From the moment she stepped into her first Nia (pronounced "nee-ah") class, something resonated with fitness buff Sharlene Bliss.

Nia, which integrates mind, emotions and spirit with motion and muscles, defies a facile definition. Created in 1983 by fitness gurus Debbie and Carlos Rosas, it's a sort of fusion workout that combines elements of Western jazz and modern dance with Eastern martial arts such as tai chi, aikido and tae-kwon-do. It also incorporates yoga postures and is inspired by the healing arts of the Alexander technique and Moshe Feldenkrais.

In the context of a traditional workout facility, some might even think Nia looks a little weird. There's more freedom and flexibility than in an aerobics class. The free-dance portions, especially, allow participants to move in any way their body calls them to move.

Fitness has been a lifelong priority for Bliss. She was a serious windsurfer for 15 years, regularly attends aqua aerobics classes and took Caribbean and Brazilian dance classes at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa throughout the '90s.

Nia immediately became a passion. "The movements are designed to create more pleasing sensations in the body than my usual experience in the past, when I always seemed to be tweaking my knee or hurting my shoulder," explains Bliss. "There are no more of these sensations in Nia. I can expand the motions to suit myself and listen to my body as opposed to trying to match someone and model what I think I'm supposed to be doing. I move in ways that are better for my body."

After a year of taking Nia classes, Bliss began attending workshops. Her interest in the technique coincided with a medical setback, and helped her through it.

"In December 2003, my weight was approaching 150 pounds, my cholesterol and glucose levels were over the recommended guidelines and at the borderline and my physician was recommending medication, which I was opposed to," says Bliss. The next month she was diagnosed with an ovarian cyst and had laparoscopic surgery to remove the cyst, which was benign, and one of her ovaries.

"Within six months of surgery, and through practicing Nia (and aqua fitness) I lost 17 pounds, two clothes sizes, and my cholesterol and glucose levels fell to within the recommended guidelines," says Bliss. "I had a checkup earlier this year, and so far everything's at or better than it was in 2004."

Expanding her passion into a part-time profession, Bliss is now a Nia instructor for the Nu'uanu YMCA and The Honolulu Club.

SHARLENE BLISS

Age: 50

Profession: Vice president and manager of policies and procedures, Bank of Hawaii

Height: 5-feet-4

Weight: 130 pounds

Workout habits: Teaches three Nia classes a week and practices Nia five hours weekly; aikido once a week at Soto Mission; Drums Alive! class at The Honolulu Club once a week and yoga twice a week.

When and why I started working out: "Exercise has always been a part of my life, and I engaged in a variety of activities that I could fit into my schedule. (With Nia) I had an immediate 'click' in that my body and mind both benefited from the workout. I decided to adopt Nia as my primary fitness practice in late 2003, and then took intensive training in February 2004."

Additional activities: "I enjoy water sports in general (scuba, surfing, paddling) but my favorite is windsurfing. There's something ethereal about gliding across the water, knowing I'm moving in concert with the flow of the wind and water."

My good foods/bad foods: "Generally, I stick to most things being low — as in fat, carbs, sugars, salt — and moderate portions. My aikido teacher gave me a great tip: 'Eat to 80 percent full.' The day-to-day diet balances the times when I enjoy fine chocolate, cheese and wine."

Biggest motivator: "The sensation of pleasure over pain. Nia is about fitness that results from the pleasure of movement."

Biggest roadblock to fitness: "Tricking myself into thinking that other activities have a higher priority than my health and fitness."

Next challenge: "Achieve my brown, and ultimately my black belt in Nia." (Like martial arts, Nia measures achievement with belts — white, blue, brown and black, with black being the highest. Bliss is a blue belt.)

Advice for those in the same boat: "Find forms of fitness that your body enjoys. Learn to listen to your body. Allow yourself to make progress in an environment of 'natural time.' Fitness is a life practice. Be sure to breathe. Activate sensations of flexibility, stability, mobility, strength and agility."

Reach Paula Rath at paularath@aol.com.