Robyn Spurr

Personal Health and Weight Loss Coaching For Women

Weight Loss Coaching

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The Myth of Comfort Food

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Traci Mann, Ph.D. heads up the Health and Eating Lab at the University of Minnesota.

When she and her colleagues heard that NASA was looking for scientists to study stress and eating among astronauts, they jumped at the chance.

The team conducted a series of research studies testing whether comfort food did in fact provide comfort. What they discovered was shocking…

“…comfort food does not provide more comfort than any other foods, or no food at all.“

The idea that comfort food does in fact provide comfort was so widely accepted that no one ever bothered to test it scientifically.

Well, Dr. Mann’s lab took it on and the results are in…

“We tell ourselves that we need or even deserve unhealthy treats when we have endured something unpleasant, or are stressed, sad or angry. But the research shows, this a flawed justification.

Even if you’ve believed in the power of comfort food your whole life, it’s time to let it go.

Comfort food is nothing more than a food you happen to want when you feel bad.”

So try this the next time you feel bad; instead of reaching for the cookies, remind yourself that they will not improve your mood beyond what would happen if you didn’t eat anything.

And in fact, by eating something that may make you feel guilty later, you are actually doing the opposite of comforting yourself.

Want to learn more? Get Dr. Mann’s book, “Secrets From the Eating Lab,” here.

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.

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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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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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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How to Create More of What You Want

Sometimes we just don’t know how to get unstuck.

We desperately want to break free from the worry or self-doubt or frustration – but we simply can’t pull ourselves out of the mud.

So we spin and swirl in our painful thoughts and emotions much longer than we need to.

Here’s a simple tool that I use with my own clients to help them create more of what they want in life.

Ready?

All you have to do is answer four simple questions. I highly recommend you write down your answers – pen to paper – old school style!

Why? We want to get those thoughts out of our heads – so we can look at them objectively.

  1. What’s not working? (or – What’s the problem?) 
  1. What am I doing (or not doing) to create this result?
  1. What do I want to create instead?
  1. What exactly do I need to do to make this happen?

So simple – yet so unbelievably effective!

I have copies of the four questions printed out and ready to use anytime stuck-ness strikes. Because no one is safe from stuck-ness.

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.