I love that you started a Pilates thread! I have an Allegro Reformer at home which I do with the progressive videos. I used to do weight lifting at a gym or home but switched to Pilates because I am 65 years old and the flexibility, breathing and alignment are so good for us at any age! I do it every other day, along with Bodyflex for aerobic breathing, and on the other day I do some kind of aerobics, such as a walk tape, or maybe a step video. I have to lose 25 lbs and it is more than slow going for me. If I just lost something regularly I would stick with it. Got any suggestions?

Suze

I know exactly what you mean. I have been hanging out at 140 pounds for what seems like forever. I told my hubby that at least I'm not gaining!!

One thing I keep telling myself is that muscle weighs more than fat, and that is why I'm not losing yet. I'm just so busy piling on muscle that as I lose fat, the scale doesn't reflect it.

Let's just cling to the promises that change will come if you endure through it long enough.

I, too, am glad you started this thread!

I should be getting my Winsor Pilates DVD (20 min) any day now. I do yoga, but I heard that this is much harder.
I do have an old lower back injury, so I am anxious to strengthen my core.
I will be checking in to get any tips or info.

Wow, I'm glad there are so many people that love Pilates and are excited about them! It's great to have others to talk to who actually know what you're talking about!
For those having trouble losing weight....yes, building muscle WILL keep the scale from moving because it weighs more than fat. However, to really lose weight, you have to look more at the diet than the exercise. The exercise helps but altering something in your diet that you may not realize is stalling you can work wonders, and a lot faster!





Michele

Do any of you fellow Pilates advocates think that Pilates qualifies as a strengthening, weight-bearing exercise, such as your basic weight lifting? We know that it will align your body and increase flexibility, but what about the strengthening aspect? Don't have time for weights, Pilates plus aerobics.

Hope you all had a great Xmas!

Suze

From what I understand, Pilates is kind of a resistance training, because you are using your own body weight for a lot of the exercises. I guess you couldn't call it 'hard core' weight training, but guess what!?

Hauling MY 182 lb frame up and down like that certainly qualifies as weight training to me!

Anyway, I haven't done my Pilates in the last 3 days (FREAKING TOM is here and all I want to do is run and hide when TOM's here! ), plus the holidays were just too crazy! I'm going to do them tomorrow though, so I'll at least get in 3 days this week. I haven't gotten less than 3 days since I started, so that's not TOO bad. I've been debating on moving on to the (almost) 1 hour DVD that comes with the Winsor set, but I'm almost scared to! I haven't the slightest idea how long I'll be able to keep up! I figure that since I've been doing them for a month now though, I should probably move on and at least TRY the long one. They actually say to do the long one on Mon/Wed/Fri and the shorter one on Tues/Thurs/Sat. I don't know if I'm at that point yet! I doubt it though.

I did my Pilates today! I did my Pilates today! TOM has receded and I am SOOOOO happy! Now I can get back into a routine again! WHEW!

pilates...ah..that's the one where you lay on the floor, she said nervously, so who is going to come over to my house and haul me back up?

well, one of my goals for the year is to increase my activity, so why not? i've been doing very gentle yoga for a month now and so far so good. i don't have a tape yet, and checking out amazon, they have one that's "pilates for weight loss" (drawn like a moth to the flame by the magic 'weight loss' words) does anyone know anything about it? the reviews on amazon are slipt. or are most people going the the winsor 20min one?

thanks.

I've been attempting to do pilates. I have The Method: Target Specifics. I'm afraid that it's too advanced for me however, so I'm looking at getting a beginner video. Does anyone have any suggestions?

I recommend the Winsor Pilates beginner series. They are a bit more expensive (I got them on eBay for $35) but SOOOOO worth it! It comes with a 20 minute instructional video, a 20 minute beginning workout video (which I still do, 4 weeks in) and a longer, more intense hour workout.
This particular series is also good because they have a woman who does modified versions of the exercises for those with back problems (and those like me who couldn't do the exercises the right way at first, because I was so out of shape! )
This is a GREAT series, and it seems as if that's what a lot of people are using now.

i ordered tha dvd last night. hope it comes sooon.

WOW! I surprised myself on my last Pilates workout. I'd been struggling with the "roll-up", going too fast (and knowingly so) just so that I could make it all the way up. I really needed my arms for momentum. Well... Last night, I actually was able to go slow and get all the way up!! WooHoo! Okay, so my feet did lift a couple of inches off the floor while doing so, but this is real progress.

Honestly, though, I can't imagine EVER being able to do the "neck pull". Ouch.

[QUOTE=kholland]WOW! I surprised myself on my last Pilates workout. I'd been struggling with the "roll-up", QUOTE]

well, at least you can do it! oh my, this is hard. i know i'm not very flexible but i thought some part of my body might bend at least a little!

Yah, it's much more difficult than it looks! The first handful of times I worked out, I could barely get my head off the floor. I'm to the point where I can hold my head up, but by the time each exercise is over my neck is aching.

I really like "spine stretch forward" (easy and feels good), but I think the "criss cross" and the one where you stretch out your arms and legs at the same time are going to kill me! And what's with "the seal" anyway? I don't get the point of tapping your feet - unless it's to make you pause before coming back up. I have to do them real fast or I lose momentum and can't get back up! I exercise when no one is around because I'm sure I'd never live it down!

My hamstrings don't seem to be any looser than when I started; reaching for my toes is pretty sad. I keep picturing violin strings and that one of these times I'll lean forward and one will break and go BOING!!!

Yay! A pilates thread!

I just resumed my Pilates this week. I have the 3 basic Winsor Pilates DVDs, and borrowed some more from a friend.

I have been doing the 20 min. workout daily, except Tuesday, when I did the lower body one.

I plan to do this until I can "promote" myself and go onto the 45 min. one.