Robyn Spurr

Personal Health and Weight Loss Coaching For Women

Coaching Tools

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Overcoming the “Scary” Scale

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Our mind can be a wonderful ally – or the world’s worst motivational speaker. And when we step on the scale, our mind tends to kick right into world’s worst motivational speaker mode.

You’re disgusting.
Look at that number!
You’ll never lose weight.
It’s hopeless.
Why even bother?
Screw it.

Weighing yourself regularly when trying to lose weight can be very helpful. We need this information to determine whether or not we need to make adjustments.

That said, you’ve probably had the experience of dreading the number on the scale. The silly square box on the floor seems to be “saying” so much more to us. I call this phenomenon, “the manipulative scale.”

The scale can’t tell you anything about your worth as person, what you care about, or how well you’re living your life.

The scale simply gives you information in the form of a number. The rest is projected onto the experience by the world’s worst motivational speaker (aka your mind).

If this all sounds familiar, I want you start noticing what your mind is telling you when you get on the scale. Try weighing yourself every day for an entire week and write down the thoughts your mind offers. Note whether the thoughts are helpful or unhelpful.

The very best way to keep your thoughts from making you feel bad about yourself is to learn to see the thoughts as unhelpful comments from your mind rather than facts.

How do you do that? Here are a few ideas…

~ When you notice unhelpful thoughts, imagine them in a ridiculous or super fancy font on a computer screen.

~ Imagine the thoughts being spoken in a silly cartoon voice – for example Daffy Duck or SpongeBob SquarePants.

~ Imagine the thoughts being spoken by someone you don’t trust.

~ Visualize the thoughts popping up on an evil scale that’s determined to ridicule you and knock you off track.

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Now you might be thinking, but some of what my mind says is TRUE!

It doesn’t matter whether or not a thought is true, what matters is whether or not it’s helpful to hang on to it.

When we buy into unhelpful thoughts generated by the world’s worst motivation speaker, they often drive behaviors that take us AWAY from what we want for ourselves.

For example, buying into, “you’re such a loser and you’re never going to lose weight so just give up already,” is probably not going to lead to cooking a healthy meal or heading off to the gym.

Aligning with these types of thoughts will likely send you straight to the bottom of a pint of ice cream.

Now repeat the thought back in the voice of SpongeBob (or Patrick)…

“You’re such a loser and you’re never going to lose weight so just give up already.”

Takes away the thought’s power, right?

When we can step back and observe certain thoughts as unhelpful mind chatter, we can more easily move forward in the direction of our goals.

XO ~Robyn

I’m currently accepting new Weight Loss Coaching clients!

The Chickadee Weight Loss approach offers proven-effective methods based in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help you fundamentally change the way you think about food and your body, so that you can successfully lose the weight and live a happy and fulfilling life.

I work with determined + smart + courageous women who are ready to get off the diet rollercoaster – for good.

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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A Memorial For Painful Memories

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We humans have a tendency to want to make painful or unpleasant thoughts + feelings + memories go away. In fact, we go to great lengths to avoid having them show up – over and over. We eat cupcakes, drink wine, do drugs, pop pills, try hypnosis – yet they always return, no matter how hard we try.

There’s an alternative way to approach painful memories.

Think of your body as a vessel, with all of the bits and pieces of you inside – your memories, your organs, your mind, your emotions.

Now imagine that there’s a small part of your body meant to honor all the painful memories – a memorial of sorts. This memorial serves as a symbol of the fact that, through all the pain, through all the difficulty – you have endured. You keep moving on. You continue.

Try this. Take a minute to choose a place in your body where your memorial will live. Where you’ll house all of your painful memories. Maybe it’s located in a small section of your heart or tucked away in a corner of your mind.

A memorial is an object that serves as a remembrance of something.

Memorials aren’t meant to make us feel happy; rather they serve to honor the past and keep memories alive.

From time to time, you’ll pass by this memorial and honor your journey and your perseverance. Other times there will be new memories to add.

Ignoring a memory or trying to pretend it’s not there is a form of self-dislike. It’s like saying that there’s something wrong with a piece of your history.

It’s the opposite of self-compassion.

Instead of trying to make the painful memories go away (which never works long-term), acknowledge what happened and allow yourself to make peace with your memories. Recognize that it’s okay to feel what you feel.

No matter what you’ve been through, you are here today – enduring. Instead of trying to banish the painful memories – honor your enduring self and your unremitting resilience.

XO ~Robyn

I have one opening for a new private Weight Loss Coaching client starting right away.

The Chickadee Weight Loss approach offers proven-effective methods based in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help you fundamentally change the way you think about food, so that you can successfully lose the weight and live a happy and fulfilling life.

I work with determined + smart + courageous women who are ready to get off the diet rollercoaster – for good.

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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Letting Go of the All or Nothing Approach to Weight Loss

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I’ve read at least three articles about abstaining from alcohol for the month of January (aka Dry January) – along with countless articles + blogs about detoxes, cleanses and of course – diets. And it’s only January 11th.

Most of my life was spent either on a diet of off a diet. Either being good – or bad. Can you relate?

Those were also the years when I was battling bulimia and hating my body – no matter what the scale said.

We live in a society that is all about extremes…

  • A month-long boot camp to punish ourselves for a sedentary December
  • A juice fast to make up too many Christmas cookies
  • Diet all week – binge all weekend

Restriction tends to have a rebound effect.

Whole 30 = ALL THE SUGAR when the 30 days is over

Dry January = “pour me another” February

Pre-cruise detox = buffet binges for 7 straight days

You get the point.

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When I talk about moderation with my clients they love the idea. But when it comes to putting moderation into practice – that’s where the REAL work begins. It’s a foreign concept to those of us who are recovering yo-yo dieters.

If we embraced moderation – all year long – we wouldn’t be so tempted by fad diets + bootcamps + detoxes.

Moderation isn’t sexy. Moderation doesn’t promise that you’ll lose 20 pounds and two dress sizes in a month. Moderation doesn’t promise flat abs or buns of steel.

What moderation can give you is freedom.

Moderation can teach you to listen to your wise body and let it guide your decisions – rather than relying on a set of external rules.

Moderation is a way out of suffering – and a first class ticket out of Extreme Land.

Your body is so very wise.

If you tune in, it will tell you when to eat and when to stop. It will let you know which foods make it feel great – and which ones don’t. It will say – hey, I’m hurting – how about we take a break from the gym today.

Swinging between extremes is exhausting and ultimately unsustainable.

Dieting is NOT a successful permanent weight loss strategy.

Before you hop on board the train to Fast February or Detox March – stop and ask yourself one simple question…

How has the all or nothing approach been working out so far?

And if you’re ready to try something new, let’s chat Chickadee.

XO ~Robyn

I’m currently accepting new private coaching clients! Weight Loss Coaching is not another fad diet or get thin quick scheme. It’s a pathway to sanity around food, a healthier you – and a more delicious life. No calorie counting required.

I work with determined + smart + courageous women who are ready to get off the diet rollercoaster – for good.

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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Robyn Spurr is a Once Obese Chick, Eating Disorder Survivor, Certified Weight Loss Coach, Personal Trainer and founder of Chickadee Weight Loss. She help​​s women learn to manage their emotions without food and reach their healthy, natural weight without all the diet craziness.

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Bridging the Gap Between What You Want and What You Have

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If we want to learn a new skill, we need to create space in our lives to do the work required. There’s no way around it.

Want to learn a new language? Become a skilled cooked? Run a half marathon? Lose weight – for good?

Most anything is possible with willingness + time + effort.

My clients are always ready + willing to do what it takes. It’s the time component of the equation that tends to trip them up.

  • I don’t have enough time.
  • This other thing came up.
  • I can’t seem to fit it in.
What we tend to label as a time problem, is more often than not – a priorities problem. There is usually a discrepancy between what we want to do + what we actually do.

Here’s how you solve this problem.

Write down your list of priorities the way they are right now. In other words, what are you spending your time on?

If you’re not sure, keep a time journal for one full day so you can get a snapshot of your life. You might be quite surprised by what you uncover.

Next, write down how you would like your list of priorities to look. What do you want to be spending your time on?

What we think is most important to us and the reality of what we spend our time on doesn’t typically match up. Fascinating, right?

Now don’t skip this final step. Once you gather the information, ask yourself the following questions…

1. Why am I spending my time in this way?

2. Why do I want my priorities to be different?

The fuel that powers change is always a compelling why.

XO ~Robyn

Weight Loss Coaching is not another fad diet or get thin quick scheme. It’s a pathway to sanity around food, a healthier you – and a more delicious life. No calorie counting required.

I work with determined + smart + courageous women who are ready to get off the diet rollercoaster – for good.

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