Many people ask if Pilates helps you lose weight. Yes. According to research done in 2017, 37 overweight women aged 30 to 50 discovered that two months of Pilates practice helped them lose weight, reduced their body mass index (BMI), and toned their waist, tummy, and hips.
Pilates can help you lose weight but works best with other approaches, such as a nutritious diet. Continue reading to learn how helpful Pilates may be for losing weight.
Pilates and Weight Loss
While Pilates can aid calorie burn, it may not be the best choice if rapid weight loss is your goal. It does not compare favourably to traditional aerobic activities like skipping rope, cycling, or jogging.
However, it contributes to a balanced weight-reduction strategy. Pilates has been shown to boost participants’ posture, abdominal strength, and mobility.
Additionally, it aids in preserving muscle mass and enhancing vitality, physical fitness, and general well-being. All of these advantages complement one another to boost the efficiency of any other weight loss workouts you may be doing.
Pilates boosts your metabolism since it increases your lean muscle mass. The result is increased calorie expenditure during rest. Your posture will naturally improve as you gain lean muscle mass.
The size of your waist will decrease. You’ll feel better about your body and improve your appearance by losing weight and adding height. Like any other, Pilates will only produce noticeable changes after some time. You can expect to devote many weeks to regular practice.
Pilates Weight Loss Exercises
Here are some easy Pilates moves that you can do to help you lose weight:
Lunge Warm-up
Stand straight and make a “Y” shape with your legs by putting the heel of one foot into the arch of the other foot. Then spring out on a bent leg as you lift the weights over your head. Make sure the back leg stays straight. Bring the front leg back to where it was and drop the arms. Ten times on each side, then switch. This move works your hamstrings, shoulders, and quads.
Pilates Push-Ups
Raise your hands while standing straight, bend until your hands touch the floor, and walk your hands out into a plank pose. Do five push-ups, walk your hands back to your feet, and stand up. At least three sets should be done. This move works the muscles in the back, shoulders, and core.
How Many Calories Does Pilates Burn?
According to your current weight and fitness level, a one-hour Pilates lesson could burn between 170 and 200 calories. You can track this by working out while wearing one of the best fitness bands.
When performing The Pilates method, the moves will be fluid. Hence you should move quickly from one exercise to the next to burn calories. Paying attention to your feelings after a class is essential, as this can affect your other decisions.
Paola says that the primary goal of Pilates is maintaining your airflow. You’ll quickly notice that you feel calmer and more at peace. Many things, like worry and the menstrual cycle, affect what we eat, but Paola, who teaches Pilates, says that after class, she usually makes better meal choices.
She is happier and more attuned to her body. It has an influence that allows her to eat more healthy meals with reduced calories.
Is Pilates Good for Weight Loss?
Pilates is a renowned workout that is easy on the body. It helps you get in shape and build your lean muscle. Pilates can be good for your health and help you keep your weight healthy.
But Pilates might help you lose weight less than other cardio workouts like running or swimming. That’s because, in a traditional mat Pilates class, you’ll burn fewer calories than if you did other cardio movements.
If you like and practice Pilates courses regularly, you might be more likely to keep up with your exercise routine. Also, you’ll be more likely to live a healthy life.
Try Pilates, eating healthy meals, and other exercises to lose weight. Include other cardio and strength training types, like strolling, swimming, sprinting, or cycling.
Continue reading to learn more about what Pilates can do for you and how it can help you reduce weight.
How Often Should You Practice Pilates?
Practice every day. Joseph Pilates said you should do it at least four times weekly to achieve the best outcome. “If you don’t have much time, even 10 minutes a day will be beneficial,” says Paola.
Several online Pilates schools and top-rated exercise apps have workout schedules split up by body part and different class lengths for each. It allows you to choose a Pilates workout for weight loss based on how much time you have. You’ll need a pair of workout pants, a yoga mat, and your best sports bra.
A woman does Pilates to lose weight on a blue yoga mat in the living room.
How Does Pilates Change Your Body Shape?
Soon after you start doing Pilates to lose weight, you’ll be able to see more of the upper muscles of your abdomen.
Pilates is among the best ways to shape your waist compared to yoga. “The legs shape will change because the quad muscles on the front of your thighs will increase and become more marked. Paola says, “You’re going to observe that your posture is better and that your thighs are more powerful and toned.”
“Your clothes will fit you better, too. I suggest trying on tight clothes and then putting them out once more after ten Pilates lessons to see a real change,” she says.
What Type of Pilates Is Best for Weight Loss?
Joseph Pilates’ original sequence of 34 functional movements on a mat is called Traditional or Classical Pilates. Getting one of the best thick yoga mats could help you feel more comfortable doing Pilates on the floor. The Pilates reformer bed, created by Joseph Pilates, can also be used to do a set of movements in a particular order.
Contemporary Pilates is when the Traditional Pilates method is mixed with modified moves, and a teacher can change the sequences and equipment used in a class.
Paola says the best way to lose weight is to do functional exercises that work the whole body, including mat work and standing exercises with light weights for support.
“The right technique and breathing are both important if you want to see results,” she says. Once you work the deep parts of your stomach, called the transverse abdominals, the whole body will work on a different level. You’ll feel the magic pilates heat if you do each exercise ten times.
5 of the Best Pilates for Weight Loss Workouts
1. Cardio Pilates Full-Body Workout
Paola Langella blends Traditional Pilates techniques with cardio blasts to increase metabolism and tone your body from head to toe in 30 minutes.
2. 10-Minute Lower Belly Flattener
This challenging but efficient sequence by Cassey Ho is perfect for those who want to eliminate belly fat. If you perform this regularly, you will feel the burn in your lower abdominal muscles and eventually see results.
3. 15-Minute Lower Body Workout
Pilates expert Juliana Spicoluk designed a series of 15-minute routines that tone and shape the abdominals, outer and inner thighs, glutes, and hamstrings.
4. 30-Minute Fat Melt
In this 30-minute Pilates routine, Hannah from Moving Mango pumps up the intensity by alternating between fast and slow motions.
5. 45-Minute Calorie Burn
Pilates instructor and former ballet dancer Desiree Errico created this weight reduction routine to help you burn fat and tone your body. Her 45-minute class is intense, so bring a towel.
Can You Get in Shape through Pilates?
Every session is a full-body exercise, says Berkow, but you won’t be drenched in sweat as you would be after a high-intensity interval training class. Although Pilates focuses on the abdominal muscles, each exercise’s full range of motion is utilised.
“You can improve your strength, flexibility, and mental control over your body by doing any of the exercises,” she explains. So, the answer is an emphatic “yes,” Pilates can help you achieve your fitness goals. (Also, don’t assume you’ve burned more fat because you’re sweating more.)
You will realise how much of a connection there is between your daily routine and your overall health. The benefits of working on your posture, flexibility, and range of motion extend beyond these areas.
It’s no secret that Pilates is a popular fitness method among Hollywood’s fittest. Famous people that regularly engage in Pilates include Jen Aniston, Kate Hudson, Kourtney Kardashian, and Vanessa Villalba.
Brennan, a veteran instructor of ten years, has observed that students with a solid Pilates practice progress more rapidly because they can better apply what they have learned to their other workouts. She suggests performing Pilates twice to four times per week for optimal results.
Can Pilates Help You Lose Belly Fat?
Brennan believes that while it’s true that spot fat reduction is impossible, Pilates teaches you how to use your muscles and pelvic floor effectively.
She explains that Pilates can help you learn how to properly engage your muscles, boosting your activation during core workouts and resulting in a flatter stomach.
If you want to see your abs defined, Berkow says you must eliminate the fat covering your muscles. Consider an eating plan that emphasises natural foods while limiting processed options.
How Much Weight Can You Reduce With Pilates?
There is little doubt that factors contributing to weight gain outweigh the benefits of losing it, and vice versa. No matter how good it may feel, Pilates is not a panacea. Pilates, however, will provide advantages well beyond those indicated by reduced weight.
The first benefit is less anxiety. Brennan argues that Pilates is beneficial because it teaches you to breathe more deeply, a practice that stands in stark contrast to the shallow breathing habits of most people.
The stress hormone cortisol rises in response to shallow breathing, promoting fat storage. By reducing stress, which causes weight gain, she argues that Pilates and other breathing exercises can aid weight loss.
As Berkow explains, Pilates can be an essential part of an overall weight-loss plan since it makes you feel better about yourself physically and mentally.
Conclusion
Now you know that you can reduce pounds with Pilates activities. By strengthening and stretching your muscles, Pilates can aid with weight loss. Burning calories is a critical factor in reducing body fat. However, your age and your goal weight will determine how well this exercise works for you.
FAQs
Does Pilates Help You Lose Belly Fat?
Can I lose tummy fats by doing Pilates? Pilates can help you burn calories but won’t help you lose belly fat. You won’t be able to minimise fat storage in just one area of your body. Imagine that the pool of fat in your body is a place where you can swim.19 Feb 2023
How Often Should You Do Pilates to Reduce Weight?
Through her experience as a teacher of more than a decade, Brennan has found that students who have a solid Pilates practice get improvements more quickly. She suggests performing Pilates twice to four times per week for optimal results.3 Mar 2023
Does Pilates Change Your Body Shape?
Pilates strengthens the core and enhances alignment and posture by altering your physique. It can make you look tall and thinner and is believed to work from the inside out. Pilates helps you sweat, but it’s not the best strategy to reduce weight.
Is Pilates Better Than the Gym?
Pilates has more significant benefits than regular exercise. It’s more time-efficient than hitting the gym because it improves cardio and breathing. Pilates training is ideal for first-timers and people recovering from injuries because of its moderate impact.
How Long Should I Wait For Pilates To Work?
Pilates results may typically be felt after two to three weeks of regular practice (private or group courses recommended).
Is Pilates Alone Enough Exercise?
Those without prior workout experience may find traditional Pilates an excellent starting point. Pilates, like most types of exercise, can help someone who doesn’t currently have a regular workout program gain strength and possibly some hypertrophy.
Is Pilates Better Than Gym for Belly Fat?
Pilates beats the gym for losing belly fat because it works the abdominal muscles from the inside out.29 Aug 2019
How Long Should I Wait To Lose Weight From Pilates?
One pound of fat requires a caloric deficit of 3,500 calories. That’s one pound of weight loss every 16 days if you don’t change your diet and do Pilates daily. Pilates is a less strenuous aerobic activity than, say, cycling.31 Jul 2018
