Robyn Spurr

Personal Health and Weight Loss Coaching For Women

Books

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Why Nature Makes Us Healthier, Happier and More Creative

I knew that spending time outside was good for me before reading Florence Williams’s, “The Nature Fix.”

To be honest, I wasn’t sure I’d learn anything new from the book.

I was wrong.

Williams decided to write the book after a move from Boulder, Colorado to Washington D.C. left her depressed and wondering if it had to do with the sudden shift to metropolitan living.

Nature, Williams concludes in the book, isn’t just something nice, it is a necessity – and one that is profoundly undervalued.

Researchers have found that time in nature can reduce blood pressure, anxiety, depression, stress, rumination and mental fatigue. It can also improve attention, memory, cognition, sleep, self-esteem and happiness. And the implications may stretch beyond the psychological benefits.

Surprisingly, as powerful as experiences in nature can be, not everyone benefits. Some people (around 15 or 20 percent), just don’t like nature and don’t get much out of it.

My city dwelling + London loving sister comes to mind. I suspect she is a member of this minority.

So how does nature work its wonders for the people who do like it? Williams concludes that “nature appears to act directly upon our autonomic systems, calming us, but it also works indirectly, through facilitating social contact and through encouraging exercise and physical movement.”

Even a small amount of time “can make us less aggressive, more creative, more civic minded and healthier overall.”

As little as 15 minutes in the woods has been shown to reduce test subjects’ levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Increase nature exposure to 45 minutes, and most individuals experience improvements in cognitive performance.

To stave off depression, Finnish researchers recommend five hours a month in nature, minimum. A doable amount for most of us.

At the start of the year, I introduced a daily walking habit that has proven to be life changing. I’m happier. More energetic. More relaxed. More creative.

I must admit, I’ve been scratching my head about why I didn’t do it sooner.

When working with my clients on introducing new + healthier habits, we always start small.

Given the abundance of research pointing to the benefits of getting outside, consider how you might start small.

Is it possible to carve 15 minutes out of your day to get outside? For me, avoiding social media during the day was essential.

We suffer from an “epidemic dislocation from the outdoors,” Williams writes, and it’s destructive to our mental and physical health. The therapy is straightforward. “The more nature, the better you feel.”

XO ~Robyn

Interested in a one-on-one coaching relationship with me? It would be an honor to work with you if and when the time feels right.

To learn more about Personal Health Coaching click HERE. 

To schedule a Discovery Session click HERE.

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Beauty Sick Book Review

I sometimes struggle with reconciling my advocacy of body acceptance with the fact that I help women lose weight.

Can you respect your body and want to change it?

My answer is a resounding yes. More than ever.

If I didn’t believe this to be true, there is no way I could do this work with integrity.

Unwinding beauty sickness and appreciating what our bodies do FOR us is an essential component of well-being.

In her book, Beauty Sickness, Renee Englen, a professor at Northwestern University and head of the Body and Media Lab, very clearly and in a very compelling manner exposes the cultural epidemic of beauty sickness, the obsession with appearance, and how it affects or has affected most women in America.

Using scientific studies and interviews with women, young and old and from all different walks of life, she shows the disturbing scope of this problem. The stories of these women are heartbreaking and oh-so-familiar and I could see myself (particularly my younger self) in so many of them.

But Renee doesn’t just leave you with the realization of all the damage beauty sickness has wrought, she very gracefully lays out some extremely helpful and practical solutions to the problem.

1. Function over form. When we really stop to analyze how much we focus on appearance, it’s pretty astounding. Instead of focusing on what we (or others) look like, zero in on what our amazing bodies CAN DO (e.g. hug our loved ones, see a beautiful vista, sing a song, hike a trail, smell lilacs).

The way to take better care of your body is not by shaming it, it’s by being kind and practicing gratitude for all the things it does for you.

2. Love not hate. Please don’t listen to those who claim you have to hate how your body looks in order to motivate healthy behaviors. These claims ARE NOT supported by any type of scientific data.

3. Ask different questions. How do you want the world to be different when you leave it? What kind of person do you want to be? What do you want to be remembered for? Probably not great abs. Let the answers to these questions have a greater influence on how you spend your time + money + energy.

4. Media. Don’t consume media messages about the ideal body. Whether its TV shows, your Instagram feed, magazine covers, books – if it pushes the unobtainable, photoshopped ideal, don’t look at it and don’t think about it.

I recently revamped my Instagram feed to include ONLY people + businesses that promote acceptance and inclusivity. Posts that lift me up and inspire. Life changing.

Instead of fighting the poison after it’s already entered your system, change what you’re consuming.

5. Body Talk. Try not to talk negatively about your body, especially in front of children. Whenever we complain about our body we’re encouraging those around us to do the same.

“When we degrade our own bodies, we send the message to others that it’s acceptable for them to do so as well.”

6. Praise Character. When praising others, try not to focus on appearance.

This one is HARD.

We’re conditioned to praise appearance. What’s FASCINATING is the research shows that even a “positive” comment makes the recipient become more body conscious.

“That shirt looks so good on you,” reminds the wearer that her appearance is being critiqued.

Instead of praising appearance, praise character, what they’ve accomplished, who they are at the heart.

“Anything that draws a woman’s attention to the appearance of her own body or makes her feel as though her body is being evaluated can result in body shame.”

I will say, I found this book difficult to read on occasion. It challenges. It triggers. It asks you to reexamine deep-rooted beliefs and behaviors.

But – if you’re ready, it can also be a powerful catalyst for healing.

XO ~Robyn

Interested in a one-on-one coaching relationship with me? It would be an honor to work with you if and when the time feels right.

To learn more about Personal Health Coaching click HERE. 

To schedule a Discovery Session click HERE.

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Top Non-Diet Weight Loss Strategies – The Self Compassion “Diet”

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See if this resonates with you…

Go on a diet – feel a crappy feeling – overeat to numb/distract/escape feeling – beat self up for overeating and for feeling “bad” – feel worse – give up on diet (screw it!) – eat mindlessly – gain weight – beat self up for gaining weight – go on another restrictive/punishing diet…

You guys, I see this ALL THE TIME.

The more we beat ourselves up, the more we want to check out and give up so we can escape the beatings + self-criticism. Then, one day we start right back up where we left off – with another restrictive + self-punishing diet.

The way to reach your goals is through self-compassion and forgiveness (not, I repeat NOT self-criticism).

Try these instead…

  • Listen to your body
  • Eat when you’re hungry + stop when you’re satisfied
  • Stop telling yourself you’re supposed to feel happy all the time
  • Honor ALL of your emotions
  • Celebrate the small wins
  • When you mess up, forgive and move on.

If there is one I’ve learned via my own weight loss journey and by coaching other women, it’s that beating ourselves up never leads to a positive result. Healthy is a place you get to with love.

​Here’s an excerpt from a recent Scientific American article (Why Diets Don’t Work and What Does).

“In a 2014 study, women with eating disorders, including some who binged or who were overweight, received compassion-focused therapy—an approach aimed at reducing feelings of shame and improving self-esteem. Over the 12-week treatment, women who exhibited greater improvements in self-compassion and reductions in body shame were also more likely to develop better eating habits.​”

Now you might be wondering, where do I start? How do I begin to practice self-compassion?

One of the simplest ways is to start tracking daily evidence for success. Write down one thing you do well each day. One way you took care of YOU. One action that is moving you closer to your goals for yourself. Nothing is too small.

Even if you screwed up 357 other things, write down that one small victory.

Train your mind to look for the good.

Another pathway to self-compassion is knowing that you’re not alone.

Look, we’re all kind of messed up and stumbling through this thing called life. If someone tells you they have it all figured out, they’re lying! Liar liar pants on fire!

A client of mine sent me this TED Talk last week (Glennon Doyle Melton: Lessons From the Mental Hospital).

It blew my mind. Raw + powerful + brilliant! I am currently soaking up everysinglething Glennon has written. You might say I’m obsessed. Guilty as charged.

After you watch the TED Talk, check out her blog.

Then go and get her book. Read it once, then read it again – then give it to a good friend. Seriously, it’s THAT good…

“Here’s my hunch: nobody’s secure, and nobody feels like she completely belongs. Those insecurities are just job hazards of being human. But some people dance anyway, and those people have more fun.” ​~ Glennon Doyle Melton, Carry On, Warrior: Thoughts on Life Unarmed

​Dance on Chickadees!

XO ~Robyn

PS: I’ve got openings for private Weight Loss Coaching coming up in EARLY September. Just around the corner. If you’re ready to lose the weight for good + create a more delicious life + practice self-compassion, then let’s chat Chickadee! 

 Click here to schedule a Discovery Session or email me directly at robyn@chickadeeweightloss.com.

 I’d love to work with you. Let’s make it happen.

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Top 3 Books to Inspire Hope + Change in 2015

Top 3 Books to Inspire Hope + Change in 2015

“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.” ~Charles William Eliot

Self-help books are a billion dollar business. Amazon runneth over – like a warm Coke in a frosty glass.

I’ve read my fair share over the years. Many are unremarkable – but there are some shining stars out there well worth your time and hard earned cash.

If you want to change + grow + thrive in 2015, here are three of my recent favorites.

Add them to your holiday list – quick quick quick.

#1 The Antidote: Happiness For People Who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking

“Oliver Burkeman introduces us to an unusual group of people who share a single, surprising way of thinking about life. That there is an alternative path to happiness and success that involves embracing failure, pessimism, insecurity, and uncertainty – the very things we spend our lives trying to avoid.”

#2 Small Victories: Spotting Improbable Moments of Grace

ADORE + LOVE + CHERISH Anne Lamott!

“Anne Lamott offers a new message of hope that celebrates the triumph of light over the darkness in our lives. Our victories over hardship and pain may seem small, she writes, but they change us—our perceptions, our perspectives, and our lives.

Lamott writes of forgiveness, restoration, and transformation, how we can turn toward love even in the most hopeless situations, how we find the joy in getting lost and our amazement in finally being found.”

#3 The Art of Asking; or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help

“A beautifully written inquiry into why we have such a hard time accepting compassion in all of its permutations, from love to what it takes to make a living, what lies behind our cynicism in refusing it, and how learning to accept it makes possible the greatest gifts of our shared humanity.”

Happy Reading!

XO ~Robyn

Robyn Spurr is a Once Obese Chick, Eating Disorder Survivor, Certified Weight Loss Coach, Personal Trainer and founder of Chickadee Weight Loss. 

She helps women learn to manage their emotions without food and reach their healthy, natural weight without all the diet craziness.