Bad.

Stop calling food bad.  Unless it's actually gone BAD (ie, rotten), just cut it out with that word, already.

Calling food bad or calling yourself bad for eating certain foods does absolutely nothing positive for your mind or body and robs you of the lovely sensation of enjoying what you're fucking eating.

Which you are absolutely allowed to do.  Go ahead and enjoy the hell out of it.

If you feel guilt about eating a certain food because it is "bad," I suggest that you come up with some other word to call it.  I find this is helpful in removing the shame in what I'm choosing, and finding the joy in it.

Please note that this in no way removes the responsibility of making good choices for your body.  You're responsible for getting the right nutrition for yourself and taking good care of your body-machine.  But, I think it's really harmful to label certain foods as "bad" just because they might not be for every day use.

I've found these terms useful in changing the way I perceive foods that I feel a great sense of shame around eating:

indulgent
empty calories
sometimes-food
high-calorie

I encourage you to come up with your own.  But, whatever you call your food-- don't name it something that's going to make you feel bad about eating it.

Celebrate your food!  Food is inherently good!  It supplies energy to your cells to help you run and sing and read and whatever else you're spending your energy doing.  Of course there are foods that aren't as good for us as others, but that doesn't mean we should harass ourselves into feeling shitty about eating them.  Those indulgent foods can make us feel happy, special, celebratory, comfy, and so on.

Eat whatever you want-- as long as it makes you feel good inside and out.  That's not my advice, just a rule that I've had to apply to my life.

But, whatever you do, stop beating yourself up about it-- and other people, too.

PSA: Let me also interject that no one around me is responsible for my level of sensitivity regarding food "labels".  If someone wants to be gentle with the words or attitude they choose around me, great.  But, ultimately, it's my job to protect myself around language that might harm me.

In all honesty and seriousness, this has been a technique that has radically changed the way I view nutrition.  Knowing that something isn't "off limits" takes away so much of the guilt, but also some of the desire.  I've come to enjoy both my more and less nutritious meals more.  Perhaps it's something that might help other people.

That's all for now,
Melody