IMAGINE AWAY YOUR CRAVINGS?

Drawing on research that shows mental imagery and perception affect emotion and behavior, A Carnegie Mellon research team - led by assistant professor of social and decision sciences Carey Morewedge - found that repeatedly imagining indulging in a treat decreases the desire for it.

"These findings suggest that trying to suppress one's thoughts of desired foods in order to curb cravings for those foods is a fundamentally flawed strategy," Morewedge said in a statement.  This study goes against the ages old idea that we must banish thoughts of the foods that tempt us into excess.

The researchers conducted five experiments in which 51 people were asked to imagine themselves doing a series of repetitive actions - including, in one experiment, eating different amounts of M&Ms. A control group imagined putting coins into a washing machine.   Subjects were then invited to eat their fill of M&Ms. Those who had imagined eating the most ultimately ate fewer candies than the others. Further experiments confirmed the results.

So go ahead.  Imagine the experience of unwrapping your favorite candy bar and tasting that rich chocolate in your mouth.  Or the tart sweetness of the cherries wrapped in the perfect pie crust.  Or the buttery richness of some homemade holiday shortbread.  Or...