Are you ready to give slimming down your best shot?
And are you ready to step out of “the box?”

The box: noun [/thuh·boks/] 1. The conventional way things are done. 2. Incessant calorie-counting and standing on a scale. 3. Deprivation, over-eating and deprivation (in that order).

Yeck. Good.

Now come with me. Let’s jump outside that box.

See, I’ve got a little secret that I want to share with you –
an exhilarating secret that most fitness experts will never let you in on.
Not in a million years.

They actually don’t even know about it.

I don’t mean to tease you (or maybe I do) but rumor has it that the “P” Factor, the fat-burning breakthrough in weight loss, has a few unusual characteristics.

#1: It’s not related to increasing the number of reps you do with your weights.
#2: It’s not related to decreasing your BMI (Body Mass Index), BPM (Beats per Minute), or your BBM (Blackberry Messenger).
#3: It is related to how you eat.

But, sshhh. Come close.
Lean in, so I can whisper it in your ear.

The “P” Factor, the component that brings your body to its peak metabolic rate a.k.a. maximum fat-burning mode, is:

(drumroll)

The Pleasure Factor!

Whoa. What? Crap. What on earth is that?

It means factoring in, including, and even prioritizing Pleasure in your life.

But…
Doesn’t Pleasure have a reputation for being, you know, a bad girl?
Untrustworthy?
Frivolous and trite?
A waste of time?

Sigh, well, yes. Yes it does.

But before you lunge back into “the box” and dismiss the powerful effect that Pleasure factors into your weight loss, let’s take a look at the science of it.

The Science of Pleasure

At any given moment your body is in either one of two states: the stress mode, or the relaxation mode.

When you are in the stress mode, your body is focused on survival.
It behaves as though it’s in life-threatening danger, and acts as if it has to fight for its survival.

Blood rushes away from the center of your body (where digestion and fat burning take place);
And goes to your legs, for rapid fleeing;
To your arms, for fighting ability;
And to your mind, for quick decision-making.

Hmph.

So, when you are in stress mode, be it because of a single unpleasant event (the cat just vomited all over your new couch), or because of low-level constant stress (you find yourself anything less than radiantly beautiful, you dislike your body, you’re doing exercise you dislike, etc.) you are secreting more insulin and cortisol.

These two powerful chemicals, if produced day in and day out, will signal the body to hang on to body fat, and to not build muscle.

Yikes. So what about the relaxation mode? Once Pleasure factored into your life, then what ?

Pleasure, as it turns out… is a catalyst… for the relaxation mode.
Pleasure causes relaxation.

All of existence–which naturally goes towards pleasure–functions optimally in this state.

Functioning optimally means your body is at its maximum fat burning mode, and ideal fat storing mode. In other words,  you’re not hoarding fat cells like they’re going out of style–the effect that stress has on the body.

Feeling pleasure, inducing relaxation in our bodies while we eat means we’re inviting the production of our good friend, CCK.

CCK, or cholecystokinin (/cho·le·cys·to·ki·nin/], is a substance that helps you metabolize, or digest fat. 
It stimulates the liver, the gall bladder and fat digestion. 
In essence, it stimulates your friendly neighborhood digestive system.

Oh, and did I mention it suppresses hunger, and thereby keeps you from overeating?

Yawza! The human body and the “P” Factor, what a glorious thing.

So, if you want your body to look and function at your best, you can use the evolutionary pursuit of Pleasure to your advantage.

The “P” Factor Advantage in Your Weight-Loss Journey

How can you even begin to factor Pleasure into your busy life you are wondering?
You may not have had it consistently for years.
Decades.
You may not even remember feeling it outside of rare glimpses!

Most of us (or maybe all of us) were not taught by our mothers, aunts or teachers to take good care of ourselves first, to do more of what we enjoy, not only because would it be fun, but because it creates the conditions for your body to naturally reach and maintain ideal its weight and shape.

Let me rephrase that:
Pleasure makes weight loss p-p-permanent!

(So many great words start with the letter “P.”)

Anyhow, if you haven’t learned it yet, and most people haven’t, fitness experts included–when you’re actively seeking Pleasure, your body automatically moves towards its healthiest, most rockin’, ideal weight and shape.

Sound too good to be true?
I can tell you, there’s no such thing.
If you don’t believe me, give it a little try yourself!

Give It A Little Try

Next time you eat, think of how you want your closest friend, youngest daughter, sweetest granny or greatest auntie to eat.

Do you want them to eat too fast?
While watching TV?
Without seeing, smelling or tasting their food?

Or do you want them to eat on beautiful dishes, with nice silverware, carefully enjoying and tasting what they are nourishing their bodies with?
Also, maybe you can ask yourself:

How do I start to live life in a way that is a little more relaxed?
How can I still love and forgive myself through the challenges of my life’s journey?

Let your answers guide how you approach your eating experience and invite relaxation and pleasure to permeate your experience as much as you can.

Leave me a comment with your response so we can pool our wisdom and inspiration.

So there you have it, your action steps. I promise you, put them into play and delight in the outcome.

Remember, self-love and acceptance are pleasurable – they spark the feelings of relaxation that put us into the physiologic state where we calorie burn the best.

See you in the comments below.

With love and support,
xo Jena

P.S. If you’d like a reboot to your system, and get a solid, in-person training on how to apply my pleasurable approach to your life, join me for a July 4th getaway at Pleasure Camp at the Omega Institute. It’s a 5-day retreat in a real live “Pleasure Campus.” It’s a lush natural environment with great food, and yoga, tai chi, ecstatic dance and much more at your disposal. The program is going to be my most cutting-edge work ever and I’m SUPER excited to bring it to you.

Pleasure Camp at Omega is approximately 2 months away so it’s a good time to check your calendar and reserve the dates. Registration is open and you can learn more by clicking here.

P.P.S. In addition to the “P Factor” there’s also the “D Factor.”

There’s a “D” Inventory that can help you tip-toe towards factoring in more Pleasure.

It’s also very scientific.

But I can’t tell you all my secrets at once, can I?  I’ll save that for another day.

Until then one last thing about learning about the “P” Factor.
The more you have at it, the juicier life gets and the more your female body feels and looks exactly the way you want it to.