If you indulge but it’s good for you, is it still a guilty pleasure? Just ask us.

An open-ended FJ confession.

Everyone has heard of ‘guilty pleasures’ – something that feels good in the moment, but isn’t all that beneficial in the long run.

But here at Fashion Journal, we’ve decided to do away with guilt altogether and take the Shelby’s approach: healthy hedonism.

Shelby’s makes snacks like coated almonds and muesli bars that are tasty enough to still count as an indulgence, but healthy enough to positively impact your body and mind.

With that in mind, we’re embracing ways to treat ourselves that we don’t have to feel bad about because they’re actually as good for us as they feel.   

To give you an idea of what healthy hedonism means, we asked members of the FJ team what their favourite not-so-guilty pleasure is. 

Sasha Gattermayr, Digital Editor
Likes: Listening to Miley Cyrus

Say what you like about pop music and Hannah Montana, ‘The Climb’ actually has a really important message. Forget that VMAs performance with Robin Thicke – even though that also made a bold statement about taboos on public expressions of female sexuality –  Miley is an important public figure, spreading a message of self-determination and autonomy. The scene where she sings this song in The Hannah Montana Movie is the symbolic point where Hannah and Miley become one, and arguably the point where Miley sheds her Disney skin and becomes her own person. It’s a song about persistence, confidence, and the importance of making mistakes: a message that all people, but mostly the young women who constitute her fan base, need to hear. And she’s talented af.

Anthony Graetz, Editorial Intern
Likes: Watching reality TV

Catch me watching any and every Real Housewives series I can get my hands on. I live for the tea and drama only middle-aged women provide. Aspiring to be a rich housewife myself, I look up to my Botox-filled role models and dream of the day when I too have a balding husband and can gossip with my fake friends. Each month when that subscription fee comes out, I rejoice.

Maeve Kerr-Crowley, Editorial Assistant
Likes: Sitting in the dark

My favourite treat I regularly give myself is sitting outside at night time. It sounds both creepy and unremarkable, but there’s something indulgent about getting home from work, knowing I have a million things to do, and choosing to just go outside and sit down for a few minutes instead. The only resource I’m using up is my time, and claiming a little bit of that back without feeling guilty about all the things I ‘should’ be doing instead is a surprisingly powerful thing. I usually use the time to breathe in some crisp night air, watch bats fly past and clear my mind of any thoughts whatsoever. 

Ruby Furst, Director
Likes: Going to an expensive gym

Yes, I spend $50 on Muay Thai classes. Yes, I’ve injured my wrist so I’m currently paying $50 just to use my gym’s running machines. But doing so makes me feel like I’m still a fighter, and I feel strong and fit when I’m around other people who are strong and fit. I could pay a lot less for a gym membership somewhere else, but I think it’s worth a few extra bucks to keep up the great feeling I’ve found in that specific space. And that’s all without doing as much work as an F45 class.

We encourage you to indulge in some not-so-guilty pleasures. Own your desires.