Redefining Exercise: From Transaction to Connection

Why You Don’t Have to Earn Your Body with Movement

Let’s talk about exercise—and no, not in the “new year, new you, burn it off” kind of way.

If you’ve ever had a complicated, even resentful, relationship with working out… if the word “exercise” makes you roll your eyes or want to skip this post altogether—I get it. I’ve been there. And I want to invite you into a new conversation.

This is about reclaiming movement. This is about taking your power back from the old, toxic ways we've been taught to treat our bodies. This is about redefining exercise—not as a punishment, not as a transaction, but as a connection to your body, your energy, and your life.

Let’s get into it.

Exercise Used to Feel Like a Chore… Because It Was

Like many of you, I spent years—decades—in the weight loss cycle. I tracked all the things, checked all the boxes, and believed that if I did everything “right,” the scale would reward me.

And exercise? That was part of the checklist.– Eat the “right” food.– Count every macro.– Burn off whatever you ate.– Repeat.

So when the scale didn’t budge, I blamed my body. I thought I was doing something wrong. Maybe I just didn’t try hard enough. I needed to push more, restrict more, and hustle harder.

Can you relate?

Eventually, I hit a point where I didn’t want to do any of it anymore. Not the tracking, not the weighing, and definitely not the workouts. It all just felt... heavy. Like this exhausting routine I was stuck in, but couldn’t escape.

We’ve Been Taught That Exercise Is a Transaction

Here’s what I’ve realized—something that’s changed the way I think about movement entirely:

We’ve been in a transactional relationship with exercise.

“If I work out, I’ll lose weight.”

“If I skip a workout, I’ve failed.”

“If I burn enough calories, I’ve earned that cookie.”

“If I eat something I ‘shouldn’t,’ I’ll just burn it off later.”

Sound familiar?

Exercise becomes a math problem. Something we do to cancel out our choices. Something we owe because we ate. Something we have to do to be good.

But here’s the thing: your body is not a vending machine.

You don’t put in 30 minutes of cardio and instantly get the body of your dreams. That’s not how bodies—or life—work.

This mindset? It doesn’t motivate us. It disconnects us. It turns movement into punishment instead of something that supports and celebrates us.

Uncoupling Movement from Weight Loss

One of the biggest shifts I made in my journey—and something I now guide my clients through—is this:

We have to separate exercise from weight loss. Let it stand on its own.

Because when exercise is only about changing the shape or size of your body, and that change doesn’t come fast enough (or doesn’t come at all), it’s easy to get discouraged and quit. Not just quit movement—but quit on yourself.

But when you let go of the old rules and give movement a new role? That’s where freedom lives.

What If Movement Was Just… Movement?

What would it feel like to move your body just because you want to?

Not to burn off what you ate.

Not to check a box.

Not to shrink anything.

But just to celebrate the fact that your body can move? To feel strong, energized, or grounded? To enjoy the air on your face during a walk, or the beat of your favorite song while you dance in the kitchen?

That’s what I mean when I say exercise is no longer a transaction—it’s a connection.

It’s a way to connect with yourself, your body, your emotions, your energy. It’s not something you do to earn worth. It’s something you do because you’re already worthy.

What “Exercise” Looks Like for Me Now

These days movement looks different for me. Sometimes it’s a walk. Sometimes it’s hopping on the spin bike. Sometimes it’s countertop pushups while I wait for my coffee. Sometimes it’s a slow, stretch-filled morning.

And sometimes? I skip it. And that’s okay too.

What I’ve learned is that consistency doesn’t have to mean intensity. It doesn’t have to mean structure, a program, or a gym membership. It can mean paying attention to what your body needs and honoring it—however that looks.

One of my favorite forms of movement? Walking. And it all started on a snowy day in Buffalo, years ago, when I decided to just walk—and I cried because it felt so good. So peaceful. So enough. That moment changed everything.

Let’s Take the Pressure Off

You don’t have to follow a workout influencer’s program.

You don’t have to exercise five days a week.

You don’t have to “earn” food or “make up” for anything.

You don’t have to do what anyone else is doing.

You get to define movement on your own terms.

Whether it’s kayaking, yoga, dancing, stretching, or just a short walk—if it brings you peace, strength, or joy, it counts.

A Simple Invitation

This week, I want to invite you to explore something:

What kind of movement feels like freedom right now?

Or love?Or delight?

Move your body—not to change it—but to connect with it.

Notice how it feels.

That’s where the power lives.

You’re Allowed to Reclaim This

You get to take your power back—not just from diet culture or food rules, but from the pressure around exercise, too.

You can move simply because it feels good, because it supports your life, and because your body is yours—no permission or justification is needed.

You get to redefine it all.

Want to go deeper with this work?

You can always book a free connection call with me at AmyEnglishCC.com. Let’s talk about what it looks like to take your power back—one step, one bite, one breath at a time.

xo,

Amy English

Emotional Eating Coach | Fat2Fierce®

fat2fierce.com | YouTube | Podcast

Empowering women to reclaim their power with food and find peace with their bodies.