Pilates has to be one of the most effective and beneficial methods of whole body exercise that anyone can do and that has excellent results for posture, breathing, flexibility and weight loss. Jenny Green from Bodywise Pilates explains what Pilates is and how it could help you this summer season.
Pilates & Weight Loss – 4 Easy Steps to Success
The Pilates method is a contemporary form of exercise designed to condition the entire body. The technique focuses on the core postural muscles that help keep the body balanced and the spine in good alignment. Pilates exercises can be taught on mats using your own body weight (similar to Yoga) or on machines that can assist and/or add difficulty to the exercises. It is associated with increasing flexibility and helping with relaxation, amongst other things. But, did you know that regular Pilates practice can give you a lean, toned body and help your body burn calories and reduce fat? The added big bonus for most people is that you don’t need to get hot and sweaty, it is pain free and anyone can do it.
So how does Pilates work?
Breathing:
Breathing control is a key principle of Pilates and an important function in weight loss and increased well-being. Breathing is essential for life and getting oxygen into your body. Well-oxygenated blood improves your body’s metabolism which means you will be able to
burn more fat calories, more quickly. However, believe it or not, many people breathe very poorly, using only a small portion of their lung capacity. Pilates teaches ‘lateral’ active breathing, which will increase your oxygen intake and boost your metabolism.
Stress:
Stress is a [perceived] part of modern day life, keeping you under pressure every day. Your body responds to these emotional triggers by releasing hormones to stimulate your body to help try to cope with this. One of these is triggers is Cortisol, which if the levels remain elevated in your body, can actually increase your appetite and stimulate you to eat more. There is a strong association between stress, Cortisol production and abdominal or belly fat (a risk factor for heart attacks). A combination of the Pilates principles of relaxation, movement and diaphragmatic breathing will help you break out of the stress cycle and lower your body’s Cortisol levels. Pilates is a mind-body exercise, which means you have to be ‘present’ and fully focused in every exercise and on each movement. There’s no time to think about anything else, allowing you and your body to escape from your daily grind and relax during your Pilates practice, ready to return to your day mentally refreshed and feeling stronger.
Posture:
One of the best ways to feel and look thinner quickly is to work on improving your posture. Pilates creates a leaner look by focusing on length and good spinal alignment, combined with balance in your body, inside and out. Pilates exercises encourage you to work slowly and with control, emphasising the lengthening phases of the muscle movement. This allows you to get stronger and more toned without adding muscle bulk.
Moving:
This is your body’s first step towards losing weight. Pilates is all about movement; moving well and moving from your centre, resulting in higher use of your core abdominal muscles to support your body and weight loss. In Pilates everything starts from your core, before you move anything you engage your deep abdominal muscles and if done consistently and with proper technique this will give you a flat stomach and fantastic set of abs. Put all of those things together and you are going to start feeling great, this will boost your self confidence and put you on the path to successful weight loss.
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Bodywise Pilates, or pop in for a friendly chat,
to see us in action and get a better idea of what
we can do to help you.
