Michelle Harrington

I’m Not Dying, You’re Dying

Okay, we’re all dying, and I think about it a lot lately. For one thing, I decided to live as though I would die on my next birthday. I have 333 days to go. (If I’m lucky.) To that end, I am pondering hard truths and reading (mostly listening to audio books) a lot, someContinue reading “I’m Not Dying, You’re Dying”

Finding What Matters Most

Why I intend to live my 60th year as though it’s my last (originally published on Medium) I’ve been plenty busy (procrastinating) building my health coaching business, which ebbs and flows as I haven’t the funds to invest in advertising and I’m an inconsistent self-marketer. I have the background to do marketing, but when IContinue reading “Finding What Matters Most”

I Am in Love with Myself — and It’s About Damn Time

Self-acceptance can take a minute, but it’s so worth it (Originally published on Medium in the publication Boomerangs) I have been on the long road to complete self-acceptance for decades. I have enjoyed the help of therapists, friends, and the changing cultural landscapes— like the ones that now call out diet culture and fat-shaming, andContinue reading “I Am in Love with Myself — and It’s About Damn Time”

After Weight Loss: Learning to Embrace the New You (or Whatever’s Left)

“I feel fantastic! I’ve lost 125 lbs. since early 2015. My energy and activity levels have soared. I love the huge variety of nutrient-dense foods I have the opportunity to eat. I’m truly thrilled to be alive!” “Yikes! Who am I? And whose body is this? Loose, wrinkly skin! Veins for days! And where’s myContinue reading “After Weight Loss: Learning to Embrace the New You (or Whatever’s Left)”

What Now? How to Not Accidentally Quit After Reaching A Big Goal

Congratulations! You’ve reached your goal!! But instead of elation, or maybe alongside it, you feel tired or depleted or ravenous. Maybe you’re conscious of the “what now?” or “what’s next?” thoughts. Or maybe… what’s that? Grief? Confusion? Your identity has been associated with that big goal for months, maybe years. If you no longer haveContinue reading “What Now? How to Not Accidentally Quit After Reaching A Big Goal”

Question of the Day: Can I Lose Weight Without Dieting?

Healthy Eating Pattern 101 You’ve likely heard it a million times: the only sustainable way to lose weight and keep it off is through lifestyle change. It’s true. And it’s slow compared to extreme calorie or food group restrictions, timed-eating restrictions, fasting, and extreme, repetitive sweat sessions. It’s also not very flashy. Invariably, though, theContinue reading “Question of the Day: Can I Lose Weight Without Dieting?”

Question of the Day: Help! How Do I Get Myself Off the Couch?

How to Get More Active NOW! You want to “get active,” but work, kids, lack of motivation, partners, Netflix, stress, boredom, anxiety, anger, frustration, insecurity, late-stage capitalism, are all actively inviting you to give your attention to them. How do you break free of “all that” and peel yourself off the couch? Has the phraseContinue reading “Question of the Day: Help! How Do I Get Myself Off the Couch?”

Question of the Day: How Do I Deal With Obstacles and Lapses?

3 Tips to Getting Back Up Again You’ve embarked on a new fitness plan, a healthy eating pattern, a smoking cessation program–or maybe you’ve been absolutely spiffy at it for months–and then the inevitable happens. You stumble. You miss a session. You give in to temptation. Maybe you think: “No problem, I’ll get to itContinue reading “Question of the Day: How Do I Deal With Obstacles and Lapses?”

Question of the Day: What’s Your “Why?”

The Gas in Your Behavior Change Motivation Tank If you’re embarking on any kind of personal, behavioral change, you’ll be in a much better position to succeed if you know why you want to make that change on a deep level. Goals are absolutely important–particularly if you’ve taken the time to develop SMART goals (specific,Continue reading “Question of the Day: What’s Your “Why?””

Question of the Day: Can I Be Body Positive AND Try to Lose Weight?

I’ve noticed that people often have a difficult time holding two different thoughts as true at the same time, such as the dialectical premise that you can practice “radical acceptance” of a past trauma AND wish to move on from it, or “radically accept” that you live with chronic pain AND that life is worthContinue reading “Question of the Day: Can I Be Body Positive AND Try to Lose Weight?”