This week, while visiting students at Hallman Elementary, I was reminded just how hard is it to grow up. And it occurred to me: it doesn’t get much easier.

A few months back, Drew Baker and I decided to go out for doughnuts. Yep, doughnuts. The lady at the bakery asked what I would would like. I answered, “A maple bar.” She then asked, “So what about nutrition?” Drew and I looked at each other and realized we both had on bright yellow shirts which said ASK ME ABOUT NUTRITION.

Fortunately for us, through Courthouse Nutrition, we have learned and chosen to live by the principal of “90/10.” Ninety percent of the time we eat clean, real, healthy food. Ten percent of the time we eat maple bars, cookies, or chocolate torte.

But for most of my life, I have felt guilty about the occasional doughnut. I have even felt guilty for eating three eggs whites for breakfast. Everywhere I look, I see society glorifying the idea of not eating in order to be healthy. We are even told to eat foods with zero calories. Let me tell you, if it has zero calories, it is probably not real food. It’s plastic. Our bodies aren’t meant to eat plastic.

As a woman, a student, and an athlete, I have to constantly fuel my body. If I don’t eat real food, my body will feed on the valuable muscle I do have and hold on to that pesky fat.

Some weeks, I have more cookies than others. I am aware of this and I strive to do better. But, I do not obsess over it. I don’t stress over it. As a Fitness Coach,I am constantly meeting with women who have a personal vendetta against food. I want to say here and now that I’ve been there. And it breaks my heart. No one needs to feel guilty about eating food.

Life is meant to be enjoyed. Food is a part of life. And it is meant to be enjoyed, too.