with MRC. MRC radio commercials says they have ‘all natural’ plans. Yeah right. You have to drink sucralose-​stuffed shakes 3 – 4 times a day. I never eat sugar and this program gave me sugar addiction which I have yet to kick four months later. However, I think the plans work. They’re not attentive but have great scales that tell you body fat percentage and if you’re afraid of doing a ketogenic diet on your own, they’ll help. I lost weight with their plan. Be sure to take your fiber supplements on this because you won’t get enough fiber from the food.

My wife and I went home for a family event and barely recognized our niece who looked great. When we asked her what diet she was on, she told us about MRC, so we decided to give it a try. Honestly, I didn’t expect much and only started going to support my wife. But after 8 months, I’ve lost 55 lbs of fat and I feel great! My wife has lost 65 lbs and looks fantastic.
Our counselor at MRC coached us through the many hurdles along the way, most of which were mental. We also took free classes that taught us how to make better eating choices, how to deal with the psychological side of eating (such as the well-​meaning relative who insists on feeding you cookies), and even cooking demonstrations before big holidays. We also bought their cookbook which has excellent recipes and never once felt hungry. The best part is that we only had to do light exercise (walking), but after losing a bit of weight, we found that we wanted to do even more. Our motivation for losing weight was so that we can get out and enjoy life more. It’s just easier to do everything when you’re in shape. Now my joints don’t hurt like they used to, I’m more flexible and mobile, and actually jog (which you’d never ever catch me doing before) since I’m not always out of breath.
How it works is you purchase their supplements and meet with your counselor twice a week (if possible). The supplements were a little pricey, but no more than what we would have paid buying comfort food at the grocery store or restaurants. And 8 months later you don’t have to take near as many supplements, so if you can commit yourself, in less than a year you will see amazing results. As a matter of fact, within the first two weeks, we saw enough results to encourage us to keep going. I also liked that there was no counting calories. You learn what foods you can eat and how much, including strategies for eating out or going to a party.
We are trying to look at this like a lifestyle change and not just to reach a goal and revert to our old ways. MRC has given us the education and confidence to do this. I am 41 years old and now I’m in the best shape of my life. If you’ve had trouble getting results or «keeping it off» on other diets, I highly recommend you give Metabolic Research Centers a try. I’m so happy with the results I’ve gotten in what seems like such a short time. The only drawback was letting go of our favorite clothes that became too big for us along the way. But now that we’re in shape, it’s actually fun to go clothes shopping!

I started my weight loss journey over three years ago (after many years of slowly gaining weight) and know that I would not have been successful without the help of MRC. On their meta-​slim program, I lost 57 pounds over 9 months. That may seem a little slow, but as a person who travels a lot for work thus eating in restaurants where you do not have as much control over what you eat, I think it was pretty darn good. I never expected to be able to be as slim as I got. And, the best part was, not only did I look good (yeah, I said it, I looked good!), I also felt great.
Since I lost the weight, I admit I have not been as vigilant about my eating and have slipped back into some unhealthy habits. As such, the weight has slowly packed back on, so I have re-​enrolled in meta-​slim to get headed back in the right direction instead of letting myself get as big as I once was.
So, here’s a description of why I think meta-​slim worked for me (and why it may work for you) as well as what I wish MRC did a bit differently.
Meta-​slim gives you a good structure on what to eat. I’m not counting points or counting calories. Instead they give you a menu with certain food groups and portion sizes to eat at each meal. This simplifies things for me, which I like. And, while you will have to cut out sugar and alcohol (your body burns those before it will burn fat), you do not have to completely cut out carbs.
They have a number of diet «coaches» to help keep you motivated during your weight loss. For me this is critical because it brings in that accountability piece. I have tried numerous times to lose weight on my own and without that accountability, I find it way too easy to «justify» eating things I know I shouldn’t. The coaches like you to come in twice a week to talk about how things are going. They also want you to keep an honest food diary so that they can help trouble-​shoot if you are not losing weight. You’ll weigh in each time you come to the office, but every so often they will do a body composition on you when you come in. This is helpful to see if you’re losing fat, losing muscle (no-​no), retaining water, etc. They also measure you periodically.
Along with changing your diet, MRC also encourages you to be active. And, they offer classes that can help you recognize and address the emotional issues that many of us have with eating.
Now, one thing that I think was HUGE in my success the first time was that I had a consistent coach and a scheduled meeting time each week. When I started they only had a satellite office in Highlands Ranch and there was one coach there one day a week. That consistency was key for me. And, it helped that I really connected with both of my coaches — first Carly and then Judy. Now that they’ve opened their regular office in Highlands Ranch, it’s mainly a drop-​in system and you see whatever coach is available. I prefer the consistency and the relationship that a steady coach brings. And, in the drop-​in system, sometimes I would wait a really long time before someone could see me. They seem to have modified things a bit, and while it’s still mainly drop-​in they do now also allow appointments. This is good news for me in my current weight-​loss journey. It’s also good news that Judy is still there, and still my coach, as she knows what works for me in terms of motivation, etc.
The other not-​so-​great thing about MRC is the cost. Don’t be fooled — it is PRICEY! There is a charge to get signed up, which typically includes a certain number of weeks of weight loss and a year of maintenance. This price really isn’t too bad. Where they will get you is with all the supplements — vitamins, herbal pills, and protein drinks. Part of the program is that you need to take certain pill supplements and have 3 – 4 protein drinks a day. It is more cost effective if you buy 10 boxes of drinks at a time, and buy either the large bottles of pills or buy pill bundle packs. I wish the program was more affordable, but if you are going to spend money, is there really anything more important than spending it on your health? I consider it a good investment in me, my health, and my happiness. And, this time around, I used a living social deal that helped a lot with the expense. I’ve seen them run the deal a couple of times, so keep an eye out.
I lost 57 pounds once upon a time, and I know that MRC will help me lose the 30 pounds that found their way back to me.
(Also, they do offer HCG weight loss plans. I tried it last year and it was not for me. I just felt deprived the whole time, making it difficult to stick with. But, it’s available if you want it.)