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What You Need To Know About Doing Pilates For Weight Loss

Let's be real for a sec: Pilates only seems easy-anyone who's ever taken a class knows all those teeny-tiny movements are actually painful AF. But that begs the question: If Pilates can be so damn difficult, it's gotta be effective for weight loss, right?

What To Know About Pilates And Weight Loss

Tbh, Pilates can definitely help you burn calories (and ultimately lose weight)-but it's benefits go way past dropping pounds (think: better posture, improved breathing, more flexibility), and it should be part of your regular workout schedule.

"Pilates should be considered part of your self-care routine," says Jacquelyn Brennan , C.S.C.S., Pilates instructor and co-founder of Chicago-based Pilates + Coffee . "We all need to move our spines more, move our joints through every range of motion, and everyone needs to be breathing better." And all of those healthy practices can lead to weight loss.

So, when someone mentions "Pilates," they're likely referring to Romanas Pilates, which features exercises that Joseph Pilates (the founder) developed, explains Gabbi Berkow, RD, CPT, a nutritionist and Pilates instructor.

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Some studios are dedicated to classical or Romanas Pilates (which is what Berkow is trained in) but there are studios that feature different Pilates-based workouts, which means they use Pilates-inspired moves, but don't follow classical Pilates to a T. Some Pilates classes also occur on a mat, while other can occur on a reformer, which is basically a sliding platform.

Regardless, experts say that one form of Pilates isn't superior to another to drop pounds. "For weight loss, I dont think one type of Pilates is necessarily best, says Berkow.

What you do want when it comes to Pilates and weight loss is an instructor who knows what theyre doing, is committed to safe movements, and will challenge you, adds Berkow. You want to make sure your Pilates class is a workout. It shouldnt be just a series of slow, easy stretches. Pilates has to contribute to your total daily calorie burn for it to make a difference in weight loss, she says.

You're not going to leave class dripping in sweat like you would after a HIIT class, but you are doing a total body workout during every session, says Berkow. Even though Pilates targets the core, every exercise utilizes all of the muscles in your body. Every movement works strength, flexibility, and mental control over your body, she says. So, your answer is a resounding yes, you can absolutely get in shape with Pilates.

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Another perk: strengthening your body through Pilates and using it as a low-impact workout to round out your routine, may decrease your risk of injury, adds Brennan. Bettering posture, flexibility, and range of motion can also act as a foundation for success in other activities and workouts. And when you stay healthy, you dont have to sit on the sidelines.

Ultimately, youre going to get out of it what you put in. In my 10-plus years of teaching, Ive learned that students who have a strong Pilates practice see results quicker, as theyre able to perform their other workouts more effectively, says Brennan. She recommends doing Pilates two to four times per week for the best results.

If youve ever gone to a class, you know how insane the core work is (seriously, " Hundreds " are not for the faint of heart...or abs).

While you can't spot-reduce, often, when women who are bothered by a bit of a protruding belly, it's because they're not properly engaging their pelvic floor and deep core muscles, says Brennan. "Pilates will teach you how to engage your muscles correctly, which will lend to increased activation during core exercises and lead to a 'tighter tummy,'" she says.

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Try these 12 Pilates exercises:

With your belly tucked in, it may look as if your stomach is indeed flatter. However, to see ab definition, you have to lose fat that sits on top of your muscles, something that requires proper nutrition, says Berkow-which includes a diet rich in whole, fresh foods and a limit on overly-processed foods and snacks.

Honestly, weight loss involves a ton of other factors, like sleep, lifestyle, and eating habits, so Pilates, regardless of how great it feels, isn't a cure-all. Pilates will, however, deliver far more benefits than just a lower number on a scale.

First, theres stress relief. As Brennan explains, Pilates helps you with breath work, encouraging deeper belly breaths that are in direct contrast to the shallow breathing many of us do on the reg. Shallow breathing leads to increased cortisol levels, which contributes to weight gain. One could say that through Pilates and learning to breathe better, youd have lower cortisol-and thus stress-levels, something that can help you lose weight, she says.

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Feeling better, both mentally and physically, will also encourage you to take care of your body, says Berkow-and Pilates can definitely be a key part of an overall weight-loss goal.

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