Could Your BMI Determine What You Eat? This Restaurant Says Yes!

Can your BMI decide your dinner menu?

If you had told 14-year-old Dai Manuel, struggling with obesity, asthma, and joint pain, that his future self would explore such an idea, he might have been skeptical. Jump into today's episode of the 2% Solution as Dai recounts his challenges with weight and health and how a deeper understanding of BMI shaped his journey. 

Understand how BMI is calculated and why it often misses the mark, especially for those with high muscle mass. Manuel also shares why tools like DEXA scans can provide a more accurate picture of your health.

Picture this: a restaurant where every dish is tailored to your BMI category, pushing you towards healthier choices. 

In this episode, we discuss the tantalizing potential of personalized nutrition and its benefits for fostering better eating habits. We also navigate the ethical pitfalls, emphasizing sensitivity and inclusivity. 

Hear about the success stories of interventions like Weight Watchers and the Mediterranean Diet, which show how small, consistent diet tweaks can spark major health transformations. 

Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation that challenges traditional views on BMI and offers fresh, innovative solutions for personalized health and nutrition.

Transcript

Dai Manuel: 0:02

Hey there, wellness warriors, welcome back to another episode of the 2% Solution. I'm your host, I'm Manuel, and today, on the Fit Tip Friday episode, we're diving into a fun and thought provoking concept. Could you imagine a restaurant where you could only order based on your body mass index? Today we're gonna explore body mass index and how it affects our health, and imagine what it would be like to eat at a restaurant where your order depends on your BMI. So get ready, because I'm hoping this is informative but also equally entertaining.

Dai Manuel: 0:40

Now, I remember the first time I learned about BMI and this is actually going way, way, way, way, way, way, way back when I was like 14 years old. I remember being at the doctor's office with my mom, you know, getting a checkup, and this is when I was at my largest. You know I was morbidly obese, and I remember the doctor, you know, mentioning to my mom that my BMI was in its 40th percentile and you know it really didn't land, because I had no idea what the heck they were talking about and it was like a completely different language to me at that time, you know, a 14-year-old boy completely oblivious to pretty much everything going on around him. But I do remember, after they started to explain it to me I was like, oh, that doesn't sound very good. But yeah, you know, when I think back to some of the symptoms of unhealth that was present for me it was asthma, you know, hard to breathe a lot of times, especially when I was doing physical activity very common for people that are in that state of unhealth. Also, you know, dealing with a lot of information in, like my ankles and my knees especially so having lots of aches and pains at age 14, like waking up in the morning and already having sore knees you know I haven't done anything yet and again sore back and just just these little things that, quite frankly, you know, for a 14 year old boy, shouldn't be dealing with. But despite your age, you know, when your body's carrying a lot of extra weight, especially unhealthy weight, that's where this BMI is really helpful, because it's a population wise number and we'll get into that in a second. But you know, can you imagine literally if you went to a restaurant and they based what you were allowed to eat? Or, more importantly, the portions of the foods would be very relevant to the portions that would be best suited for optimal body mass index? So it takes a thought process out, you just get the perfect amount. That's just right for you.

Dai Manuel: 2:38

Now let's start with the basics. So what is BMI or body mass index? It's literally a measure that uses your height and weight to estimate body fat and, according to the World Health Organization, it's also a useful screening tool to identify whatever. Well, whether you're underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese, and even, in some cases, morbidly obese. Now it's a statistic, right, like it's a number based on large populations, uh, so we, we you'll often hear about body mass index being referenced, you know, through actuaries or when they're talking about lifespan or health spans, uh and some other. You know certain uh situations where they want to try to figure out. You know, is there risk here? You know, and they can base that on huge numbers.

Dai Manuel: 3:26

But it's really important to note something the BMI has some pretty big limitations because it's a simple calculation that doesn't take into account muscle mass, bone density or how the body's distribution of fat uh appears on different body types. So, for example, you know I've got a pretty high muscle mass now and my BMI now is, you know, if you were to meet me and some of you have met me, and you know some of us have connected online and in person and you know you've met me and and then we've trained together. Right, I pretty healthy dude, pretty lean, but my weight to height and hip ratio and all this other stuff they like to look at, I'm actually classified as overweight, almost obese again, but my body composition is very different from when I was 14. So you know, take, take, for example you know athletes with really high muscle mass. You know they're going to have a pretty high BMI, but they're not overweight. Right, they're not obese, but they will be considered based on the body mass index. Now, on the flip side, someone could be within the normal BMI range but carry a lot of excess fat around the vital organs, which is also extremely unhealthy. You know they often refer to this as subcutaneous or brown fat, and this is the kind of fat, when it accumulates, can really sneak up on you because it creates a lot of internal strife with our systems, our organs, just how things function inside. It's not just simply adding more weight to your frame, it's actually creating some internal conflict if not dealt with over time. So, while BMI can be helpful, it should be used with other measures and professional health advice for more accurate picture of individual's health.

Dai Manuel: 5:11

One of my favorite things is DEXA scans and these are scans and I've shared on social. I typically go. I usually go once a year and it's basically a full scan of your body and it will tell you how much body fat you have and it will even tell you where it's distributed on your body, how much lean mass you have, your bone density. It's really really cool. And then it gives you a report based on all these DEXA scan machines all around the world and it gives you a more accurate how are you doing for your age, your gender, right? So I can see. Like last year when I did it at age 47, I I came up in the top, you know, like something like two percentile for health brain, uh, based on my numbers, that it calculated, you know, when I went in for my test, comparatively to other men that are 47 years of age. So to just sort of see. But then also I, year after year, I can just see how I've been doing. Am I at least maintaining because, especially at my age now, bone density, lean muscle mass, those are important things to try to maintain, let alone, you know, it's great to try to put some new stuff on. But hey, more importantly, I just want to maintain, I want to keep it for as long as I can, because it's also been shown, the longer you can maintain healthy bone density as well as optimal muscle mass, the longer you're going to have your resiliency and vibrancy with life, you know. So that's really ties into this idea of health span and longevity. Yeah, anyways, I digress.

Dai Manuel: 6:33

So why does all this matter? Probably wondering that. Why does this matter? Well, a high BMI can increase your risk of conditions. Mainly and this is where they've seen some really significant ties is heart disease, diabetes and certain types of cancers. Now, national Institutes of Health studies have shown a strong correlation between BMI and these health risks that I just shared. So it's not just a number, it is a potential indicator of your overall health but, more importantly, also your risk of maybe developing certain types of ailments. So, even though BMI isn't absolute, it can still be used as a figure to give us sort of a general understanding of where we might be overall relevant to other, bigger populations of people.

Dai Manuel: 7:18

Now, with that out of the way, let's have a little bit of fun, right? Imagine a restaurant where you can order only based on Airbnb. So the idea is simple your menu options are literally tailored to your BMI category to help guide healthier eating habits. Now how would this work? Well, for instance, if you're in the normal weight range, you might have a balanced selection of protein, some veggies, some whole grains, something very Mediterranean diet-like, and the menu might focus more on nutrient densities. Right. Lower calorie option if your BMI was higher or in a higher risk category.

Dai Manuel: 7:56

It's all about promoting better health through personalized nutrition. They give it like a real-life health intervention, but one that's fun, right. It's the ones where you don't have to do any thinking, but actually you can celebrate and feel happy and very fulfilled that you honored your health because you were given something that was nutrient rich but also hyper-focused to help support you get to your optimal self, right? I know it might be just a dream, but it's kind of cool. Research from the American Heart Association would also agree, because it shows that personalized dietary interventions can effectively promote long-term health. Who wouldn't want a little extra guidance when making healthier choices? I mean, I know I would. Let's also discuss some successful interventions that have helped people establish healthier eating habits Programs like Weight Watchers and the Mediterranean Diet Zone Diet one of my favorites, by Dr Barry Sears have shown great results because they're tailored to individual needs and emphasize balanced nutrition.

Dai Manuel: 9:04

So imagine incorporating these principles into our BMI-based restaurant. We could offer educational materials on healthy eating, provide portion-controlled meals and even have nutritionists incorporating these principles into our BMI-based restaurant. We could offer educational materials on healthy eating, provide portion-controlled meals and even have nutritionists offer helpful, insightful and very intentional advice. The goal is to make healthy eating accessible, but also, more importantly, enjoyable, because healthy eating doesn't have to be boring or restrictive. It's about finding delicious ways to nourish your body, practical tips like reading food labels, choosing full food. You know, even practicing mindful eating can make a huge difference. And remember, it's all about those small, consistent changes that lead to big results.

Dai Manuel: 9:45

Now, I probably wouldn't, you know, be complete in this conversation if I didn't at least talk about some potential benefits, but also probably some ethical considerations about a restaurant that might only serve you based on body mass in there. So let's weigh in the benefits and, ethically, was it a good idea or not? A BMI-based restaurant could help manage the individual's weights and improve their health through better, because studies show that portion control and calorie restriction can lead to significant health improvements, but we also need to consider the ethical implication. You know it's important to approach this idea concept with sensitivity and respect for individual differences. Not everyone's health journey is the same and we should promote inclusivity and support rather than judgment.

Dai Manuel: 10:33

And so I do recognize, you know, thinking back to that age 14 when I was, you know, classified as morbidly obese, with that BMI in the 40s, you know, I don't know how I would have responded with something like this and it's like oh, you mean, I got to eat differently than everybody else because of this. I get it. And so I think it would need to have some sensitivity behind it and maybe something fun, you know, giving people titles that aren't, you know, very the word, I guess you know, vanilla. You know, stay away from the vanilla. I try to help people identify. As you know, I'm a go-getter, so I need a little bit more energy or I'm at this sort of level of energy, you know, like I don't know Anyways, kind of sort of flesh that out a little bit more. But I think you guys see where I'm going with this and I'd love to hear your ideas. You know, what are your thoughts on this, because I think it's just a really interesting idea if we could do it in a way that people actually enjoyed it and found value in it. So wouldn't that be cool? Anyways, balancing the benefits with ethical considerations is key to creating a positive and supportive environment for everyone.

Dai Manuel: 11:42

So, you know, I think back to some of my clients, right, and there's one woman who literally transformed her health by focusing on personalized nutrition. So what do I mean by that? Well, just starting to make decisions that made sense for her, but also the kind of person that she always saw herself as. But specifically around the lifestyle she wanted to thrive with, we got to think about the kind of person we want to be, kind of activities we want to be able to do as that person that we envision ourselves as, and what kind of energy is going to be best needed to support that version of us. Now, there might be some steps that we need to take in order to make some micro adjustments or micro steps towards that vision, but that's always the way we do it, isn't it? Small, incremental deposits of time and energy and resources for an overall greater outcome over time.

Dai Manuel: 12:35

Now, I do remember when she started to really focus on this personalized approach around this lifestyle that she wanted. She started paying attention to her BMI and made dietary changes that fit her needs, and what I mean by that. She just started to recognize that. You know, the way I need to eat is very different. I should take into consideration my body composition. You know what is the parts of me I want to fuel with food and what are the parts I don't want to anymore. You know what's the parts that I'm just sort of taking along for a free ride that are serving me very much, you know, versus the stuff that I want to honor and continue to nourish and and support.

Dai Manuel: 13:15

The results were incredible, right, like improved energy, better health markers, like uh, lower blood sugar levels, also lower, uh. Got off the medication, you know, go to the hypertension zone, you know. And the biggest shift though this is the one that always gets me the most happy it's the mental shift incredible increase in confidence and self-assurance. It comes through that idea of self-reliance All of a sudden, when you get clicks that you're like, wow, man. So this is what I haven't been able to figure out is how to nourish me, this body that I have, you know, and I got it for life, cause when you do figure that out, holy smokes. Everything just becomes much more manageable. I don't really does.

Dai Manuel: 13:59

Anyway, scientific case studies also support the importance of tailored dietary guidelines. I sort of made hints to that earlier. I don't quote that again, but there's a lot of science to validate some of the things that I've shared with you too. I mean what? What also started as a kind of a neat idea I mean viable, who knows? But it's a neat idea and it's one worth exploring, because if we can make nutrition more accessible to people you know, and really a better understanding of how to do it in a way that honors us and optimizes us, without the shame, the blame and the guilt that's often associated with a lot of the crap that's going on online these days, I think we'd have something amazing right. So let me know your ideas. I'd love to hear them, because that's all we got for today. And remember healthy eating is about making choices that nourish your body and support your wellbeing. Whether through Whether through a fun concept like what we talked about being my base restaurant, or simply paying more attention to your food choices, you can do this. You can transform your health.

Dai Manuel: 14:58

Before I sign off, I want to open the floor to you. Your feedback, stories and ideas are the fuel that keeps this podcast engine running. Do you have a burning topic in mind, a phenomenal guest you'd love to hear on the show? Well, connect us with them on Instagram, facebook, the tickety-tockety and all your go-to platforms to stay in the loop and join the buzz. If you're vibing with the podcast, kindly leave a review and hit that subscribe button. Your unwavering support means the world to me. Thanks for coming aboard on this thrilling ride. Always remember the secret to moving mountains is to keep nudging your boundaries, fostering a resilient mindset and aiming for that 2% improvement every single day. I'm still dying to end well and even tuning into the 2% Solution Podcast. Here's to forging ahead and flourishing together. Have a great weekend and talk to you soon.