There is no denying that Pilates isn't for the faint of heart. Anyone who has ever tried to follow an instructional DVD at home or built up the courage to work out at a studio knows the struggle of successfully making it through a Pilates class. Despite its challenges, the timeless philosophies and proven merits of Pilates keep people going back for more. If you're interested in beefing up your exercise routine with Pilates workouts to get fit, know how to balance the right routine and lifestyle changes to get the body you want.
Benefits
Pilates doesn't maintain its reputable popularity for nothing. The exercise, created by Joseph Pilates, is a body conditioning routine that helps to build flexibility and muscle strength, improve the range of motion in your hips and core, and improve balance and posture. Pilates has also been said to help you with your overall health and wellness like mental focus, breathing depth and an overall sense of body awareness.
There's More
Despite it touting excellent body and health benefits, Pilates is not effective cardiovascular exercise and shouldn't be done as your sole workout routine. Supplement your routine with aerobic activities like running, elliptical training or biking. Jill Harris, Pilates instructor and owner of Informed Body Pilates in San Francisco, instructs her clients to walk briskly several times a week and change up their workouts every week so their bodies never get used to a particular activity.
Weight Loss
The real question here is wether Pilates is going to help you get in shape and lose the weight your looking to shed, right? Don't fret ladies. By supplementing your Pilates workout routine with regular cardio and healthy eating choices, you should have no trouble burning calories, building muscle and getting lean. You'll also craft your core and firm up your abs. Not a bad problem to have.
Proper Nutrition
According to certified health coach Gina Santangelo, owner of Flow Pilates Centre in Tenalfy, New Jersey, no workout plan will allow you to see optimal results or reach your true potential without proper nutrition. "A balanced diet filled with natural, unprocessed foods and adequate fluid intake (hydrate, hydrate, hydrate) is essential," Santangelo explains. "We absolutely become, and live the results of, what we eat." Santangelo advises that you steer clear from unhealthy sugary foods, caffeine, alcohol and dairy. Many of these things, she says, lead to acidity in the body, and cause bone density issues, improper digestion and sleep disruption. Healthy foods include nutrient-dense fruits, vegetables and grains as part of a healthy and gratifying lifestyle.
References
Writer Bio
Sherrell Dorsey is an eco-glamour expert who has been writing about beauty, fashion and health since 2009. Her work has been featured in "Frugivore Magazine," "Black Enterprise Magazine" and various online publications. Dorsey holds a Bachelor of Science in international trade and marketing for the fashion industries from the Fashion Institute of Technology.