Robyn Spurr

Personal Health and Weight Loss Coaching For Women

Awareness

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It’s Time to Put the Scale Away When…

If you have a history of yo-yo dieting, relying on the scale for motivation can easily backfire.

Let me explain.

If the scale number is higher than we hoped for, it can cause anxiety. And anxiety about our weight tends to send us beelining toward our “hidden” stash of Thin Mints.

On the other hand, that same higher than hoped for number can trigger calorie restriction or the elimination of foods/food groups (no more ice cream, no more carbs), thereby setting the stage for an inevitable binge.

Now if the number is lower than expected, it’s easy to justify a food “reward” or overeating.

“Woohoo, I lost 3 pounds, it’s cheesecake for dinner tonight!”

If any of these scenarios ring true, know that you’re not alone. In fact, you’re perfectly normal.

That said, maintaining your sanity and avoiding even more destructive yo-yoing might require tucking the scale away for a bit and focusing on alternative ways to track your progress.

Living a healthier life should not (I repeat) should NOT cause you anguish and anxiety. (If it does, perhaps it’s time to consider a new way. Let’s chat!)

Here are some alternative ideas for measuring progress:

  • Are you drinking more water?
  • Are you taking the stairs instead of the elevator?
  • Do you feel more confident that you’ll make good food choices?
  • Are you eating more fruits and veggies?
  • Do you feel stronger? More resilient?
  • Are you going to bed earlier? Sleeping better?
  • Are you taking lunch to work vs ordering take out (or hitting the breakroom for donuts)?
  • Are you loading up on healthier choices at the grocery store? Or skipping the chip aisle?
  • Have you started eating one instead of two bowls of ice cream at night?
  • Can you walk a little farther today than you could three months ago?
  • Is your LDL cholesterol going down?
  • Do your clothes fit better?

Remember – the scale is only ONE way to measure progress.

Take a minute to answer this question:

What are three things (other than the scale) that will tell you you’re moving closer to your health goal?

You’ll find that it’s so much easier to stay motivated if you can find small signs of everyday progress.

You never know where progress may be lurking. Keep an open mind, and hunt for it.

XO ~Robyn

I work with courageous + determined women who are ready to say goodbye to yo-yo dieting for good. We’ll use a sustainable, practice-based approach to build healthy habits into your life, one day at a time for an entire year.

The result? You’ll develop healthy habits that become second nature and last a lifetime. You’ll lose the weight (and inches) you haven’t been able to shed – for good.

If this resonates with you, CLICK HERE for details on how to work with me.

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The Snake and the Rope

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Not overeating is easy. You simply eat when you’re physically hungry, stop when you’re satisfied and repeat.

What’s hard are the feelings that show up when we don’t overeat.

When we don’t overeat, we have to feel and we don’t want to.

It’s not that we’re not willing, it’s that most of us haven’t practiced feeling our feelings.

So we eat + distract + numb with food and wine instead of feeling.

We’re afraid of not having the escape.

But what we’re afraid of is harmless.

If you take away the extra food, you get to experience the truth of your life.

Which may seem scary at first, but in actuality – is a very good thing.

We need to know what we’re feeling.

Our feelings are what inspire us to make changes.

When we numb out the feelings, we numb out our desire to change.

Have you heard the story about the snake and the rope?

The author Byron Katie tells a story about seeing a rope in the desert and being terrified, thinking it was a snake.

When she realizes it was just a rope, she knows there is nothing to be afraid of.

Your feelings are not a snake – they’re a rope.

Grab hold.

XO ~Robyn

Weight Loss Coaching is not another fad diet, cleanse or get thin quick scheme. This approach is a pathway to sanity around food, a healthier you, lasting results – and a more delicious life.

I work with courageous + determined women who are ready to say goodbye to yo-yo dieting and calorie counting – for good. If this approach resonates with you, then LET’S CHAT Chickadee!

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Identifying Your Top Values

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Deep down in your innermost being, what is important to you? What sort of qualities do you want to nurture in yourself? What do you want to stand for? How do you want to be in your relationships with others?

Values are our heart’s deepest desires for how we want to interact with and relate to the world, other people and ourselves. They are the principles that can guide us and motivate us as we move through life.

Without values, we’re a ship with no sail. We’re lost in the woods without a compass or a map.

“Values are like a compass. A compass gives you direction and keeps you on track when you’re traveling. And our values do the same for the journey of life. We use them to choose the direction in which we want to move and to keep us on track as we go.

So when you act on a value, it’s like heading west. No matter how far west you travel, you never get there, there’s always further to go. But goals are like the things you try to achieve on your journey, they’re like the sights you want to see or the mountains you want to climb while you keep on traveling west.” ~ from Act Made Simple, Dr. Russ Harris

If life feels a bit scattered + frustrating, this post is for you. It’s time to locate your compass and get clear about who you are + what you stand for + where you’re going.

When the things you do and the way you behave align with your values, you feel satisfied + content. Life is good!

When we’re not living according to our values – that’s when life feels kind of off + incoherent. And when life feels incoherent, we often turn to food (or wine or over-shopping) for soothing.

And that’s why taking the time to identify your values is essential. It’s one of the very first exercises I have my new coaching clients complete.

Below are 42 of the most common values. Read through the list and identify the values that are most important to you. Then narrow down your list to your Top 5 Values.

  • Acceptance/self-acceptance: to be accepting of myself, others, life, etc.
  • Adventure: to be adventurous; to actively explore novel or stimulating experiences
  • Assertiveness: to respectfully stand up for my rights and request what I want
  • Authenticity: to be authentic, genuine, and real; to be true to myself
  • Caring/self-care: to be caring toward myself, others, the environment, etc.
  • Challenge: to keep challenging myself to grow, learn improve
  • Compassion/self-compassion: to act kindly toward myself and others in pain
  • Connection: to engage fully in whatever I’m doing and be fully present with others
  • Contribution and generosity: to contribute, give, help, assist, or share
  • Cooperation: to be cooperative and collaborative with others
  • Courage: to be courageous or brave; to persist in the face of fear, threat, or difficulty
  • Creativity: to be creative or innovative
  • Curiosity: to be curious, open minded, and interested; to explore and discover
  • Encouragement: to encourage and reward behavior that I value in myself or others
  • Excitement: to seek, create, and engage in activities that are exciting or stimulating
  • Fairness and justice: to be fair and just to myself and others
  • Fitness: to maintain or improve or look after my physical and mental health
  • Flexibility: to adjust and adapt readily to changing circumstances
  • Freedom and independence: to choose how I live and help others do likewise
  • Friendliness: to be friendly, companionable, or agreeable toward others
  • Forgiveness/self-forgiveness: to be forgiving toward myself and others
  • Fun and humor: to be fun loving; to seek, create, and engage in fun-filled activities
  • Generosity: to be generous, sharing and giving, to myself and others
  • Gratitude: to be grateful for and appreciative of myself, others, and life
  • Honesty: to be honest, truthful, and sincere with myself and others
  • Humility: to be humble or modest; to let my achievements speak for themselves
  • Industry: to be industrious, hardworking, and dedicated
  • Intimacy: to open up, reveal, and share myself, emotionally or physically
  • Kindness and love: to be kind, considerate, nurturing, affectionate or caring toward myself or others
  • Mindfulness: to be open to, engaged in, and curious about the present moment
  • Order: to be orderly and organized
  • Patience: to wait calmly for what I want
  • Persistence: to continue resolutely, despite problems or difficulties
  • Power: to strongly influence or wield authority other others, e.g. taking charge, leading, organizing
  • Respect/self-respect: to treat myself and others with care and consideration
  • Responsibility: to be responsible and accountable for my actions
  • Self-awareness: to be aware of my own thoughts, feelings and actions
  • Self-care: to look after my health and well-being
  • Spirituality: to connect with things bigger than myself
  • Skillfulness: to continually practice and improve my skills and apply myself fully
  • Supportiveness: to be supportive, helpful, and available to myself or others
  • Trust: to be trustworthy; to be loyal, faithful, sincere, and reliable

Be sure the values you’ve chosen aren’t externally motivated or what you think you ought to value.

Do your values make you feel good about yourself? Are you proud of your top values? Would you be comfortable and proud to tell your values to people you respect and admire? Do these values represent things you would support – even if your choice isn’t popular and it puts you in the minority?

Whenever you’re faced with a decision or a challenge, stop and consider your values. I can’t begin to tell you how much easier decision making has become now that I know what my top values are.

Stop worrying about what the latest self-help guru says you need to do to be happy. Access your own wisdom instead. You already have all of the necessary ingredients for creating a fulfilling life. Go ahead and turn those ingredients into something beautiful + delicious.

XO ~Robyn

PS: Stay tuned for the next post (9/29) where I’ll show you how to put this knowledge into action.

Ready to get off the yo-yo diet rollercoaster, make peace with food, reach your leanest livable weight and reshape your life?

To learn more about private Weight Loss Coaching, CLICK HERE to schedule a free Discovery Session or email me directly at robyn@chickadeeweightloss.com.

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Understanding Why We Diet

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Why do we diet?

It’s a simple enough question. The answer, however, is both complicated and individual.

First, know that you’re not alone. An estimated 45 million Americans diet each year and spend $33 billion annually on weight loss products.

We’ve been force fed the message that life will be better when we’re thinner. If we can lose weight, everything will fall into place – we’ll be happier + more successful + more fulfilled.

Don’t believe me? Here’s a little collage of the pictures found on the landing pages of Weight Watchers + Jenny Craig + Nutrisystem…

Diet Site Pics

What I know to be true a thousand times over is that chronic dieting does not create a more fulfilling life.

So why do we continue to ride the “on again, off again” diet rollercoaster with little or no success? Let me highlight just a few of the many reasons…

  1. Focusing on our diet + weight is often easier than dealing with the real problems in our lives.
  2. We truly believe that thinness will bring us more happiness.
  3. When life feels out of control, trying to control our food and our size is appealing.
  4. Dieting is a way to “fit in” + avoid social rejection.

The good news – it’s possible to move away from a life of weight obsession and yo-yo dieting. But you have to ready. You have to be TOTALLY OVER the whole dieting thing.

Reaching your leanest livable weight (and maintaining it) requires a shift in mindset, learning + applying tools to address what’s really behind the overeating and embracing a new way of living.

Hard work? Indeed. Worth it? Yes – a million times yes!

My advice is to seek out professional help. Don’t try to do this on your own. If you’re ready to reclaim your life and stop the vicious cycle of on and off again dieting, there are numerous professionals out there that can help you through this process.

Here is a quick list of fantastic resources + blogs to help you get started…

My coaching practice is currently full, but I’ll be accepting one new client in June and one more in July. To learn more about private Weight Loss Coaching, CLICK HERE to schedule a free Discovery Session or email me directly at robyn@chickadeeweightloss.com.

XO ~Robyn

Diet Schmiet! Get off the yo-yo diet rollercoaster, make peace with food and your body, reach your leanest livable weight and reshape your life.