Een beter leven in 15 minuten

It’s been twelve years now since I stopped smoking. The week I quit I got into a fight with Beau van Erven Dorens (presenter at RTL Boulevard back in the day when I was chief editor at RTL) and I ended a friendship with one of my oldest friends.

Both very legitimate reasons to reach for a cigarette. I didn’t. All thanks to the brilliant tip one of my friends gave me. I had to write down the exact time I started craving for a Marlboro Light, Barclay Menthol (I know pathetic..) or Marlboro Medium and then wait five minutes. The moment of craving passed. It was the tip with the best result because now, 12 years on, I’m still clean. This advice also works for candy, chocolate or other unhealthy cravings. The university of Innsbruck researched this and they found that if people with unhealthy cravings did something else for 15 minutes (ok, it’s longer than 5 minutes but still perfectly clear) like take a stroll, they lost their cravings completely.

As you also put in a 15 minute walk, it’s a double whammy. My friend Asjha could have told them this but it’s nice to have science on your side. So if your hand starts reaching for that bag of chips; put it back and start walking. Straight away!

p.s. Beau and I made up that same morning. And that friendship? It just wasn’t meant to be.