Orangutans might not have access to nutrition labels or meal plans, but they seem to know a thing or two about balanced eating — and they’re putting us to shame.

A new study published in Science Advances reveals that wild Bornean orangutans have mastered the art of adapting their diets and activity to match their environment.

Led by a scientist from Rutgers University-New Brunswick, researchers spent 15 years observing these great apes in the steamy peat forests of Borneo. The team learned that orangutans instinctively adjust what they eat — and how much they move — based on food availability. During fruit-filled seasons, they pack in carbs and fats, while maintaining adequate protein consumption.

Then, when fruit is scarce, the apes pivot to leaves and bark while also reducing their physical activity and spending more time sleeping. They tap into stored fat and muscle for fuel. In short, they fast intuitively — without ever hearing the phrase “intermittent fasting.”

Unlike most of us, researchers pointed out, the orangutan is not faced with constant access to processed, high-calorie, low-protein foods engineered to be delicious. Orangutans naturally cycle between abundance and scarcity. According to the study, this ebb and flow helps them avoid obesity and metabolic disorders like diabetes. And unlike us, they don’t out-eat their energy needs. Rather, they adjust.

These metabolic and behavioral adaptations offer a powerful lesson for humans: Balance, not abundance, is the secret to long-term health. Who knew the secret to a trim waistline might rest in the overlong, hirsute arms of the orangutan?