I’m Daria Rose, the Creator of Summer Tomato, and This Is How I Work
Daria Rose is the creator of the health and wellness blog Summer Tomato , in which she views health and nutrition as a way of life, avoiding unnecessary diets or routines based on deprivation. In other words, a healthy diet shouldn’t depend on willpower; it should be what you like so that it doesn’t work at all.
She is also the author of Foodist: Using Real Food and Real Science to Lose Weight Without Diet and recently launched a new online program called Foodist Kitchen , which teaches people to cook without recipes by developing an intuitive understanding of how flavors work together. … (By the way, this is Dr. Rose – she also has a Ph.D. in neuroscience.) We contacted Daria to learn about her work habits and favorite tools that she uses to accomplish her tasks.
Location: San Francisco, California Current Workplace : Foodist Writer and Summer Tomato Creator One word that best describes how you work: Cool Current mobile device: iPhone 6 Current computer (and what OS does it run on?): IMac + MacBook Air when traveling. Both are running OS X.
First of all, tell us a little about your experience and current work.
I’m Daria Rose, Ph.D., author of The Food Book and creator of Summer Tomato , one of TIME’s Top 50 Websites . I spend most of my time thinking and writing about food, health and science. I eat amazing things every day and haven’t even thought about going on a diet since 2007.
At Summer Tomato, I teach you how to get healthy and lose weight without dieting, developing healthy habits that you really enjoy. Science shows us that willpower is ineffective at achieving long-term health goals, but good habits can change your behavior for life.
In 2010, I completed my PhD in neuroscience from the University of California, San Francisco. About a year before graduation, I started writing about food and health at Summer Tomato. By the time I completed my dissertation, I had a new career.
In April, I launched Foodist Kitchen . Over the years, I’ve learned that cooking is by far the most important habit required for health, but also the biggest barrier for most people. After months of research, I’ve found that the biggest difference between people who cook regularly and those who don’t is whether they rely on recipes or cook based on intuition. For intuitive chefs, the process is fun, creative, and relatively straightforward.
What apps, software or tools can’t you live without?
Audible is definitely my favorite app on my phone. I set the speed to 1.5 or 2 times and it feels like I’m loading information into my brain a la Matrix. I swear it makes me smarter. I also don’t know how I would work without Amazon Prime or Shyp .
How is your workplace arranged?
I love working in my home office and recently purchased a Stir Kinetic desk which I really love. This subtly nudges me to get up every 30 minutes or so and ensures that I don’t spend too much time sitting. I’m very impressed.
What’s your best time-saving shortcut / life hack?
Meditation. It is difficult to develop a habit of meditation at first because it seems like you are wasting time and getting nothing. But over time, with practice, you will learn to better focus and prioritize, saving you tons of time and stress every day. I no longer jump between projects or jump to emails. I can do what’s important until it’s finished. It’s so liberating.
What’s your favorite to-do list manager?
I use the Reminders app on my phone, email, and calendar.
What device, besides a phone and a computer, can you not live without and why?
My Fitbit has traveled the world with me, and I always take 10,000 steps a day. I use this benchmark as the minimum physical activity, which is both an important and achievable goal.
What are some of your best everyday activities? What’s your secret?
I am very good at optimizing my habits, especially my health-related habits. I have arranged my life so that exercise, meditation, eating right, preparing healthy meals, and even making sure my dog gets enough exercise is fun and easy. None of these things seem like a chore, because I’ve found ways to make them simple and useful. I would say that it is easier for me to do them than not to do them.
What do you listen to while you work?
If I write, I need silence or at least free lyric music. I wrote a lot of my book to theTwin Peakssoundtrack . When I run for business or exercise, I am obsessed with Tim Ferris’ audiobooks and podcast .
What are you reading now?
7 laws of magical thinking by Matthew Hutson. I don’t think there is a more fascinating subject than human psychology.
Are there any favorite cookbooks you can’t live without?
I cook most of the time without recipes. This is my secret weapon for making cooking fun and creative, rather than a tedious chore.
Are you more of an introvert or an extrovert? Both are possible.
Great question! I am obsessed with personality tests, most of which show that I am an extrovert-introvert, if that makes sense. I love spending time alone, but I also love spending time with interesting people.
How do you replenish?
Exercise and meditation keep me sane. My weekly trip to the farmers market inspires me to eat well all week, which also gives me a boost.
What is your sleep routine?
Over the years, I’ve gotten better at this. I stop looking at computer screens before 9:00 pm and usually go to bed by 11:00 pm. I wake up without an alarm, usually around 7 am. Since I have been meditating, I have stopped clenching my jaw in my sleep.
Fill in the blank: I would like ____ to answer these same questions.
Beyonce.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Do not get married before age 30.
What else would you like to add that might be of interest to readers and fans?
Forward, warriors!