Clemmie Pellew Harvey on Pleasure, Permission and the Joy of Eating Without Rules

Indulgence has become a complicated word in modern wellness. It carries a sense of excess, temptation and guilt, as if enjoyment needs to be earned. In the final week of our four part series with nutritional therapist and author Clemmie Pellew Harvey, we strip that word back to what it truly means. Joy. Permission. Pleasure without apology.

Clemmie’s approach to indulgence is refreshingly human. She understands that a healthy life is not built on restriction but on balance and pleasure, and that the rituals we savour are often just as nourishing as the foods we label as healthy. This closing instalment explores the role indulgence plays in wellbeing and why it deserves a place at the table without judgement.

When Clemmie speaks about indulgence, she makes it sound beautifully uncomplicated. No rules. No justification. No moral weight attached to what is on your plate. Just the simple idea that joy matters and that food can be a celebration rather than a calculation.

In this conversation she opens up about comfort meals, cravings, permission, pregnancy, chocolate, takeaway rituals and the small private moments that make up a life. Her perspective reveals that indulgence is not the opposite of wellness but an essential part of it.

When everything feels measured and monitored how do you personally define indulgence?

Indulgence is anything that brings me joy without guilt. It's a slow morning with good coffee, a meal I didn't have to cook, or a dessert I genuinely want. It's not about being "bad" or breaking rules – it's about giving myself permission to enjoy life without justification.

What is your ultimate comfort meal and what does it say about you?

Pasta with butter, garlic, and parmesan. It's simple, satisfying, and nostalgic. I think it says I value comfort over complexity and that I don't need things to be fancy to feel nourished. It's also a meal I can make in five minutes, which says a lot about my life right now.

Do you think guilt is ever justified when it comes to food or should pleasure always win?

Guilt is never justified when it comes to food. Food is morally neutral. Pleasure should always win, because when we eat with joy and presence, we're more satisfied and less likely to overeat. Guilt just keeps us stuck in a cycle of restriction and rebellion.

How can people learn to enjoy food again without turning every bite into a calculation?

By practising unconditional permission to eat. When all foods are allowed, the urgency and obsession fade. It takes time to rebuild trust with yourself, but the more you eat without rules, the more you realise your body knows what it needs. Food becomes enjoyable again when it's no longer forbidden.

When you want to celebrate yourself what do you eat and who do you share it with?

Probably a takeaway of some sort! I love the ease of it – no cooking, no cleanup, just good food and good company. Celebration food, for me, is always about the people as much as what's on the plate.

My go-to is usually a curry or Thai food, shared with my family. We'll always order way too much, and just enjoy being together. There's something so comforting about sharing food you didn't have to prepare yourself – it feels indulgent and relaxed at the same time.

As I get further into this pregnancy, I'm also learning to celebrate the small wins – like making it through a day without feeling exhausted, or finishing a big project. Those moments deserve recognition too, even if it's just a bowl of pasta or my current craving: Bran Flakes with banana at midnight!

What is one indulgence you refuse to apologise for?

Good chocolate. Not the cheap stuff – the kind that melts slowly and tastes rich and complex. I eat it most evenings, and I refuse to feel guilty about it. It's a small pleasure that makes my day better, and that's reason enough.

How can indulgence and wellness live in the same space without contradiction?

They're not opposites – they're partners. Wellness isn't about restriction; it's about balance, joy, and sustainability. Indulging in foods you love is part of a healthy life. When we stop labelling foods as good or bad, indulgence becomes just another part of eating well.

If food is a love language how do you speak it when cooking for someone you care about?

I cook their favourite meal, even if it's not mine! I pay attention to what they love, what comforts them, and what makes them feel seen. Food is LOVE when it's made with intention, presence, and care – not perfection.

As this final instalment draws to a close, Clemmie leaves us with something quietly powerful. Eating well is not about perfection. It is about trust, pleasure and presence. Indulgence can be a form of care, and there is freedom in letting food be joy without apology or fear.

Across this four week series we have travelled through identity, psychology, childhood and pleasure. Together they paint a full and honest picture of how Clemmie views food and how she helps others form a healthier, calmer relationship with it. These conversations remind us that nourishment is not just physical. It is emotional, cultural and deeply personal. And perhaps the greatest lesson is this. When we give ourselves permission to enjoy food, we give ourselves permission to enjoy life.