Smell chocolate before practice? The unusual habit that brings benefits

ANDthere is an unusual habit that can bring improvements during training. It's about smelling chocolate before you start doing the exercises. The conclusion is from a study published this July in Frontiers in Physiology. It can better your performance and even reduce satiety.

Second study, cited here by The Mirror, the aroma of bitter chocolate caused some athletes to lift more weights and reduce the feeling of hunger. The study was conducted by specialists from the University of Malaysia and was analyzed by 23 healthy men between the ages of 20 and 25.

They were divided into three groups. One smelled liquid bitter chocolate with 90% cocoa, another smelled milk chocolate with 60% cocoa, and one last water. The athletes performed leg extensions for evaluation. During the series the desire for hunger was also measured.

One of the conclusions stated that smelling chocolate with the highest cocoa content made people feel less hungry and also better results in the exercise. 

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“Inhaling the aroma of bitter chocolate with 90% cocoa added about 18 repetitions to the participants’ leg extensions, while the aroma of chocolate to milk 60% added about nine repetitions compared to the control group that received water.”, revealed Mohamed Nashrudin bin Naharudin, one of the authors of the study.

“ Exposing men to chocolate aromas immediately before and between the resistance exercise series significantly increased the total training volume without increasing effort perception. Watching a substantial increase in repetitions without athletes feeling that they are trying harder is a fascinating psychobiological result”, continues the expert.

This way, it can be a way to deceive the body and achieve better results. “The aroma of bitter chocolate serves as a learned sign for a rich, bitter and highly satiating food, which essentially deceives the system, leading it to an anticipatory state of fullness,” reveals Mohamed Nashrudin bin Naharudin.

Training in the morning or in the afternoon? The most effective time to lose weight

Many try to ‘fit’ the practice of physical exercise when it suits them best – whether in the morning, afternoon or evening. However, and according to science, in order to benefit from the maximum amount of training you should pay attention to the time. 

Training in the morning

The morning is considered the best time for training, especially when physical activity is done in fasting, reports the Times of India. In the morning, the biological profile of the body accelerates metabolism, which in turn stimulates the weight loss process. Thus, exercising at this time of day not only benefits the general health of the individual, but also helps to burn more fat.

Another advantage of morning training is that it can keep you active throughout the journey and get you to sleep early – in addition to promoting a more restful and restful sleep. Waking up the next day fresh and active. Sleep is also a useful tool for weight loss.

Training in the afternoon

Although morning is the ideal time to burn more fat, afternoon training is also effective. You can, for example, practice more intense physical activity or simply take a quick walk.

Afternoon hours are associated with a lower level of stress, more resistance and better reaction time. 

Moreover, exercising in the afternoon is the obvious solution for people who have difficulty waking up early in the morning due to personal problems or medical complications.

Training at night

Many people prefer – or can only – exercise at night after work. However, according to the investigators, heavy exercises should be avoided during the night shift, as the activity may negatively affect the sleep pattern of the individuals. A 2019 study published in the Journal of Physiology points out that exercising after 19h leads people to fall asleep later. 

For those who have no alternative, experts suggest the practice of activities such as Yoga or Pilates.