Does Pilates make you lose weight? We'll explain!

Does Pilates help you lose weight: the basics 

Does Pilates make you lose weight? The practice has many benefits for the body and mind when done repeatedly. Better posture, muscle strengthening, reduced stress, etc. We'll explain it to you.

What is the Pilates method?

There Pilates method was created at the beginning of Twentieth century by Joseph Pilates. Created to help the injured regain their mobility, Pilates aimed to make work the deep muscles. For this, the exercises were carried out with machines to accompany each movement. 

Inspired by several disciplines such as yoga, there dance, there gymnastic, it is a method that allows you to work the balance, there coordination, THE muscles deep but also the concentration and the relaxation.

This fitness method has been very successful in terms of its results. It is for this reason that Joseph Pilates began to teaching his method to instructors in the United States and particularly in New York. In this way, the Pilates method continued to grow and spread all around the globe.

Pilates is based on 6 basic principles, which constitute the foundations of discipline : 

• Breathing : breathing properly helps improve blood circulation and make the movements performed more intense
• Concentration : clear your head and concentrate only on the postures but also on your breathing which plays an essential role in your session
• Stabilization : You must find your stability through understanding the center of your body and self-awareness. This is where your movements start!
• Control : your mind should control every movement you make and become one with your body
• Fluidity : each movement must be performed fluidly in order to intensify 
• Precision : precision is essential to ensure the quality of the movement 

To find out more about the Pilates method, check out our article on the subject!

How is Pilates practiced?

THE Pilates is a discipline adapted to all types of profiles, which makes it a successful discipline: 

• sportsmen : athletes benefit from it because the exercises work the muscles and require a certain level of effort
• beginners : no need to be a high-level athlete or have a foundation in Pilates to be able to successfully perform the exercises
• the elderly : thanks to gentle discipline and going at your own pace, you will carry out the exercises without risking injury 
• pregnant women : ideal for pregnant women, Pilates allows you to take the time to breathe and connect with your baby and your evolving body
• injured people : being a discipline historically created to help the injured regain their mobility, Pilates is suitable for the injured 

Indeed, Pilates exercises require a certain requirement to carry them out in the right way but are not not violent for the body and joints. This is why the practice of Pilates is suitable for everyone.

The only condition to fully excel in the discipline is to respect the 6 principles stated above.

Does Pilates make you lose weight?

The question many are asking... Does Pilates make you lose weight? ? This is a good question that we will answer. Follow the leader !

Gentle physical activity… 

THE Pilates is known to be a gentle physical activity, inspired by several disciplines such as dance, gymnastics and yoga in particular. 

Its objective is to gently work the deep muscles and thereforerefine the silhouette thanks to the postures and exercises performed. After a few Pilates sessions, you will start to see your body firm up, A flat stomach taking shape thanks to the work of the deep abdominals, etc. Besides, you can work on abs with a pilates ball. 

Pilates allows you to strengthen the muscles without gaining volume. In fact, the muscles take lengthways and also promote better posture. This will have an impact on your entire body and promote weight loss by the work of the muscles.

…to be completed with a cardio sport…

For real weight loss results, it is advisable to complement your Pilates sessions with physical activity which allows you to work your cardio. In this way, you can burn more calories and fat. 

Indeed, the Pilates is not a sports discipline sufficiently based on cardio and therefore will not be enough if you really want to lose weight. 

So you have the choice between several disciplines to work your cardio effectively: 

• running 

• fast walk

• swimming

• aqua bike

• cardio boxing

• cross-country skiing

• etc.

Find the activity that best fits your lifestyle and schedule. If you are unable to find the motivation, try to find a partner to accompany you during your cardio sessions. As a couple, it's always easier to motivate each other!

…and a healthy lifestyle

In addition to the practice of Pilates and a complementary cardio activity, it is important to take into account the factor oflifestyle. 

Therefore, you absolutely must set up a routine for balanced eating. This doesn't mean you have to go on a diet though! You simply must eat everything and in reasonable quantities :  

• fruits and vegetables : at will
• proteins : meat, fish, cheese, eggs, etc. 
• starchy foods : rice, pasta, cereals, etc.

Also think about reduce your consumption of sugar, processed products, alcohol, tobacco if you smoke, etc. 

In addition to a balanced diet, you must drink enough water to drain your body. In fact, it is advisable to drink at least 1.5L of water per day. This allowseliminate waste and toxins present in your body through urine. The body thus preserves only the mineral salts good for the body and promotes cell renewal.

Finally, don't don't neglect your sleep. In fact, it is during the night that the body transforms fat into muscle thanks to the work of cells. Getting a good, restful night's sleep is therefore an important factor in your weight loss goal.

Other benefits of Pilates 

Pilates has many benefits in addition to contributing to your weight loss goal. Muscle strengthening, improvement of posture, fight against stress, etc.. Let’s discover them together!

Strengthens flexibility

Pilates exercises allow you to gain flexibility. This plays out both at the level of muscles that at the level of joints. 

THE stretching et stretching exercises carried out during the session results in relieve and preserve joints. This notably avoids having osteoarthritis problems but also reduce the risk of daily injury and of recover faster after a sports session.

To know the differences between Pilates and stretching, consult our dedicated article.

Improves posture

The work of the deep muscles at a direct impact on the back, there neck or even the spine. Therefore, the more you do Pilates, the more you will observe a improvement in the way you hold yourself. 

Indeed, the development of telework has led workers to work from home, without having all the necessary equipment adapted to good working conditions. Thus, a workstation that is too low, an unsuitable chair or even several days of working on one's bed can have consequences on daily posture.

Fight against stress

You have a stressful lifestyle ? Pilates is the right way to clear your mind and so effectively combat stress. Known to be a Art of living, Pilates will do you good every day and allow you tolearn to breathe and relax even outside of class.

One of the principles being the breathing, discipline allows you refocus on yourself, to no longer think about anything. There slow, deep breathing provides a feeling of well-being and relaxation.

What you should remember

To conclude, Does Pilates really help you lose weight? ? As seen previously, Pilates is a discipline that allows you to gain strength, mobility, flexibility, etc. All of this without damaging your joints due to shocks or impacts potentially violent. 

THE Pilates therefore helps to lose weight but is not the only miracle solution ! You have to complete your Pilates practice by other actions to be carried out on a daily basis: 

• do a physical activity that works your cardio : running, aquabiking, cross-country skiing, brisk walking, etc. 
• eat healthy : eat everything, in sufficient and reasonable quantities, reducing excesses (sugar, processed foods, tobacco, alcohol, etc.)
• drink at least 1.5L of water per day : 
• sleep well and get enough sleep : in order to let your body regenerate and thus promote the transformation of fat into muscle 

In addition to helping with weight loss, Pilates also has other benefits that it is important to highlight: 

• gain flexibility : both for the joints and for the muscles which reduces the risk of injury on a daily basis and particularly during sport
• plays a positive role on body posture : allows you to work the deep muscles responsible for posture. You will see results quickly if you do Pilates regularly
• fights effectively against stress : the importance of breathing and self-awareness will allow you to relax, put aside stress and anxieties and focus only on the present moment

You now know that Pilates is a good discipline if you want to lose weight. However, it is not only through regular practice that you will be able to lose the weight you have set for yourself. You must therefore absolutely complete your Pilates classes with a more intense activity doing work your cardio and a healthy lifestyle to observe results that meet your expectations.

Discover Pilates at POSES Studio

You don't know Pilates and are you interested in getting started in the discipline? You are in the right place ! 

Come and discover the Pilates Flow by POSES Studio ! This is the place you need to make a real break from your daily life. Our flows are specially created to adapt to any type of profile. 

In the program : 50 minutes of workout based on the Pilates method and cardio Pulse&Pose signature sequences. With the help and support of our coaches, link the benefits of Pilates and the dynamics of cardio for conclusive results in terms of weight loss!

Leave your daily life aside the time of your course and leave the studio liberated and peaceful !