Pilates--Body Shaping

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emilycarr71404
emilycarr71404 Posts: 176 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Okay, I have been doing cardio (walking and swimming) since I started MFP in June. This week I added in Pilates every other day to help shape some muscle in my torso. Now I have a lot of fat still to lose (I'm 215 right now) but I want to get my abs strong to pull in and reshape the way my chubby chub is laying. How so after beginning a sculpting routine did you see a difference? I do take my measurements every 3 weeks.

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  • emilycarr71404
    emilycarr71404 Posts: 176 Member
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    Shameless Bump
  • thisismeraw
    thisismeraw Posts: 1,264 Member
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    I personally haven't seen much of a difference with pilates. The best difference I saw was when I was eating more and lifting heavy weights. That really helps to shape your body.
  • unhgoose
    unhgoose Posts: 122 Member
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    When I add in a different excercise I usually start to see a slight difference in a few weeks and more of a difference after a month. It can be hard to tell though.

    I'd suggest measuring yourself and checking for inches lost every two weeks. I usually measure my thighs, bicep, hip bone, belly button, high waist and bust. I also make notes - what bra I was wearing, about how far up my thigh I took the measurement (for example 10" up from kneecap) so they're more accurate.
  • unhgoose
    unhgoose Posts: 122 Member
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    I agree. Going to weights has made the biggest difference for me. I like the JM's Ripped in 30.
  • hafbreed02
    hafbreed02 Posts: 28
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    Sorry dear, but you cannot "SCULPT" a muscle....whatever you are blessed with geneticly, is what you get. What your looking for can only be achieved through weight training.....always remember...there is no such thing as "spot reduction"....your body burns fat as a "WHOLE"....pilates, walking, & swimming will never get you there...unless you want to take the long route....the result would be a body known as "skinny fat"
  • junejadesky
    junejadesky Posts: 524 Member
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    “In 10 sessions, you will feel the difference. In 20, you will see the difference. And in 30, you’ll be on your way to having a whole new body.”

    – Joseph Pilates -
  • Denise1224
    Denise1224 Posts: 150 Member
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    JM 30 day shred is good and also I just started a 30 day plank challenge ... We shall see how that helps or doesn't by the end (day 5 right now btw) - Good luck to you on your journey!
  • singlefemalelawyer
    singlefemalelawyer Posts: 382 Member
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    I've been doing pilates at a studio twice a week since last October and love what's it done for my posture and core. I also do weight training 3 times a week since April (started only twice a week for the first few months) and don't do any specific ab work there because I work my core enough at pilates. I def. feel like I am *starting* to see some abs forming - oblique lines are coming in. But I still have weight to lose before seeing all my hard pilates work I think! Pilates does wonders for form at the gym and my trainer keep saying how he can tell I do it by the way I keep my shoulders down and move my arms from my back.

    In terms of actually getting sculpted, not sure just doing pilates is the way to go, although you do get some benefits from it. You should def. try incorporating some heavy lifting to get where you want to be. The pilates counterbalances the weights wonderfully and it's great for the mind and body!

    Good luck!
  • emilycarr71404
    emilycarr71404 Posts: 176 Member
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    Sorry dear, but you cannot "SCULPT" a muscle....whatever you are blessed with geneticly, is what you get. What your looking for can only be achieved through weight training.....always remember...there is no such thing as "spot reduction"....your body burns fat as a "WHOLE"....pilates, walking, & swimming will never get you there...unless you want to take the long route....the result would be a body known as "skinny fat"

    I'm not trying to spot reduce. If you read my post I never said that. I am trying to get atrophied muscle into a built lean muscle which is changing the shape. I am not going to try lifting too much too quickly if I have no core strength. I wish you had read my post a little before replying.
  • bornofthorns
    bornofthorns Posts: 143 Member
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    Sorry dear, but you cannot "SCULPT" a muscle....whatever you are blessed with geneticly, is what you get. What your looking for can only be achieved through weight training.....always remember...there is no such thing as "spot reduction"....your body burns fat as a "WHOLE"....pilates, walking, & swimming will never get you there...unless you want to take the long route....the result would be a body known as "skinny fat"

    I'm not trying to spot reduce. If you read my post I never said that. I am trying to get atrophied muscle into a built lean muscle which is changing the shape. I am not going to try lifting too much too quickly if I have no core strength. I wish you had read my post a little before replying.

    This tends to be a big deal here, so I see where she is coming from. However, you are right, you are not officially spot reducing.

    That being said, here is my two cents. I would continue to do what you like, but you will want to do some weights. If you are uncomfortable with it, ask a trainer. You can start relatively light, and unless you have a lingering injury, you should not have any injury from a weaker core. Then you will be developing those muscles all over so that as the weight falls off, you will be unveiling a "toned", new you! :wink:
  • emilycarr71404
    emilycarr71404 Posts: 176 Member
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    I do intend on beginning a weight lifting routine however I had hurt my back and needed to strengthen that before leaping into anything too intense. Thanks for seeing both sides.
  • dkhuff1
    dkhuff1 Posts: 67 Member
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    you are right to strengthen your core and stretch via pilates before diving into lifting especially if you have a bad back. I did the same thing. I also did knee stabilization exercises before I started lifting. And this time I didn't get hurt like I had in the past by just diving into a lifting program when out of shape. I think for those that have past injuries, this is key.
  • nicola1141
    nicola1141 Posts: 613 Member
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    I think after a couple of weeks with pilates you'll start to see a difference. Not necessarily in your body composition/inches, but in your posture, your body awareness, etc.
  • hafbreed02
    hafbreed02 Posts: 28
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    ok....sry, I was misunderstood....was trying to give a lil' knowledge on the fastest way to build that "CORE"....FYI....I am a former personal trainer & I am currnetly dealing with an l5-s1 disc herniation (surgery coming soon).....I just hate seeing people mislead by all the BS thats out there....wasn't bashing! Good Luck!
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
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    One of the biggest misconceptions with pilates is that it reshapes your muscles and makes them leaner and longer. This is not the case.

    However, done properly, it is a decent strength training program that also promotes flexibility. There is no reason, however, that you cannot start a separate resistance training program in addition to or to replace pilates. Starting slow and light while gradually adding weight/intensity helps to strengthen your core adequately and safely.
  • Alta2000
    Alta2000 Posts: 655 Member
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    I take a pilates class once a week and within a month I have started feeling my core significantly stronger. You can lift light, just your arms with 2lbs free weights/water bottles so that you'll do arm toning while your back is recuperating

    If you are not in a gym with classes, check fitnessblender for viedos for pilates, and weight arm toning

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