Of all the questions we get asked at our
studio,
the question "will I lose weight?" tops the charts. The answer is not
a simple "yes" or a simple "no," so we'll devote the next few articles
to exploring weight loss and Pilates.
First of all,
successful weight loss
requires three components: proper diet/nutrition, maintenance of
muscle mass and fat burning cardiovascular exercise. If one exercises
vigorously, but then eats without concern for calories, sugar, fat,
etc., then that person will most likely see less results than the
person who embarks on a program focusing on exercise AND diet. Next,
increasing and maintaining muscle tone helps increase the body's
metabolism because
the more muscle one has, the more calories one burns. Muscle cells
require more energy just to exist, so people with greater muscle mass
burn more calories even when not exercising. Dieting without
exercising can lead to both a decreased
metabolic rate and a loss of muscle tone, which can thwart all the effort when pre-diet eating habits are resumed.
Additionally,
the current fitness level, age and sex of the individual starting
Pilates plays an enormous role in determining how much weight loss
he/she will experience. With regards to current fitness level, a
deconditioned body may reap more initial benefits from Pilates than
someone who engages in regular exercise and is adding Pilates to it.
As people get older, body composition changes and muscle tends to
decrease, thus fat comprises more of an individual's weight. Also,
metabolism
naturally slows with age, which changes the body's caloric needs.
Unfortunately, most people continue eating the same amount as they age
even as their caloric needs decline. And sorry ladies, but men usually
have a higher
metabolic rate than women because they have less body fat and more muscle than do women of the same age and weight.
Furthermore (and this may be obvious but we have a reason for
mentioning it) how much one applies oneself to their Pilates session
determines how much weight they will or will not lose! The media has
touted Pilates as a wonderful weight loss regime, but if people do not
apply themselves to their workouts when exercising (be it Pilates or
any other workout regime), results will not be gained! Also, keep in
mind that Pilates was designed to be a rehabilitative regime, to be
done thoughtfully, precisely and with great attention to detail.
Pilates was not designed to be a fast moving, heart pumping workout!
Of course, when one improves one's Pilates technique, the exercises can
be accomplished more fluidly, and the pace of the workout increases as
the flow improves. If one takes the time to go slow and learn the
technique from the start, the "faster" they will be able to move
through their workout in the future.
At our New York studio
Pilates on Fifth,
we see men and women reach their fitness goals every day. But we also
see a lot of people get frustrated because they are NOT reaching their
goals. If you fall into the latter group, be sure to evaluate your
eating and lifestyle habits -- and be very honest with yourself! And
check back to our page for more articles on Pilates and weight loss!