Participating in a Pilates program can reap a number of benefits, including increased lung capacity and circulation, improved strength and flexibility as well as better posture and balance. While you can expect to work hard during a Pilates class, you're unlikely to burn enough calories to substantially affect your weight with Pilates alone.
Losing Weight
If you're trying to lose weight, you need to create a consistent calorie deficit. You can create this deficit through a combination of diet and exercise. Every time you reach a 3,500-calorie deficit over the course of several days or weeks, you'll have effectively lost 1 lb. When trying to lose weight with the help of Pilates, you'll need to calculate approximately how many calories you need to eat each day to maintain your weight, the number of calories you plan to burn with the help of Pilates and how many calories you plan to shave off your diet to help you meet your goals.
Burning Calories
When performing Pilates, a 150-lb. individual burns approximately 238 calories over the course of an hour, according to Discovery Health's activity calorie burn rate calculator. That's less than you would burn while walking at a moderate pace for an hour. If you're currently not in a state of weight gain, to burn 1 lb. of fat each week from Pilates alone, you would need to perform two hours of Pilates a day, every day.
Making it Work
If you're dedicated to losing weight through Pilates, you could make it work, although it won't be easy. Using a basal metabolic rate calculator, like the one found on Exercise.com or Discovery Health, calculate the approximate number of calories you burn each day from basic activities. A 150-lb., 5'4" female burns approximately 1,469 calories a day. If that same individual performed Pilates for an hour each day, five days a week, the calories burned from exercise would be approximately 1,190. That leaves an additional 2,310 calories that need to be cut from the diet, or 330 per day. This same female would need to set up a diet plan to consume only 1,139 calories a day in order to lose 1 lb. of fat each week; but, because it's inadvisable for anyone to consume fewer than 1,200 calories a day, this person may need to slow down her weight loss plan to lose 1 lb. every other week.
Considerations
When it comes to the caloric balancing act, almost anything is possible, but that doesn't mean it's advisable. Pilates provides an effective strengthening and stretching workout, but it's not a weight loss program. Supplement your cardio routine with Pilates several days a week, and you will probably experience more successful weight loss.
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