Today (11-7-11) — the ideal time to begin your quest for vibrant health.

Once again, Dr. Greger has provided us with a close look at a scientific report on the topic of BMI scores that are associated with various diet-styles. He carefully analyzes an April 2009 report published by the American Diabetes Association. He took a look at four different diet-styles:

Leveraging the simple, yet powerful concept of maximizing the percent of your calories from whole plant foods -- still in nature's package

1. Meat eaters (meat and/or dairy at almost every meal)
2. Flexitarian (mostly vegetarian but eats meat a few times a month)
3. Vegetarian (mostly plant-based but still eats dairy and eggs)
4. Vegan (consumes only plant-based foods)

But the report didn’t have any data on a 4-Leaf diet-style, where one is getting over 80% of their daily calories from whole plant-based foods; still in nature’s package.

We know that many vegans still eat a very unhealthy diet consisting of lots of high-fat, processed foods like oil, pasta, bread, chips, tofu, etc. Take a look at what the study showed and then let’s guess how “4-Leaf eating” would have fared against the other three.

Analysis of Data from the Video. I took his data and went a step further and included my own data to illustrate the BMI for a typical 4-Leaf eater. At 6-0 and 155 pounds, my BMI is 21. My son (38) has a BMI even lower than mine. With obesity starting at a BMI of 30, I have computed how much a six foot male would weigh at the various BMI levels:

• Diet Style —  BMI — Weight
• 4-Leaf  (me)        21            155
• Vegan                  24            177
• Vegetarian         26             192
• Flexitarian         27.5          204
• Avg. in USA    28.8          213
• Obese Level       30             221

Two 4-Leaf eaters. Jason on the left with a BMI of 20.5 and me with a 21. Our initial goal was vibrant health and we've both eaten at the 4-Leaf level for over five years. We each lost about twenty pounds during the first year.

For a six foot male, the data would suggest the following weight-loss probabilities:

1. Moving from the S.A.D to a flexitarian diet yields   = 9 pounds
2. Moving from flexitarian to a vegetarian diet yields = 12 pounds
3. Moving from vegetarian to a completely vegan diet = 15 pounds
4. Moving from vegan to a 4-Leaf diet (the winner)  =  22 pounds

Weight-loss opportunity; what is your’s?  You can adjust these figures for your own body. Using the above numbers, how much weight can you expect to lose by next summer if you improve your diet-style before Thanksgiving?

• Diet Style     Weight-loss   % Loss
• Flexitarian      9 pounds             4.2%
• Vegetarian      21 pounds           10.3%
• Vegan               36 pounds          16.9%
• 4-Leaf               58 pounds          27.2%

As I’ve said many times before, the problem with all of the designated diet-styles above, only the 4-Leaf one truly describes what you are eating. As we know, there are many definitions for both vegetarian and vegan — and we never know how much oil, pasta, bread and other refined carbohydrates any of them are eating.

J. Morris Hicks, author and activist. Working daily to promote health, hope and harmony on planet Earth.

With 4-Leaf, it’s really simple; just average getting over 80% of your calories from whole plants, still in nature’s package. Try it this holiday season and beyond. Your permanent weight-loss success may astound you. Here are a few other articles on this topic:

Eating 4-Leaf for “vibrant health” — with weight-loss as a bonus

Effortless weight-loss — on the “4-Leaf” road to vibrant health

Weight-loss targets; not recommended — Here’s why

Weight-loss or vibrant health? What is your goal?

How quickly will you lose the weight once you start eating 4-Leaf? That depends on how much you have to lose. Our observation is that weekly weight-loss will vary from 1 to 3 pounds a week for a 220 pounder with 60 pounds to lose. So if you shed an average of two pounds a week for the next 30 weeks, that will put you at your “ideal” weight of 160 in roughly seven months.

If you start on November 15, you should be looking good by June 15 — just in time for swim season. Of course, you better start putting aside a little extra money to buy some new clothes. But we don’t recommend a weight-loss target. Your goal should be “vibrant health” and the weight-loss will take care of itself. Take a look at the links to several articles to the right of my picture above.

For an easy BMI calculator, go to the bottom right corner of the nutritiondata.com website. While my evidence is purely anecdotal for now, I am confident that a 4-Leaf diet-style will yield a BMI in the very low twenties. Try it — then let me know your score to add to my list of anecdotal evidence.

If you like what you see here, you may wish to join our periodic mailing list. Also, for help in your own quest to take charge of your health, you might find some useful information at our 4-Leaf page. From the seaside village of Stonington, Connecticut – Be well and have a great day.

If you’d like to order our book on Amazon,  visit our BookStore now.

—J. Morris Hicks…blogging daily at HealthyEatingHealthyWorld.com

For more Dr. Greger Videos, visit nutritionfacts.org

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