Short Walks Can Reduce Chocolate Cravings!

Chocolate has become one of our ultimate go-to’s, when we are feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or are just craving a sweet treat! As many of us know, chocolate may taste delicious and satisfy our desires, but it is loaded with unnecessary sugars and fats that can be badly affected on our health. A new, recent study has shown that taking a short, brisk walk can reduce your pesky chocolate cravings.

A research team led by Larissa Ledochowski of the University of Innsbruck in Austria reports that a 15 minute walk reduces the urge for a sugary snack, even in people who are overweight, under pressure, and that literally have candy present in front of them. The research found that “small bouts of physical activity could be valuable for reducing the urge to consume at times the person may be particularly vulnerable”.

            The study consisted of forty-seven overweight people who reported consuming “highly caloric sugary snacks, such as chocolate” on a daily basis. Half of them took a 15-minute brisk walk on a treadmill while the others sat quietly for the same period of time. The participants were then given a test, which was shown to cause high stress levels to the participants. The participants were offered a selection of high caloric sugary snacks and were told to unwrap a sugary snack of their choice and handle it without eating it for 30 seconds, increasing their craving. The researchers found that the craving effect was lessened for those who had just taken a short walk. If you sense that your stress is building, take a quick walk, and you can save yourself from craving and eventually consuming sugary foods!