Rolling Our Eyes at the Baby Diet — But Also Kinda Considering It
Just when you thought we’d exhausted all the weird ways to lose weight before beach season… along comes this – the BABY DIET.
You’ve probably heard of juice cleanses, intermittent fasting, keto, paleo, carnivore, and that one friend who “just stopped eating after 4pm” and now “feels amazing.” But now, a nutritionist is going viral for telling people to try something completely different—and it’s got people raising their eyebrows (and maybe their bottles of applesauce): The Baby Diet.
Yep. Apparently, the secret to a summer-ready body is right there in the high chair.
Lets talk Baby Diet (can’t believe I just wrote that)
Nutritionist Nicolette Pace (who has years of experience and, we assume, a decent sense of humor) recently made waves with a very simple suggestion: eat like a baby.
No, not Gerber peas or formula straight from the bottle. It’s not about the food babies eat. It’s about how they eat—and maybe more importantly, how they don’t.
So before you start blending bananas and announcing “num-num time” at the office, here’s what she actually means:
1. Eat every two to four hours — but keep it light.
Babies don’t pound down a double cheeseburger and fries in one sitting. They snack. A lot. But they keep it simple and frequent.
Pace says the trick is to eat smaller meals every two to four hours. Not just whatever your heart desires either — there are still rules. Go big on fruits, veggies, whole grains. Try to limit meat and skip the processed junk when you can.
And yes, this does mean you need to pack healthy snacks for yourself like a toddler at daycare. The good news? You’ll never be more than a couple hours away from your next snack, which might just help you resist that impulse to go full gremlin on the office vending machine.
2. Slow it down. Like… really slow.
When was the last time you actually chewed your food? Like, on purpose?
Babies spend 15 to 30 minutes slowly drinking a bottle or eating a small meal. Why? Because their bodies are still learning how to eat — and because they don’t have to answer emails, check their phones, or shove something down between meetings.
Slowing down allows your brain time to realize you’re full. You’ll likely eat less, enjoy it more, and stop that “Ugh, why did I eat all that?” regret spiral that follows the 5-minute lunch.
So yes, we’re being told to chew our food more. Again. Like our moms told us. And their moms told them. But maybe mom was right all along.
3. No mindless munching.
Here’s the biggest baby flex of them all: babies don’t snack just because they’re bored. They don’t pop a pacifier in their mouth because their favorite show just ended. They don’t reach for a rice puff because they had a stressful day at work. They eat because they’re hungry.
Wild concept, right?
Adults, on the other hand, are snack monsters. We eat when we’re happy, sad, tired, anxious, watching TV, scrolling TikTok, sitting in traffic… the list goes on.
Pace suggests taking a beat before snacking: Are you really hungry, or just trying to fill the space? Being aware of your why can change your whole relationship with food.
So… Is the Baby Diet Genius or Just a Trendy Eye-Roller?
We know — it sounds a little silly. But maybe that’s the point. There’s something refreshing about not counting macros or skipping meals or drinking cayenne lemon maple syrup smoothies. Maybe going back to basics (literally, infancy) is the gentle nudge we need.
Eat small meals, take your time, and stop stress-eating pretzels by the fistful? That’s actually solid advice, no matter what age you are.
So while we may roll our eyes a little at the idea of the “baby diet,” we’re also kinda curious. And if it gets us through swimsuit season without spiraling into guilt and granola bars, we’re in.
Now if you’ll excuse us, it’s been four hours and we’re due for a handful of blueberries and a nap.
