Nutritionist insists a toddler's mealtime behavior is the most effective way to diet
When it comes to losing weight quickly and effectively, one nutritionist claims we should look to the eating habits of toddlers as the perfect example of what diet plan to follow, the Daily Mail reports.
Nicolette Pace, who is based in New York, told ABC News that babies have an organic rhythm when it comes to refueling their bodies and insisted that adults could benefit to learn from their food habits.
'We prioritize everything above eating. But our babies - if they're hungry we'll move hell and high water to make sure they're fed,' she said.
Ms Pace went on to point out that babies almost never skip meals, while it's common for adults to forgo food when putting in long hours at work.
She added that babies tend to push food away when they're no longer hungry, and are not likely to spend an entire day snacking on chips like their grown-up counterparts might.
What's more, babies have their portions controlled for them, which is especially important as a newborn's stomach is only about the size of a cherry.
'It grows as they grow and by adulthood our stomachs are about the size of a softball,' she said, explaining that it's key to know what our stomachs can handle.
Ms Pace also advised taking at least 15 minutes to finish a meal.
'Babies don't rush through their meals. They slow down and enjoy,' she said.
And finally, she recommends eating in intervals of two to four hours - the length of time that food stays in one's stomach.
Ms Pace, who shares more nutrition advice on her website NutriSource, further warned against the dangers of eating too quickly in a recent blog post.
'Eating fast is one of the most common habits people with weight problems face,' she wrote.
'Even though the body has an intricate signaling system to alert you as to when you’ve had enough, a 24/7 lifestyle can override these subtle suggestions and you end up wolfing down your meal.'