Pilates and Weight Loss | Pilates with Priya

3 Pilates Myths

31 January, 2016 Priya Tew

Pilates will lead to weight loss

A myth and not a myth. Working hard at Pilates several times a week will help with weight loss and will help keep you strong, toned and lean. However most people will only do 1 class a week.

Pilates will burn calories, but not as many as other forms of exercise. Like all forms of exercise you get out what put in. A pilates class can be hard work, leaving you with an elevated heart rate and a warm glow. Or you can do a class that is more for relaxation and gentler core work. Both will provide benefits, the former will lead to greater calorie burning.

Doing Pilates once a week will not lead to weight loss on it’s own. However as part of a co-ordinated approach, with a healthy eating plan and other exercise it will definitely help. It acts as the foundation for other exercises and gives you that core strengthen and abdominal definition.

I also remember working with one overweight lady who proudly told me how her husband had commented that he could now see her abdominals. What had happened? She hadn’t dramatically lost weight but her core was stronger and that line of definition was her obliques.

Pilates is only for girls

Ummmm No. Pilates was designed by a man and used initially mainly for men. Joseph Pilates used his new exercises to help soldiers rehabilitate after war injuries. Later on Pilates was embraced by the dancing world and became seen as more of a female exercise programme. It was hijacked by the women. A smart move by them but the men are missing out!

Plenty of male athletes use Pilates as part of their training. In fact it is now being used by football clubs and rugby teams in their warms ups and strengthening routines. If you need core strength, flexibility and function, you need Pilates.

Our mat classes incorporate whole body exercises such as The Press Up and Leg Pull Back. These go down well with our male clients, but I also find they love to stretch and really need to do so. I’ve worked with manual labourers, businessmen and sports players. We are so fortunate that we now get a range of men into our classes and it adds a really nice vibe.

After years of me teaching Pilates my husband has recently taken the plunge and is now taking classes, no not taught by his wife 😉 He is hooked and never misses his weekly class.

Pilates is just for the abdominals

Pilates is definitely for the abdominals, but that is not all it does. Since jumping into running a studio and teaching pretty much daily I have noticed a huge difference in my body. Yes, I have abdominals with nice definition (when I’m not pregnant!), but my whole physique is leaner, more toned and I am stronger. Which for me is so much needed when I’m lifting children and running a busy business. My aches and pains are kept under control as I know how to fix myself, I know which muscles need a stretch, which need a strengthen and what I need to correct in my posture.

You may get abs of steel from Pilates, but you will get so so much more than that. When a client can suddenly touch their toes or do an exercise they couldn’t do for the first time, it is exciting, suddenly they see a change in their body.

Pilates will help you do your everyday life better and stronger.

Embrace the mummy tummy.

5 July, 2015 Priya Tew

A sensitive topic. Mummy tummies and post baby bellies are something that I deal with on a regular basis. I know how much pressure mums can feel to lose the baby weight and get back into their skinny jeans. I felt it myself after my second baby especially. Social media and the media shows us how some celebs look like they’ve never had a baby just a few weeks after giving birth. There are posts of mums doing all kinds of crazy in order to lose weight and tone up. Whereas actually if your body has just had a baby doesn’t it need to rest and isn’t it perfectly natural and normal for your body to not ping back to normal after 9 months of stretching and carrying an extra person around inside it?

I’ve had 2 babies. I’m a Pilates teacher and a dietitian. So I eat well, I exercise and I didn’t put on too much weight with either pregnancy. Yet I still took 6 months to lose the baby weight. Here I am 4 weeks after baby with a definite bump still there.

Pilates with Priya: Post Natal Tummy Week 4

Reasons to embrace the mummy tummy:

1. If you are breastfeeding then your body needs to have some reserves to make milk. Breastfeeding can help you lose weight but your body may not let you lose it all too soon. It’s a pretty sensible system really isn’t it. There is some built in protection for baby in those early months.

2. It’s taken 9 months or so to create a baby, you’ve done a stunning job of carrying baby around and feeding baby. All of that takes a toll on your body, it uses your nutritional stores. Now your body needs to recover. 9 months on, 9 months off is the commonly said phrase and I agree with it. It may feel like a long time but it really isn’t in the grand scheme of life.

3. Obviously you don’t want your weight to stay higher than normal for ever, but initially it’s a rite of passage and a sign of mummyhood. Try to savour those early days. Spending time with your baby and looking after yourself is the most important thing.

4. Getting back into high intensity exercise too soon can be damaging. Your pelvic floor needs to be strong enough and any abdominal separation fixed before you start running, jumping or high impact workouts. Stick to swimming, postnatal classes or specialist pilates.

Look out for my next post for top tips on how to lose that mummy tummy.

Pilates to Detox

1 January, 2015 Priya Tew

It’s that time of year when people have over eaten, drunk too much and not been as active as they usually are. Plus there are still a pile of treats hanging around tempting you. I know as there are choccies and cake in my house looking at me.

Detox is one of those buzz words each New Year.

“a period when you stop taking unhealthy or harmful foods/drinks, or drugs into your body for a period of time, in order to improve your health”

Which got me thinking as to how Pilates can be seen as a detox, cleansing the body of things we don’t want, improving health.

1. It releases tight muscles. A tight muscle is going to cause a restriction in your movement patterns and may cause pain.

2. It stretches you. Those muscles that are shortened will love you for it. One of the common ones being the hamstrings which are shortened if you sit down a lot.

3. It relaxes and calms you. No one goes out of our classes feeling more stressed or anxious than when they walked in.

So for me, Pilates is the ultimate detox. It leaves my mind and body feeling decluttered, destressed and detoxed.

So in 2015, step away from the fad diets, the juices, those resolutions that won’t last. Embrace a healthy lifestyle, eating a balanced intake of food you enjoy and that is good for you. Keeping active in the best way for your body.

Pilates, Calories and Weight Loss.

14 June, 2014 Priya Tew

Can Pilates help you lose weight? Absolutely. Will Pilates help you gain that lean, scuplted body. For sure.

So what is the catch? Pilates alone won’t help you achieve these aims. Combine Pilates with a healthy diet and some cardiovascular exercise and you will get there. Bear in mind that 1 Pilates class a week is a good start but isn’t going to achieve those aims all on it’s own. See my tips on doing Pilates at home.

Pilates is one of those types of exercise that I think is hard to quantify. Each class is so different. Some of the classes I teach focus more on stretching and releasing then strengthening. Other classes have an intense core focus. It absolutely varies from class to class and it really depends on how hard you work in the class. The simplest exercises can work you very hard if done with good technique. So when thinking about how many calories a Pilates class uses I would say it depends on:

How long you exercise for.
How intense the session is.
Your Pilates technique.

The average calories burnt for an hours Pilates session is quoted on the internet is 200kcals.

Pilates will help you tone up, improve flexibility and improve your core strength. You will be stronger, leaner and more body aware from regular Pilates. It will help with weight loss but not on it’s own. For the best results make sure you combine your Pilates with other cardiovascular exercise such as running or aerobics.

For example I teach and do a lot of Pilates but I combine this with Step aerobics, running, weight sessions and general running around after small kids.

Category: Pilates and Weight Loss