Pilates isn’t just another workout trend — it’s a method that blends strength, control, and mindful movement. From improving posture and flexibility to supporting weight loss and rehabilitation, it’s a practice that adapts to different needs and fitness levels.
Pilates was invented by Joseph Pilates after World War I to rehabilitate soldiers who were injured in the war. Hence, the Pilates reformer looks like a hospital bed. He attached springs to help them build muscle and recover faster.
Pilates today is a trendy workout. Pilates aids weight loss by building muscle and boosting metabolism, leading to better body composition, though it burns fewer calories than high-intensity cardio. For effective weight loss, consistently combine Pilates with a healthy, calorie-deficit diet and add cardio exercises to increase calorie burn.
Pilates is excellent for toning, mobility, stretching, and posture correction. Twice a week is ideal in addition to strength training, EMS, and other types of exercise. Pilates alone won’t help you drastically drop weight, but combined with other exercises it works wonders to boost metabolism, build muscle, tone, and naturally lengthen and lean out your body. While the number of calories burned can vary based on several factors, you can generally expect to burn between 200 and 300 calories per hour. In a regular session, you burn between 500 to 600 calories.
Pilates and the Core
Is Pilates good for a belly pouch and core?
The core isn’t just your six-pack. It’s a group of muscles that stabilize your spine, pelvis, and overall posture. It includes the transverse abdominis, which acts like a corset around your midsection, and the obliques, which aid in twisting and bending.
The reformer enhances engagement with these muscles by introducing resistance through springs and pulleys. The added tension from the springs encourages proper muscle recruitment, meaning you activate these stabilizers with more precision than in bodyweight exercises alone.
Controlled exercises on the reformer—for example, knee stretches or planks—require steady, slow movements. These work your core and train it to perform optimally during everyday tasks, like bending, lifting, or twisting.
Pilates for Rehab
Pilates is excellent as a rehabilitation workout as it can help strengthen your spine, knees, and cervical muscles alongside your full body. As the reformer (and other forms of Pilates) are low-impact exercises, they can be very beneficial for people recovering from sciatica, back and knee pain, or weak shoulders. The slow, controlled movements help in steady muscle building and greatly enhance mobility and flexibility.
The reformer provides a safe, low-impact alternative if high-intensity workouts leave you sore or trigger joint pain. It’s especially gentle for those recovering from injuries. Since it’s low-intensity, it can be done by people of all ages (as long as the instructor is trained enough to structure the class accordingly).
Is Pilates Just a Celebrity Fad?
We all see Kareena Kapoor and Katrina Kaif on the reformer and think it’s all they do. In reality (if you follow any celeb’s Instagram, you will see they combine Pilates with a range of other workouts and eat extremely well). Having trained with Yasmin Karachiwala firsthand in Dubai (India’s top Pilates trainer and Deepika and Katrina’s trainer), I know for a fact that these celebrities are not just doing reformer Pilates.
Pilates is not a fad. It has benefits from strengthening, stretching, mobility to improving your posture. That’s why even athletes like David Beckham do Pilates once a week. But Pilates alone isn’t enough for a drastic weight-loss transformation. Do it 2 times a week and combine it with other forms of exercises to lose fat.
FZM Boutique Fitness
FZM or Fatima Zara Mallick is a US Balanced Body certified Pilates Reformer, Pilates Chair, Barre, and Pilates Mat Level 3 Coach. You can contact her on Instagram at FZM Boutique Fitness.
From FZM:
At FZM Boutique Fitness (my studio), we offer reformer, mat, chair, and Motr Pilates alongside EMS fusion training, strength training, HIIT, EMS, and EMSCULPT. We customize the package to your goals and combine Pilates with a range of other exercises to create the perfect program for weight loss.
We offer semi-private and fully private personal training along with personalized meal plans created for you by me (New York Certified Health Coach and Integrative Nutritionist).
The passionate instructors at FZM Boutique Fitness want to see you succeed, and we love to welcome newcomers and experienced Pilates enthusiasts alike! You can contact us on Instagram or WhatsApp us on 0306 2521588. We look forward to helping you on your fitness journey—either with us or anywhere else in town.
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