How many calories are burned when doing Pilates?

The purpose of Pilates

Today everyone already knows and understands that the formula for effective weight loss is nutrition plus exercise. There should be a clear correspondence between them: if you “eat” more calories in a day than you burn, you will gain weight. Too much deficit is stressful for the body; it will change the metabolism, switching to “economy mode”, after which it will be much more difficult to lose weight. Therefore, it is important to maintain an optimal balance, selecting a certain caloric content of the daily diet based on energy expenditure.

Calorie consumption in Pilates is of interest to many. But there is not and will not be a single answer to it; only approximate numbers can be given - about 200-250 kilocalories per hour.

It may seem that this value is quite modest, because even running takes about 300 kilocalories per hour. At the same time, you need to understand that getting rid of calories is not the main goal of Pilates. But it creates conditions under which, in normal times, the body’s energy consumption will be higher than usual.

Efficiency

Many people wonder whether it is possible to lose weight by doing Pilates and how effective it will be. To understand this issue, you need to understand the essence of this system of physical exercises. It lies in the fact that a person must perform certain movements slowly, strictly following the technique. By performing the exercises slowly, the risk of injury is reduced and slow exercises are suitable for both young and old people.

Advantages:

The training is suitable for all age groups and people with various diseases. They have no contraindications.
Thanks to the slow execution of movements, shortness of breath, rapid fatigue, and muscle pain are eliminated.
The figure is effectively corrected. Blood circulation improves and muscles become stronger.
The functioning of the cardiovascular system and respiratory system is normalized. Metabolic processes are accelerated due to a complex effect on the body.

However, in order for the exercises to bring maximum benefit, you must follow some rules:

First of all, you need to learn to breathe correctly. During training, you need to take deep breaths, which should be measured. Breathing should not be interrupted.
You need to pay close attention to every movement. Concentrate on the exercise and try to do it as well as possible.
Maximum results can only be achieved through a lot of regular training. You can't miss classes. Experienced trainers advise you to create a training schedule for several weeks in advance to make it easier to force yourself to study.
During training, it is necessary to maintain tension in all muscle groups. The first lessons will not be easy to do, but after some time it will become a habit.
Proper nutrition. To get your figure in order and lose extra pounds, you need to give up fatty, starchy, sweet and canned foods. Follow small meals to speed up metabolic processes.
Water mode. In order to lose extra pounds and cleanse the body of toxins, you need to drink at least 2 liters of water per day.
Rejection of bad habits. You should not consume alcoholic beverages or nicotine during a weight loss course.

A significant advantage of Pilates is its versatility. There is no need to go to gyms or study in a separate group under the supervision of a trainer. All exercises can be done at home.

What affects calorie expenditure?

If you are still wondering how many calories are burned during Pilates, you need to consider that this indicator is influenced by a lot of factors:

Human weight. The larger it is, the higher the energy consumption, because each cell of the body requires its share. At the same time, with obvious problems with weight, endurance is lower, which affects the effectiveness of the training.
Percentage of muscle mass. Muscles need more energy, while fat tissue does not consume it at all. Therefore, the more muscles, the higher the overall energy consumption.
Training intensity. There are many areas of fitness, ranging from fairly gentle ones, used by beginners or for rehabilitation after injury, to very complex and energy-consuming ones. But doing the latter requires good preparation.
Fitness. It is always more difficult for the body to do work that it is not used to, so beginners will lose more calories during Pilates. For this reason, it is advised to regularly change directions or at least sets of exercises.
Mood. It’s hard to believe, but if you do exercises in a good mood and with pleasure, your calorie consumption will be higher. This is due to the hormones released that stimulate the breakdown of fats.
Metabolism. It really is different for everyone, and some people by nature have the ability to burn more calories than others.

We hope that now you have a better understanding of how many calories Pilates removes, and you can take a fresh look at this sport.

Execution Rules

If Pilates acts as an effective method of losing weight, then the following rules for performing the exercises must be observed:

To begin with, you should understand that the exercises are performed often and regularly - with a break of 1-2 days.
Positive results can be seen within a month, but for a lasting effect, Pilates will have to be practiced for six months.
In addition to exercise, for an impressive effect in losing weight, you will have to give up junk food and alcohol.
You should not stick to a 10 minute program. These workouts can only support the existing results.
Pilates, like aerobics, should be performed in an excellent mood - this is the only way to achieve weight loss.

By adhering to the rules, after just a few months you can notice a positive result - the body will be significantly toned, vigor and energy will appear.

Basic exercises include the following exercises:

The exercise is performed in a standing position, arms down, located along the body. Lean forward with your arms out in front of you, trying to touch the floor without bending your knees. Having touched the floor, take a couple of “steps” forward - fixate for a few seconds. Lower your pelvis down, raise your head and make a characteristic arch with your back - fix in this position for 20 seconds. Return to the starting position in reverse order. The exercise is repeated at least 20 times.
Starting position – lying on your side, straining your abs. In this position, make circular movements first with one leg, then with the other. Circular movements should not be intense; circles are performed with each leg for at least a minute.
From a supine position, lift your arms and legs at the same time, trying to keep them parallel to the surface.
From the “all fours” position, raise your right arm parallel to the floor, then also lift your right leg. They are fixed in this position for a few seconds. Repeat the exercise at least 15 times.

The Pilates exercise in question - exercises for weight loss - helps not only to burn excess fat cells, but also to normalize blood circulation, as a result of which you can get rid of drowsiness, hypertension or hypotension, and heart problems.

Video

Moreover, this type of peculiar slow aerobics helps to get rid of excess fat in the body, normalize lymph flow, tighten muscles, and recharge with vigor and optimism. The last factor involves conducting classes in the morning, but since this rarely happens, evening training will bring a boost of strength and vigor after a hard day.

How to exercise for weight loss

A girl doing Pilates
In order for Pilates for weight loss to give results, you need to follow certain rules. How to exercise at home? The most important thing is to learn how to breathe properly deeply, not with your stomach, but with your chest. The work should be concentrated, concentrated, unhurried, at a pace that is comfortable for you. This is what allows you to evenly lose weight, train endurance, improve flexibility and strengthen the muscles of the body.

At home, all you need for training is a mat and light, loose clothing. At the initial stage, you can only work with your own weight, followed by adding additional equipment.

At first glance, Pilates may not look like a particularly impressive or effective fat-burning exercise, just like cardio for weight loss. However, Pilates creates the right conditions for the core muscles of the body to work, which increases calorie consumption, which means it helps you lose weight. To improve your body's ability to burn calories and fat, it is best to perform advanced forms of Pilates, which are more challenging exercises. That being said, an effective workout regimen for weight loss may include it in conjunction with a program of standard aerobic and strength exercises using dumbbells or weight machines.

Pilates burns a fair amount of calories during one hour of this workout. At the beginner level, a person weighing 68 kg burns about 250 calories, while the intermediate class burns 351 calories, and the advanced class burns 432 calories. Comparative information: An hour of walking burns 189 calories for a person weighing the same at 150 pounds. And running at an average speed already burns 576 calories within an hour.

This training system engages well and forces all stabilizer muscles to work. During such a workout, exercises are performed with an emphasis on the so-called core (core muscle, stabilizers), that is, your abdominals, buttocks and back muscles located along the spine. They get a lot of workload. Strong stabilizer muscles indirectly help you lose weight by increasing flexibility and range of motion in other exercises. So, strong core muscles help you work harder during any physical activity, which ultimately burns more calories. Specific exercises can be found on the Internet, or it is better to have a competent Pilates instructor show them to you.

Increase your intensity levels to burn additional fat and calories. Advanced Pilates forces a person to move at a faster pace, with fewer breaks. You train by keeping your heart rate in your target zone, where you burn the most calories. An advanced class may include a cardio interval system, which has increased weight loss potential. In a new study, scientists found that even just 2.5 minutes of intense interval exercise can ultimately burn an extra 200 calories per workout.

Please note that playing sports will not help you lose weight if you eat just anything. For example, to lose 1 kg of fat, you must achieve a deficit of approximately 7,000 calories. Theoretically, this can be achieved through exercise, but it is much easier to do this by reducing calorie intake. You can speed up the process of losing weight thanks to sports fat burners - look at the link. Pilates alone will not help you lose a significant amount of weight, and you need to attend workouts regularly (each for 45 minutes minimum), and do this at least four times a week! Increase your calorie burn by doing cardio and strength training, and remember to track your nutrition. You need to soberly evaluate your diet and make a choice in favor of a healthy diet!

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One comment on “Pilates – will it help you lose weight?”

NastyaJanuary 1st, 2015 - 14:01
Pilates very well tightens the whole body, removes extra centimeters. In addition, almost everyone can do it, including older people, those with a lot of weight, and even pregnant women.

What is needed for classes?

Before starting classes, there are important points to consider:

At least one hour should pass after the last meal;
After classes, you can eat no earlier than an hour later;
Pilates goes well with SPA treatments;
Exercises are performed on a special mat or towel;
There should be no pain during the exercises;
You can’t do exercise when you have a cold, feel unwell or are in a bad mood; it won’t bring any benefits.

You should dress loosely for training so that your clothes do not restrict movement. At the same time, it is important to see how correctly the exercises are performed. It is better to exercise in socks or barefoot, since the muscles of the feet and legs are fully involved in the work.