Dec 1, 2014
Scott Colby (@ScottColby) is fitness & nutrition expert and coach based in Colorado. In recent years he’s moved from being a traditional personal trainer to being an online entrepreneur, creating the Fit For Photos workout and nutrition course.
This conversation focuses on issues relating to health and wellness specifically aimed at creative professionals. We discuss the effects of deadlines, studio culture, and stress on creativity and energy. Scott shares some tips for dieting and how to structure a morning routine that aide productivity, energy, and ideas.
Read more about Scott on his website, ScottColby.com or his podcast, The Power to Change
Show Notes & Links
- Scott created the Fit For Photos coaching program, and also runs fitness adventure holidays
- His earlier niche was “abs”, where he was blogging as “The Abs Expert”
- Typical ailments that affect office workers: extended sitting, stress, late eating, greasy/convenience food, lack of sunlight, obsession
- “Your health has to come first before your other big dreams.” ← Click to Tweet
- Debbie Millman mentioned energy management over time management on her podcast episode
- “Nutrition will affect how you feel during the day” ← Click to Tweet
- Try to avoid your phone and all social media first thing in the morning
- Scott’s Green Smoothie ingredients: Unsweetened almond milk, spinach or kale, avocado, vanilla protein powder
- Protein bars are glorified candy bars (unless you make it yourself)
- The “1800 Diet” — as if you lived in the year 1800; essentially seasonal, organic, local, and whole foods (eg no Twinkies)
- A quick search on Amazon for “diet books” will yield a ton of results
- Exercising can help with depression
- Interval Training, alternate high- and low-intensity
- Tabata Intervals (four-minute training)
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Bear crawls
- Prescott is too anxiety-ridden to take on meditation
- 7-Eleven Big Gulp
-
The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod
-
Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill
- Napolean Dynamite
- Scott’s page on Facebook
Tools
- FocusBooster, Pomodoro Timer for your desktop
- Nike Fuel and FitBit, fitness trackers
- Noom Walk app for Android
- Runtastic apps for iPhone and for Android
- Google Sheets
- My Fitness Pal app for tracking food
Techniques
- Schedule times during the day to get outside, away from your desk
- Use the Pomodoro Technique (50/10 as Scott prefers) to take mandatory breaks
- Remove processed sugar; replace with a green smoothie
- Schedule time to eat! Especially useful if you’re an obsessive person who loses track
- Experiment with a “Digital Detox” during your day
- Avoid deli meat which contains a lot of nitrates
- Keep raw nuts or fruit in the office, especially when plans change suddenly
- Change your setting to stimulate creativity; go outside, listen to a podcast, try silence
Habits
- Reduce the amount of sugar you eat during the day
- Confessing your struggles (eg, chocolate) is the first step to addressing them
- Plan ahead to eliminate simply reacting
- Opt for single-ingredient foods, where the only ingredient is the thing itself
- Build a relaxation or meditation practice (even two minutes)
- Practice S.A.V.E.R.S. (Scribing, Affirmation, Visualisation, Exercise, Reading, Silence) in the morning