Welcome to the Get Fit Guys' Quick and Dirty Tips to Slim Down and Shape Up.

My name is Ben Greenfield, and I'm the Get Fit Guy.

In the article What is Pilates, which you can find over at the Quick and Dirty Tips website,

you learned exactly what to expect from this very popular form of exercise favored by

everyone from Gwyneth Paltrow to Madonna to seven foot tall professional basketball players.

But can Pilates help you lose weight? Is it a full body workout? Do you need special equipment

and machines to do Pilates? Well, in this episode, you're going to learn about five important Pilates myths so that you

can make an informed decision about whether Pilates will meet your fitness needs.

Let's start with myth number one, which is that Pilates is a good way to lose weight.

In the episode, Does Yoga Burn Calories, I taught you about

multiple studies that have shown yoga to be relatively ineffective in burning calories or causing

significant weight loss. And while Pilates has definite benefits, weight loss similar to yoga

is not its strongest suit. As a matter of fact, a 2006 study found that body weight and body

fat percentage was not significantly affected in adult females using a regular Pilates routine.

A 2004 study found that, well, Pilates does indeed help to improve flexibility. It doesn't

significantly affect body composition, even after six months of practice.

Of course, this doesn't mean that Pilates can't indirectly help you to lose weight

because it does such a good job strengthening your core, reducing your risk of injury,

and improving your flexibility, which is why many famous athletes like it,

Pilates may help you stay in the game longer when you're working out and

keep you from getting sidelined with an injury. People who do Pilates regularly may also be

more likely to engage in other forms of exercise since you'll often find yourself visiting

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