Substitute Afternoon Snacking With Exercise

Staring at our screens or shuffling around papers or talking to our bosses seem to always make us want to reach for a handful of something sugary or salty. It’s a way many people reduce stress and alleviate boredom. But those extra calories from anxiety/boredom snacks do nothing for us except make us feel a little heftier when we put our work clothes on the next day. A new study points to exercise as the best way to fend off those post-work cravings.

A small study took almost 40 college students and made them try to slog through a difficult pen and paper exam. Then they either took a break or immediately did a high-intensity treadmill workout.

Then the researchers broke out the pizza. And the results may are bad news for those of us who just want to zone out after our brains take a beating, according to this article:

The researchers found that the people who did mental work and rested ate an average of 100 calories more than when they simply relaxed, suggesting that working our brains expends energy and makes us hungry. Conversely, the people that exercised after mental work didn’t eat more calories, even though they used more energy working out.

We know doing even more work after your work day is the last thing you want to consider, but if it can help you steer clear of those peanut M&M’s, it’s worth it.

-Shane M.