Pilates is an exceptional form of exercise, not only enhancing mental health but also benefiting the body. Many have chosen Pilates as a method to control their weight. But the question arises: Is pilates good for weight loss? Does it deliver the expected results? Let’s explore this with Grove Health Bondi in the following article!
1. Pilates: The Best Exercise Method for Weight Loss?
Pilates is an effective training method that helps burn calories, thereby supporting the weight loss process. To achieve optimal results, it’s necessary to combine Pilates with a regular workout schedule and a sensible diet.
Pilates is not just an exercise, but also an important part of daily life. Requiring persistence and endurance, Pilates can bring comprehensive benefits to the body, including weight loss.
While it’s impossible to pinpoint exactly which type of Pilates helps lose weight quickly and effectively, each type has its own techniques and effects. They impact the body in different ways, but all support the goal of weight loss.
To boost motivation, you can seek out the type of Pilates that you love the most. In this case, love and passion will help you maintain long-term training, and Pilates will become an indispensable part of your weight loss journey.
2. How Pilates Works in Weight Loss
Finding the right weight loss method not only requires persistence but also an understanding of one’s body and health. Pilates is one of the training methods many people choose due to its ability to improve strength, flexibility, and help control weight.
Pilates focuses on using body weight or specialized training equipment to create movements that improve endurance, posture, and function. However, the degree of weight loss when practicing Pilates can depend on various factors, not just exercise alone.
To lose weight effectively, you need to create a calorie deficit, meaning you burn more calories than you consume. Although Pilates does not burn as many calories as high-intensity cardio exercises, it is a comprehensive exercise that enhances strength for the entire body. Building firm muscles will help burn fat, thereby promoting weight loss.
In addition to helping with weight loss, Pilates also brings other health benefits, improves posture, and flexibility if you persistently practice. Therefore, consider Pilates as a part of a healthy lifestyle, combined with a balanced diet and other exercises to achieve your weight improvement goals.
3. Can Pilates Help Reduce Belly Fat?
Pilates is an excellent training method that improves strength, flexibility, and body shape. However, if your primary goal is weight loss, especially abdominal fat reduction, Pilates may not be the optimal choice compared to high-intensity exercises like Cardio or HIIT.
Pilates helps you learn to move correctly and technically, especially with the pelvic floor and deep core muscles in the center of the body. To reduce belly fat, you need to engage in higher intensity exercises, combined with Pilates to burn more calories. Pilates can help lose weight and tone the abdomen, but this process will occur slower than other exercises.
To burn belly fat, you need to create a calorie deficit, meaning you burn more calories than you consume. Pilates can help strengthen and tone the abdomen, but to achieve the goal of reducing belly fat, you need to combine Pilates with a healthy diet and other high-intensity exercises.
A small study in 2017 observed 37 overweight or obese women aged 30 to 50. The results showed that practicing Pilates for 8 weeks helped them lose weight, reduce BMI, tone the waist, and reduce the circumference of the abdomen and hips. However, to achieve the best results, you should combine Pilates with a healthy diet and other high-intensity exercises.
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4. How Much Weight Can You Lose with Pilates?
The amount of weight you can lose with Pilates depends on several factors, including your current weight, the type of Pilates class you participate in (mat or reformer), and the difficulty level of the class.
For instance, a person weighing about 150 pounds could burn approximately 175 calories in a 50-minute beginner-level Pilates session and about 254 calories in an advanced session of the same duration.
However, it’s important to understand that Pilates primarily focuses on toning and shaping muscles rather than burning calories. While Pilates can help you maintain a healthy weight, it may not be as effective as other cardiovascular exercises like running or swimming when the goal is weight loss.
If you love Pilates and can maintain this exercise habit, Pilates will certainly contribute to your overall weight loss goal, especially when combined with a healthy diet and other forms of exercise such as strength training and cardio.
To lose 1 pound, you need to create a calorie deficit, meaning you burn more than approximately 3,500 calories compared to the calories you consume. Although Pilates can contribute to creating this calorie deficit, it’s usually not enough to help you lose weight significantly.
5. How to practice Pilates effectively to lose weight?
Are you looking for effective ways to practice Pilates for weight loss? Here are some suggestions from health experts and scientific research:
- Training Frequency: Practicing Pilates five times a week, with each session lasting at least 60 minutes, is a good schedule to start with. After maintaining this for six weeks, you will start to notice changes in your physique.
- Time for Health: Spending time to improve physical fitness and release energy is invaluable. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults should perform 150 minutes of moderate to high-intensity activity each week.
- Choice of Training Intensity: You can practice Pilates five days a week at a moderate intensity, or three days a week at a high intensity. Alternatively, you can alternate between these two intensities to enhance weight loss effectiveness.
- Regular Training: As the familiar saying goes: “It’s better to exercise a little every day than not at all.” If you’re not in a rush to lose weight, focus on improving your workout level to enhance your physical condition.
6. Pilates Guide for Beginners with Weight Loss Goals
Here are some suggestions for beginners starting Pilates with the goal of weight loss:
- Start with Basic Exercises: You should start your Pilates journey by learning and performing basic exercises such as the bridge, chest lift, leg circle, side leg lift, back stretch, spinal twist, and stretching exercises. It’s important to focus on adjusting the exercises to suit your body and progress at your own pace.
- Increase Training Intensity: Once you’re familiar with the basic exercises, challenge yourself by adding harder exercises to your workout schedule.
- Use Supportive Equipment: Once you’ve mastered the basic exercises, try using supportive equipment like the Pilates reformer to enhance your workout effectiveness.
- Combine with Other Physical Activities: While Pilates can help strengthen muscles and endurance, for effective weight loss, you should also combine it with other physical activities such as walking, running, or swimming.
- Exercise Regularly: To achieve the best results, perform Pilates exercises at least 3-5 times a week.
- Pay Attention to Diet: For effective weight loss, you also need to pay attention to your diet. Try to eat a balanced diet rich in fiber and protein, and limit your intake of sugar and saturated fats.
7. Conclusion
So, the question “is Pilates Good for Weight Loss?” has been clearly answered in this article. Pilates is not only an effective training method that helps tone and flex the body, but it’s also a great way to support the weight loss process.
Pilates helps enhance muscle strength, improve body balance, and even helps you reduce stress. However, to achieve the best results, you should combine Pilates with a healthy diet and other physical activities.
Remember, each person has a unique physique and weight loss goal, so it’s most important to listen to your body and find the training method that suits you best. Pilates can be a significant part of your weight loss journey.
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