I was asked recently by a friend, “Will Pilates help me lose weight?”
My answer was simple. Yes.
If you have weight to lose.
If you do not move your body on a regular basis, meaning you are mostly sedentary. And if you do not actively watch your caloric intake, so that you are burning more calories than you take in, it is widely known that you will either not lose weight, or you will gain weight. That is fact. That combination is key to weight loss…you must be active, either walking, running, swimming, Yoga, weight training, or Pilates, AND you must be taking in the right foods and the right amount of foods.
*Please remember- starving yourself and/or excessive exercise for extreme weight loss is not good, and it will backfire on you!*
When I began practicing Pilates for myself, I weighed 175lbs. On my weight loss journey, I had already began to make dietary changes that led me to lose 12lbs before I started Pilates. So after about 3 months of Pilates twice per week, EVERY week….consistently, I lost about 15lbs more. For the next 6 months, I continued to practice Pilates twice per week and watch my diet. The scale hovered at around 158-163 during that time. I was not discouraged or upset at the lack of continued weight loss, because something even better happened….I lost 3 dress sizes! I was getting stronger, leaner and more toned. When I decided to get certified to teach Pilates I started working out everyday and gaining the strength and confidence to do things that I never thought I could do. I eventually got down to 140lbs.
Did Pilates help me lose weight? Yes. Did I loose all the weight with Pilates alone? No. Did I get out of it what I put in? Yes. Did I gain strength, flexibility and confidence? Yes. Have I been practicing Pilates continuously, no matter what other disciplines I tried? Yes.
If you’re not moving, start. If you think you’d like to try Pilates, I would recommend it! If you have extra weight to lose, examine your diet also. There is no magic pill for fitness and health. I love Pilates because I can do it anywhere (mat Pilates), I always feel good after I do it, and I’ve become a stronger person from it. Generally anything I ask my body to do, I am capable of it.
Aloha
-Jessica