Since I discovered and began practicing Nia regularly, I have found that I am redefining pleasure for myself.  I have begun to see the difference in short-term vs. long-term or sustainable pleasure, and I find myself choosing the latter more often.  As a result, I have lost weight and have maintained it almost effortlessly or at least in pleasure!

So, how do you do it? Redefining pleasure means considering decisions more consciously, and re-framing them with a short-term vs. long-term point of view.  For instance, if I am deciding whether or not to have a margarita, I can think about the positive and negative consequences of having it.  Positive consequences might be

• Have fun with my friends
• Tastes great
• Makes me feel relaxed
• Takes my mind off whatever’s bothering me at the moment

Some of the negative consequences might include

• I will probably feel like crap the next day (headache, bloating, no energy)
• Kills brain cells
• Don’t sleep well later (often fall asleep and wake up in the middle of the night)
• I always feel a little guilty and beat myself up later for not making a healthy choice
• Compromises my athletic performance and ability to dance Nia
• Compromises my body’s immune system
• Harms the functioning of my body’s organs like the liver

Choosing wisely means taking a step back and weighing the positive and negative consequences.  It doesn’t mean I’ll never have another margarita, but it does mean I might not choose to have one as often.  Because I LOVE waking up on a Saturday morning feeling refreshed, clear, and ready for anything.  And in my experience those tiny choices add up to a huge shift over time, resulting in losing weight and feeling great most of the time.

So how about you? How do you define pleasure? How can you redefine pleasure to upgrade your health and your life?