Robyn Spurr

Personal Health and Weight Loss Coaching For Women

Nutrition

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The Art of Eating Well

Too many of us fall into the trap of eating in ways that are either excessively permissive or overly strict.

A bottle of wine and four slices of pizza for dinner on Tuesday followed by skipping lunch and an hour of treadmill “punishment” on Wednesday.

A weekend free for all and a week of low carb repentance.  

Whole30 October + eat ALL THE THINGS November.

These approaches are neither sustainable or particularly enjoyable.

Lasting change requires an unwinding of the all or nothing approach to eating. Healthy eating doesn’t mean every meal has to be “perfect” (which is impossible anyway). It looks a bit more like 80/20. Which seems like a simple concept, but can be difficult to implement if you’ve practiced being either “on” or “off” a diet for any length of time. One “slip up” means the whole day is ruined. So you might as well finish off the ice cream in the freezer, right?

If this resonates (and you are NOT alone), try to start thinking of feeding yourself as a good parent feeds a child.

With love.

With limits.

Without drama – or harsh punishment.

Eating well is a skill you can learn (at any age). It requires saying goodbye to other people’s diet rules and coming up with a set of guidelines that make sense for you. It requires patience and self-compassion. It requires trying different foods and acquiring a taste for items that may not have been a regular part of your diet in the past (like veggies or coffee without caramel syrup and whip).

It requires SLOWING down and thoughtfully building in healthier habits while gently unwinding the unhelpful ones.

But we live in an instant gratification world. We want to lose 50 pounds yesterday. So we’re easily wooed by extreme diet after extreme diet, instead of slowly + steadily shifting our palate and habits.

We become skilled at being on a diet – or being off a diet. And that is not a recipe for sustained success.

You can and will change your habits, your weight, and your relationship with food for good if you give it enough time.

The word health originally meant “whole” or complete. To be healthy was to be sound of body and mind. Many of us – whether we diet or not – have a relationship with food that is broken. But it’s never too late to pick up the pieces and put them back together.

💙 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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The Potential BENEFITS of Weight Cycling

For years we’ve been told that losing + regaining weight might be detrimental to our health and metabolism.

In 2016, a New York Times article about weight regain among The Biggest Loser contestants went viral.

Many lost hope.

However, little is known about hormone regulation and body fat composition after multiple episodes of weight cycling.

Today, a University of Washington team released a first-of-its-kind study, published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology—Endocrinology and Metabolism that highlights the potential benefits of multiple weight loss attempts.

Repeatedly losing and regaining weight may lead to improved insulin levels and lower body fat percentages in the long term, even during weight regain phases. 

This was not a study funded by Slim Fast or Weight Watchers. The American Journal of Physiology—Endocrinology and Metabolism is a peer reviewed + highly reputable scientific journal. The lead researcher is a medical doctor and fellow at the University of Washington.

While the study was conducted on rats, not humans, there is much to be optimistic about.

After the first cycle, when compared with the controls, the weight cyclers ate less during the weight regain periods and had lower body fat mass and insulin levels. In addition, there was no difference in levels of leptin and ghrelin—hormones that control hunger, appetite and weight regulation—between the two groups, which suggests the stability of hormone levels even throughout periods of weight cycling, the research team explained. “The improvement in fat mass as well as improvement in glucose tolerance seen in our rats that had undergone weight cycling implies metabolic benefits to the periods of caloric restriction, despite the stress of the weight gain times,” the researchers wrote.

Let’s be honest. Very few of us lose the weight + keep it off on the first attempt. I sure didn’t. But eventually – I did. And this new study ought to restore hope for those who’ve bought into the notion that it’s nearly impossible to lose weight for good.  

Believing you can is half the battle.

💙 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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What Should I Eat?

Changing opinions, clickbait-y headlines and the latest get thin quick schemes keep us in a state of perpetual confusion about what to eat.

  • Should I cut sugar completely out of my diet?
  • Can I eat carbs and still lose weight?
  • Should I fast?
  • Keto?

My favorite advice on nutrition comes from Michael Pollan…

Eat real food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

I recommend my clients choose real food (either straight from nature or minimally processed like rolled oats) 90-95% of the time and what I call “joy” food (whatever you LOVE) the other 5-10% of the time.

Eating a mostly whole foods diet helps us naturally increase our fiber intake, which leads to feeling more satisfied overall.

The New York Times surveyed Americans and a panel of nutrition experts a few years ago about the foods they considered healthy.

For the most part, the public and the experts agreed.

Only four of the foods surveyed were considered healthy by the Americans public but not by the experts…

  • Granola
  • Granola bars
  • Coconut oil
  • Frozen yogurt

Opinions differed when it came to Orange Juice and Slim Fast shakes as well, but not by as wide a margin. And a few foods were ranked healthier by the experts than the average consumer (hummus, quinoa, tofu, sushi, shrimp, wine).

Another recent article looked at data from MyFitnessPal’s 4.6 million users to determine what people who lost the most weight were eating.

Conclusion…

The most successful users ate diets rich in fiber (grains, veggies, fruits, nuts).

Knowing what to eat is only part of the equation. How much we eat is the other component.

I’m not a big fan of counting calories, grams or points. At least not long-term. It can come in handy if you’re out of touch with how much you’re consuming versus what your body needs to function well. But I think a simpler approach, such as aiming for four whole foods based meals per day can be just as effective.

For most women, I recommend the following guidelines:

  • 1-2 palm sized servings of protein dense food at each meal;
  • 1-3 fists of vegetables at each meal;
  • 1 cupped handful of carb dense food (e.g. beans, oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice) or fruit at most meals; and
  • 1 thumb of fat dense foods at most meals (e.g. oil based salad dressing, butter, guacamole, nut butter).

The recommendations above are not set in stone. I always collaborate with individuals to determine the right formula for their unique preferences + body type + goals. We gather data as we go and make changes when necessary, implementing one new change at a time.

Keeping a simple food journal (time of day + what you ate) is the best way I’ve found to raise awareness of what you’re consuming and manage portions. I’m a big fan + user of You Ate – a free photo food journaling app.

I think we can distill the overwhelming amount of nutritional information available into four simple suggestions…

  • Eat real food most of the time.
  • Include lots of high fiber foods (which will happen naturally with a whole foods diet).
  • Eat meals/snack less
  • Pay attention to how much you’re eating.

Still confused? Check out this brilliant article + infographic courtesy of Precision Nutrition.

💙 Robyn

To learn more about Personal Health Coaching click HERE. 

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Three Strategies for Healthy Dining Out

You don’t have to completely avoid restaurants when you’re trying to improve (+ maintain) your health.

A few simple techniques can keep you on track + making good food decisions – even when eating away from home.

Tip #1: Plan Plan Plan!

Most restaurants now have websites where you can view menus online. If possible, do your homework before you go. Look through the menu and decide on your choices beforehand, so you don’t fall prey to temptation or succumb to peer pressure from well-meaning friends (Oh, just order the Fettuccini Alfredo, live a little!).

If you live in the US, check out HealthyDiningFinder.com. It’ll suggest “best case scenario” options to you even at less-healthy restaurants (fast-food, chains, etc.)

If possible, choose a healthy-ish restaurant. It seems like new + nutritious restaurants are popping up all over the place – especially in the fast-casual category.

Here are a few of my top recommendations:

Tip #2: Look for the “Magic 3”

If you haven’t decided ahead of time, sit down with the menu and look for the “magic 3” choices:

  1. Vegetables and fruits
  2. Lean protein
  3. High-fiber, slow-digesting carbs such as beans or whole grains (quinoa, brown rice)

Any way you can strategize around excess processed carbs to get lean protein and veggies is good. Don’t be shy about asking for substitutions.

“Can I get some extra vegetables with that? I’m willing to pay a little more if need be.”

And always…

  • Substitute salad or veggies for higher carb sides like fries, rice, or macaroni salad.
  • Ask for no bread basket or chip bowl –- or at least keep it as far from your seat as possible.
Tip #3 – Ask

Know what you’re ordering. (In other words, ask.)

You can’t always trust the menu – so ask the server exactly what you’re ordering.

Here are a few choice questions:

  • How are the vegetables cooked? Any chance I could get them steamed?
  • Could you serve the dressings/sauces/condiments on the side?
  • Could you tell me if the chicken is breaded?

One more “ask” that comes in handy – a to-go box. If the portion you’re served is way too big, ask for a to-go box + place half in the box straight away.

We usually eat everything in front of us (even if we tell ourselves we won’t). Get the extra food out of site and you’ll set yourself up for success.

XO ~Robyn

I work with women who want to learn how to create real + lasting health changes. We’ll use a sustainable, practice-based approach to build healthy habits into your life, one day at a time for an entire year.

As your coach, I’ll provide accountability + direction + support every step of the way. I’ll help you stay consistent, no matter what life throws at you.

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