\”…Look for a good machine with a warranty…\”…

Dave:
Thanks for the note! Have sent the editor a note to correct it. The calories lost in the “general exercise list” remains the same with people weighing an average of 145 pounds. The calculations for pilates are changed to the following for a 145 pound person doing an hour of pilates:
beginner level pialtes: 241
intermediate level pilates: 338
advanced level pilates: 421

Mike OD:
Absolutely… what you eat is important! For those people who buy a Winsor Pilates tape thinking they can drop 60 pounds in two weeks need the basic understanding of weight loss. For many people it begins with getting a big picture idea and then looking at what they eat and how that fuels – or does not fuel- their body. Most people dreaming about weight loss and thinking pilates is a quick fix have not done their homework about weight loss, food, and their environment like you seem to have!

We can only guess how accurate these exercise charts are. Just like Dave C pointed out about cycling, it is similar within the pilates charts. As I mentioned previously – pilates routines can vary largely. There are many variables: type of instructor, speed, school of thought, equipment, etc! But it can give us a scope of the knowledge we have – thus far! And that is helpful for those trying to understand how pilates does or does not fit into their fitness plans.

CJS:
Let me clarify. Pilates is not spot reduction. This statement is exactly correct. “If you want to strengthen with pilates or any other method go ahead but it is not going to reduce fat in any particular body part more than another.” I’m not talking to my clients about burning fat. I will help my clients tone, gain mobility, gain endurance, etc. but what happens when they gain strength and toned abdominal muscles but you can’t see them underneath fat (if they have it)?! This is when they need to have that talk about looking at their diet their exercise their environment, etc! So when I talked about knowing your motives before walking into the studio – this is when it is helpful.

When reading this article we’re probably grouping people into a few different groups. Fit, a few extra pounds, too many extra pounds. (stick with me) You have to remember that pilates will sculpt the body of someone fit and with a few extra pounds but probably not the too many extra pounds person (see paragraph above)!

Will people lose weight with moderate exercise who are in that “too many extra pounds” category, yes! Is pilates moderate exercise, yes! But think about the movements in pilates – can a person that large really do all of those exercises? In my experience they get more frustrated.
If a larger person is in the studio because they are working on improving posture because of back pain, true story, she is generally going to have a higher incentive to work through that frustration. It’s been my experience that having a more overweight person do something like walking – which they are much more capable of – are probably going to gain quicker results from than rolling like a ball on the floor. Again, pretty relative.

A credible pilates teacher will explain to you how to properly engage the abdominal muscles starting from the begining – the pelvic floor. Though “sucking in” is the first response, it is not correct nor safe.

Lolla: Well said in the end. It is not just about one thing. Pilates can give you benefits (a few out of many) that make you appear as though you have lost some weight or fat, but generally you haven’t lost that fat. Losing fat is another ball game that pilates isn’t playing.
Pilates has had a huge spike in popularity and one of the reasons why is because people think that they can lose weight from doing it. This is not exactly true.

Peace.

We aren’t talking about sucking in bellies and relaxing bellies we are talking about adipose around the midsection. To not believe that this is measurable in a scientific fashion is not credible. If you want to strengthen with pilates or any other method go ahead but it is not going to reduce fat in any particular body part more than another.

In my not-so-professional opinion if you asked people if they want to lose an inch around the waist they would not take seriously the option of walking around with their stomach “sucked in” all day. When someone wants to lose an inch around the waist they mean they want to lose fat around their waist. To lose weight around their waist they will have to lose weight over their entire body – there is not a credible spot reduction technique.

Lovely for some, though, especially if you want a little bit of everything and don’t mind slow gains. Less chance of dropping a barbell on your face, too.

Also, for some odd reason, the number for walking at 3.5 mph is omitted. Walking at 2 mph is an extremely slow, window shopping pace and isn’t really realistic for someone taking a brisk walk for fitness. 3.5 mph is much more reasonable and at 293 calories puts it ahead of beginner pilates.

It’s also not fair to reject the lower calorie burning exercises on the grounds of efficiency because this doesn’t take into account the fact that someone overweight and out of shape would never be able to do an activity like running at 8 mph for sustained periods of time and would likely suffer from muscle aches that would prevent them from running on a daily basis. If you suggest jogging for 30 minutes a day to someone 30 lbs overweight, you’re setting them up for failure.