Earning Your Food vs Honoring Your Body: A Healthier Approach to Eating and Movement
The idea of “earning your food” often gets conflated with punishing yourself through exercise or rigid rules, which can lead to unhealthy relationships with food and body image. Instead, we should embrace the concept of honoring our body—respecting its needs and preparing it to fully enjoy and process a meal, particularly something celebratory like Holiday dinners.
A Historical Perspective (Earning vs. Honoring):
Our ancestors earned their meals through physical effort like hunting, foraging, or farming. This was an intrinsic part of survival, not a punishment. Their movement was integrated into their daily lives, and their physical activity naturally supported their ability to enjoy and utilize food effectively. The labor wasn’t tied to guilt or shame—it was simply the reality of living.
In contrast, modern convenience has removed the necessity of physical effort to acquire food.
While this is a privilege, it can sometimes create disconnects:
We might overeat because there’s an abundance of food, unearned by physical effort.
We might over-rely on the “calories in, calories out” mindset, which can reduce food to a numbers game, stripping it of joy and connection.
The Middle Ground (A Balanced Approach):
What if we reframed “earning your food” into “preparing your body to thrive”?
This means viewing movement not as a punishment but as a way to honor your body, enhance digestion, and create mental clarity before a feast. A brisk walk, a stretch, or even dancing with family can signal gratitude for the meal you’re about to enjoy.
Similarly, it means approaching food with gratitude and connection, not guilt or shame. Instead of seeing a meal as a “cheat” or something you must “pay for” later, it’s a moment to celebrate, nourish, and connect with loved ones.
Addressing Mental Illness & Obsession:
It’s essential to acknowledge that the concept of “earning food” can spiral into an unhealthy obsession for some people.
Obsessively counting calories or over-exercising to “justify” a meal can lead to mental and emotional distress.
Our focus should stress awareness, balance, and kindness to oneself. The goal is to prepare the body and mind for nourishment, not to punish or obsess over it.
Final Thought:
Our ancestors didn’t wake up and say, “I have to punish myself to eat this meal.” They moved because it was a natural part of life. They celebrated and feasted when food was abundant because they respected its value. We can honor that heritage by engaging in movement and eating in ways that connect us to our bodies, our food and our ancestors—without guilt or shame, but with gratitude and purpose.
