For many who are concerned about their figure or general health, the quest to find the best method of weight loss is never far from their mind. Some of the dangers of packing on excess pounds result in a litany of health issues, ranging from cardiovascular disease and diabetes to cancer and stroke. Luckily, there has been much research done as to how one can remove all of the excess bulk, and one popular exercise that seems to have caught the attention of many is pilates. Pilates is a method of exercise that consists of low-impact flexibility, muscular strength, and endurance.
How effective is pilates for weight loss? That’s something that has been researched for some time now, actually. To shed the weight, you will need to have a baseline physical capacity in order to perform exercises — but don’t worry, just about anyone can start at a beginner level. Just ask around and you’ll find plenty of anecdotal stories and proven evidence of pilates for weight loss and toning. So how can pilates help you on your weight loss journey, and what does pilates do for your body?
How Do You Lose Weight?
First, to understand how you can lose weight, we have to understand the intricacies involved in the process. Weight loss has a great bit to deal with caloric intake. To lose one pound of fat, you have to burn off 3,500 calories more than you consume. That means if you didn’t alter your diet, and assuming you practice pilates every day, you can expect to lose one pound about every 16 days. Pilates are not as vigorous an exercise as other intense forms of cardio, such as cycling. While the intensity of the pilate exercise will correspond to how much calories you can expect to burn, moderately practicing this exercise can help you burn a reasonable amount.
If you want to shed off some of the pounds at a quicker rate, it has been suggested that supplementing pilate exercises with some cardio activity about four to five times a week. How often should you do pilates? Its highly reccomended to perform them about as often with other forms of cardio workouts. Back in 2014, there was a study conducted with 303 women involved in a weight loss regimen involving pilates. It showed that combining pilates along with aerobic exercise decreased masses of fat while creating lean muscle. These forms of cardio can range from walking to dance classes. The key is to stay active, and shooting for at least half an hour a day would be ideal if you are seeking to speed up the weight loss process.
If cardio workouts are not for you, then you will have to increase the intensity of your pilate training. You can easily supplement cardio workouts with pilates if you are only a beginner, but if you are relying on just pilates for your exercise, then you will have to gradually increase not only your intensity but the time of your sessions.
How is Metabolic Rate Impacted?
Another important aspect of weight loss in regards to weight loss is how the metabolic rate is impacted. A proper pilates workout mastery of a series of bodyweight exercises known as the pilates mat. This is combined with workouts involving resistance equipment to force your body to work harder. Adding muscle and reducing fat will positively impact your body’s metabolic rate. Perhaps the greatest impact is that the more lean muscle that you build, the more calories you are likely to lose at rest. There are specific types of resistance training that can help you accomplish this goal.
There is something called the “Pilates effect” that many practitioners use to make sure they maximize their training. It will leave your body with a posture overhaul and give you the sensation as if you are longer and taller. This is because, during these workouts, you will be forced to lift your abdominals, lengthen your neck and retract your shoulders. Due to this, your spine can elongate, your chest would expand and the waist will become narrow. This is not even taking to account the added benefits of what an altered diet can do. Not only do the pilates help you shed some weight, but pilates can help you feel better and boost your self-esteem at the same token.
Yoga vs. Pilates
A long-standing debate is yoga vs pilates for weight loss and which option can be more prudent in helping you lose some pounds. The bottom line is neither behavior will effectively help you lose weight independently unless the workouts are intense or if they are helped with other forms of cardio.
Pilates has strong roots in not only gymnastics and calisthenics. Another alternative form of pilates that can be done is the at-home alternatives. These are particularly pertinent for beginners. Lunge warm-ups have also proven to be effective as well. One can begin by grabbing weights of no more than 2 to 3 pounds and stand tall. Simply make a “Y” shape with your feet standing with one heel into the other arch. Then, simply lunge out onto a bent leg and raise the arms over your head, being sure to keep your back leg straight. As you lower your arms, place your legs back to their original position. Repeating this process 8 to 10 times is something to consider incorporating into your workouts. Specifically, this exercise targets the quadriceps, deltoids and hamstring muscles.
The Reformer
Another potential benefit of pilates is the pilate reformer. Can you lose weight with pilates reformer? This once again depends on the intensity of your workouts, but there is evidence to suggest that it is entirely possible. The reformer has been long maligned as somewhat of a fad without any lasting value, but there have been observations to suggest the opposite. The reformer is especially helpful with flexibility, back health, and overall body awareness.
The biggest selling point of the reformer is the full range of motion that it entails. The bars and cables of the reformer guarantee that every muscle of your body will get a workout, which is something that one cannot do on their own. The high-intensity nature helps the body burn through calories while building lean muscle simultaneously. There have been myths that the reformers are capable of lengthening the muscle, which isn’t really possible. However, it gives the appearance of a muscle being longer because of the full range of motion nature of the workout. If one can maintain a consistent workout regimen, you will look taller and slimmer as a result.
Another benefit of the reformer is that you will see the fruits of your training faster. As you gradually become stronger and more proficient with its use, you can progress from reclined exercises to those which require less of your body surface on the carriage. This basically means you will need to rely more on your own strength in order to perform the exercise correctly. However, that is the entire point of progress. A greater definition in your arms, legs, and abs after just a few months may also be seen as well.
Pilates are a great alternative exericse to ease the body and the mind. While it is clear that it can shed some weight, that is all primarily contigent upon you. Whether you are a beginner starting small and looking to supplement with other cardio, or an expert who performs workouts at a high intensity, consider using pilates going forward to shed the weight and gain the body you’re looking for.
