Brief Exercise Can Curb Chocolate Cravings

A recent study indicated that a 15-minute walk can decrease your consumption of chocolate by half during working hours.

The research was done by the University of Exeter. It turned out that employees eat only half as much chocolate as they typically would after a brief exercise, even when under pressure.

The research made use of a simulated work environment and 78 regular chocolate-eaters, who did not have any chocolate in the past two days, took part.

Two groups were required to walk on a treadmill for 15 minutes and were then given work to complete at their designated desks. One group’s tasks were much easier and less stressful as compared to the other group.

The other two groups were asked to rest before finishing the same tasks as the first batch. Just like the preceding two groups, one group’s tasks were less challenging and less demanding. Chocolate was put in a bowl the whole time they were working so they can reach for it easily.

Those who had a brief walk on the treadmill consumed about 15g, those who had a rest had about 28g. 15g is equivalent to a ‘treat size’ or ‘fun size’ chocolate bar.

The challenge or difficulty of the task they had to do didn’t affect their consumption of chocolate. Therefore, stress had nothing to do with their sweet-tooth cravings.

Professor Adrian Taylor of the University of Exeter, lead researcher, said: “We know that snacking on high calorie foods, like chocolate, at work can become a mindless habit and can lead to weight gain over time,”.

“We often feel that these snacks give us an energy boost, or help us deal with the stress of our jobs, including boredom. People often find it difficult to cut down on their daily treats but this study shows that by taking a short walk, they are able to regulate their intake by half.”, he added.

True enough, exercise has incredible impacts on mood and energy levels that it is even deemed to have the potential in managing addictions.

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