It’s nearly impossible to scroll through social media right now without seeing some celebrity or influencer rave about the perks of Pilates. But even with all the buzz surrounding this popular practice, details are a little fuzzy on whether Pilates is an effective workout for weight loss. First off, know that the health and fitness benefits of having a Pilates practice are so much more than that.
This form of exercise is known for improving your posture, breathing, flexibility, and core strength. As Claudette Sariya, CPT, a personal trainer and fitness educator based in New York City, notes, “any movement that you can enjoy regularly and consistently can help you lose weight.” So, doing Pilates (or any workout for that matter) to stay active paired with a nutrition plan is likely to help you with weight loss. But it probably won't help expedite your weight loss in the same way that, say, lifting heavy weights would. (We'll get into why!) The focus of Pilates is not weight loss, experts point out.
"Pilates should be considered part of your self-care routine," says Jacquelyn Brennan, CSCS, pilates instructor and co-founder of Chicago-based Pilates and Coffee. "We all need to move our spines more, move our joints through every range of motion, and everyone needs to be breathing better." All of those healthy practices together can aid weight loss, though. Here's everything to know about doing Pilates when you're trying to lose weight.
Meet the experts: Gabbi Berkow, RD, CPT, is a nutritionist and Pilates instructor. Jacquelyn Brennan, CSCS, is a Pilates instructor and co-founder of Chicago-based Pilates and Coffee. Claudette Sariya, CPT, is a personal trainer and fitness educator based in New York City.
Price Herbert is a certified Pilates instructor and founder of Black Girl Pilates. Nofar Hagag is a Pilates instructor and creator of the Nofar Method. One form of Pilates isn't superior to another to drop pounds, experts agree.
"For weight loss, I don’t think one type of Pilates is necessarily best,” says Berkow. Yet, there are different flavors—and finding one that you enjoy and will keep coming back to can, in turn, help you commit to a fitness routine and lose weight. When someone mentions Pilates, they're often referring to Romana’s Pilates, which features exercises that Joseph Pilates (the founder) developed, explains Gabbi Berkow, RD, CPT, a nutritionist and Pilates instructor.
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