Robyn Spurr

Personal Health and Weight Loss Coaching For Women

Coaching Tools

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What’s Way Better Than Food?

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Over the summer, I noticed that I was turning to food more often than usual. My scale noticed too.

So I sat down with my Top 5 Values and BOOM! – it was abundantly clear that I was altogether neglecting my adventure value.

My husband and I had been discussing the idea of visiting Scotland for about two years. But we came up with excuse after excuse for not booking the trip…

  • We don’t want to leave the dog
  • It’s too hard to step away from our businesses
  • Flights are too expensive right now
  • Maybe next spring – or in 2018

When we’re trying to lose weight, most of us rely on willpower to resist our desire for food – until we inevitably run out of willpower.

But there’s an alternative approach to weight loss that happens to make life even more fulfilling. Yes, MORE fulfilling.

Ask yourself this question. What’s way better than food in your life? What gives you even more pleasure than your favorite treat?

When I answered this question for myself, here’s what I came up with…

  • Planning + going on adventures and road trips
  • Hiking + snowshoeing in nature
  • Having fun with my friends
  • Reading an amazing book that I can’t put down
  • Learning something new
  • Feeling a sense of accomplishment

My invitation to you is to no longer think of losing weight as a period of deprivation. When we purposefully increase the amount of time we’re dedicating to behaviors that create more pleasure than food, the desire for the extra food tends to fall away.

Step #1 – Get clear about what’s better than food in your life.

Step #2 – Decide how you can create more of these things. Be specific + create an action plan.

Step #3 – Take action! If being in nature is better than food, work out a way to carve time out of each day to go outside. If you crave adventure – stop waiting for the perfect time and book that trip.

And that, my friends, is how you lose weight without all the craving and deprivation.

I lost a pound and a half while in Scotland. Food wasn’t a priority. Food was simply there to fuel my life.

The hubby and I are planning a quick weekend camping trip to Utah in a few weeks. No more snubbing that adventure value for me.

When we create more of what brings us lasting pleasure in life, the fleeting pleasure from food becomes less compelling.

When life is more delicious, all that extra food simply isn’t necessary.

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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Loch Ness, Scotland

 

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More Powerful Than a Food Journal?

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What you pay attention to grows. ~Geneen Roth

Tell me to what you pay attention and I will tell you who you are. ~Jose Ortega y Gassett

What we think, we become. ~Buddha

See a trend here?

What do you give more attention to in your life? That big bowl of ice cream you “shouldn’t” have eaten + how much you hate your thighs — or what you did well + like about yourself?

Most of us are conditioned to focus on our perceived failures and disappointments.

It’s human nature – our default setting.

But our brain is plastic. We can create new pathways + habits + patterns. We can rewire our brain. We can create a NEW default mode. A mode that leads to more cheers + smiles + feelings of accomplishment.

Every action we take either moves us closer to — or farther away from our goals and a more fulfilling life.

What if we chose to stop giving the missteps and so called “screw ups” so much of our attention?

What if we chose to consciously shine a light on the successes?

How might our lives transform?

I’m in the midst of a personal experiment. Earlier this week, I started keeping what I call a Towards Journal.

It’s simply a list of every action I’ve taken that propels me towards what I want for myself in life.

In other words — the actions I take each day that are in line with my top values (connection, adventure, fitness, skillfulness, kindness). The actions that make me feel proud + accomplished + fulfilled.

Now I’m only on day 4, BUT — I think I’m on to something you guys.

When we’re focusing on what we’ve done well, we go out of our way to create even more actions to add to the list.

What you pay attention to grows. ~Geneen Roth

If you’re trying to lose weight or increase your level of fitness or simply want to feel more fulfilled (and who doesn’t want that?) – give it a try.

Commit to 30 days.

Figure out your Top 5 Values.

Write down every towards move.

Check in with yourself at the end of the month.

Notice if you’re closer to your goals than you were 30 days prior.

Notice if you feel more fulfilled.

Be amazed by your ability to create positive change…

…one small action at a time.

XO ~Robyn

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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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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How Do We Create Happiness?

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We’re all in search of happiness.

We want happiness for ourselves, our children, our spouses, our friends…

But how do we go about creating happiness in our lives?

The question came up while listening to one of my favorite podcasts recently – and interviewee’s response was downright brilliant.

She said…

Happiness is a result of how satisfied we are about the progress we’re making toward our life goals.

Aha – not so elusive anymore.

Want to create more happiness in your life? Start by identifying your goals.

What do you want to create in your life? How do you want to be? What do you want to do?

Write your goals down.

Mine are printed out and posted on my monitor.

We can’t generate feelings of accomplishment or fulfillment if we have no idea what we want to achieve in life.

Get clear.

The good news is, we don’t have to wait for happiness.

We don’t need that promotion or new car or a million bucks in the bank.

We simply need to be making progress toward our goals. And that’s something we can bring about every single day of our lives.

Happiness doesn’t come from the accomplishment. It’s all about the journey.

Happiness is available to you right now. Go and get it.

XO ~Robyn

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.