Eating healthy without barriers

I'm part Irish and I was raised Catholic. If there's one thing I know in life, I know guilt. And, having a bit of a sweet tooth, I've been known to feel quite guilty about some not-so-healthy food choices. I'm not alone in that. Almost everyone is (ahem) guilty of feeling guilty about the foods they put in their mouth. And, frankly, it's a ridiculous notion.

Food and emotion should be two entirely separate things. Having a brownie does not make you a bad person. It doesn't make you weak or negate all the other healthy choices you make in your life. While it's, of course, important to to eat healthfully and nourish your body with the proper foods, it's OK to stray and allow yourself a treat from time to time.

In fact, labeling foods as "bad" gives them a power they don't deserve. There's a post on FitnessFixation.com where the author mentions how Sesame Street talks about foods in terms of "healthy food" and "fun food." That's such a great way to look at it, don't you think?