All types of exercise that keep you moving are good. At A Strong Life in Hartford, CT, we know that no two people are alike or want to achieve the same things. That’s why we offer a variety of options for a healthy diet and exercise programs. If weight loss is your goal, eating healthy is only one pillar to help you become healthier. Exercise is the other. One form of exercise that many have found helps with weight loss is Pilates. Pilates is a low impact workout that helps tone the body, improves posture, builds lean muscle mass and burns extra calories.
Pilates doesn’t torch calories like strength training or other cardio, but it does burn calories.
Unlike running, swimming or lifting weight, Pilates doesn’t burn a ton of calories per hour, but it does burn extra calories, improve your posture, tone your core muscles and build muscles. The more muscle tissue you have, the more calories you’ll burn even when you’re not working out. That means it boosts your metabolism, making weight loss easier.
Toned muscles make you look slimmer.
Pilates changes your bodyweight composition to less fat and more muscle. Muscle tissue weighs more than fat tissue does, so a pound of muscle tissue is smaller than a pound of fat tissue. If your body has more muscle tissue, yet you didn’t lose weight, you’ll look thinner. Pilates uses both bodyweight and resistance devices to build strength and muscle tissue. Improved posture also makes you look thinner. You stretch your body, pulling out folds and stand taller, giving an impression of being thinner.
Better posture make you look thinner.
When you practice Pilates, it helps elongate the spine. That makes the chest lift and the waist narrow. Improved posture elongates your body and makes you look taller. The taller you are, the more weight you can carry without looking overweight. You’ll even feel taller when you finish a Pilates class and feel a boost of energy. That improved posture also helps boost your energy level so you’ll be more active throughout the day.
- Many of the exercises from Pilates are very similar to those done in traditional workouts. Lunges, Pilates push-ups and leg pull-ups to a bridge are just a few of those.
- If you choose Pilates as part of your workout program, it doesn’t mean you have to do it to the exclusion of other forms of exercise. Pilates complements all types of exercises and can be one more tool in your weight loss kit.
- One study in 2019 divided participants into two groups. One did Pilates and the other did traditional aerobic workouts for eight weeks. Those who did Pilates lost more fat and increased lean muscle mass.
- No matter what type of dietary plan or exercise program you follow, as long as both are healthy options, consistency is key. Getting a half hour to an hour of exercise daily is important.
For more information, contact us today at A Strong Life