Do you want to know how to stop your chocolate cravings? Well, you can do it the same way that many people use to help with nicotine and other drug addictions.

According to researchers at the University of Exeter, a simple 15-minute walk can reduce your craving for chocolate.

Now they tell me… where were these scholars when I had 26 Hershey bars left over from Halloween? Although in all honesty, I don’t think 15 minutes a day of walking would’ve saved me.

In this study, 25 regular chocolate eaters randomly had to take a 15-minute walk or rest after 3 days of no chocolate. Then they did things that would usually cause chocolate cravings — like opening a chocolate bar or doing something mentally challenging.

The exercise group had fewer cravings than the rest group. This occurred during the walk and for ten minutes or more after the walk. They also had fewer cravings when performing tasks that would stimulate a desire to eat chocolate.

Prior studies have shown that over 95% of women and almost 70% of men have food cravings. Their desire is mainly for chocolate, but other high-calorie, sugary or fatty foods can fill the bill, too.

Because chocolate can temporarily life your mood, it can become a habit to eat chocolate when you’re under stress and when it’s easily available to you.

The researchers believe that short episodes of exercise may affect the brain chemicals that influence your mood and food cravings.

They suggest 2 brisk walks a day of 15 minutes each. Supposedly, that’s how to stop chocolate cravings or at least reduce them significantly.