Very disappointed in the center and the diet. I wish I had read the complaints before joining. I too was charged like $299.00 to join and left without one thing except what to eat for 3-4 days. During those days the diet wasn't that bad. But when you return, you have to buy all these products and given an 800 calorie diet, which is very very hard to adhere to. I was pressured to buy an extra bottle of HCG at a discounted price, and under the impression that the 2nd bottle would be needed, even though I told them I only wanted to stay on the dietn for 30 days. I have followed the diet religiously for 3 weeks and have not even used a 1/4 of one bottle of HCG. At the time of purchase, I had no idea what the bottle looked like, the amount in bottle, and what little amount I would be using. After 3 weeks, and puchasing additional products, such as their protein drinks, I tried to return the unopened products, plus the extra bottle of HCG. The center makes it very clear that they will not honor any returns, even though they are not opened. I had bought these on a Monday and tried to return on a Wed. I was told they did not think it was good customer service to sell items returned, even though they were unopened products...However, they have a basket of opened products of individual envelopes which allows a customer to exchange products they do not like for something else. I will stay on the diet the remainder of this week to allow me to use the products. I have lost weight, but not at a pound per week as they claim the diet works. I am a firm believer now that anyone can lose weight on an 800 calorie diet, without all those other products and the expense. If you go to one of these centers, please check out the diet food plan before you commit. I can assure you will be get very frustrated at eating 4 egg whites each and every day for breakfast. There is absolutely no variety allowed. And you can forget any eating out. You are a diet hermit. Their advertisement (brochures) also claim you are monitored by a physician. I have not seen one yet, even though I visit the center twice per week. Oh and by the way, when I tried to return the products, the manager said they could switch me to another program which usually costs over $200 but they would waive that fee...but of course I would have to continue on their products...Yea right!

I went in for an initial consultation at Metabolic Research Center in Bentonville, Arkansas. I should have known not to sign up, because the ladies in there were like 'high pressure used cars sales people'. I did sign up because I truly wanted to lose weight. They signed me up for like $239 which fit easily into my budget. After coming back 5 days later after signing up, they told me I needed $400 in supplements that were required. They also made me purchase vitamins, shakes, and other stuff. I could not repurchase each week because it is not in my budget. When my weight loss slowed, Metabolic Research Employees always blamed it on me not buying things. They never gave me the 'counseling' they claimed during the initial sales pitch. I have heard this story from more than 1 person--actually a lot of people at Wal-Mart Corporate have been burned by Metabolic.