Can Pilates Help You Lose Weight? Here’s the Honest Answer
Pilates has had a bit of a moment recently. Studios are fully booked, reformer machines are appearing in luxury hotels, and social media is full of people raving about their toned cores and improved posture. But if your main goal is to lose weight, you might be wondering whether Pilates is actually going to move the needle on the scales, or whether it’s better suited to people who want to look good in a leotard.
The honest answer to Can pilates help you lose weight? is: it’s complicated. Pilates can absolutely support weight loss, but it does not work the way a lot of people expect. This post will walk you through exactly what the research says, how many calories Pilates actually burns, and how to get the most out of it if losing weight is your goal. No fluff, no fitness-influencer hype, just practical information.
What Is Pilates, and Why Do People Do It?
Pilates is a form of exercise that focuses on controlled movement, core strength, breathing, and body awareness. It was developed by Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century, originally as a rehabilitation method. It comes in two main forms: mat Pilates, which uses your own body weight on the floor, and reformer Pilates, which uses a sliding carriage machine with adjustable springs to add resistance.
People use Pilates to improve posture, build core strength, increase flexibility, and recover from injuries. Weight loss is not what it was originally designed for, which is important to understand before we go any further.
Can Pilates Help You Lose Weight? How Many Calories Does Pilates Burn?
This is usually the first question people ask, and the answer is: fewer than you might hope.
According to the Compendium of Physical Activities, general Pilates has a MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) value of 3.0. That puts it in the moderate-intensity category, similar to a gentle bike ride or a brisk walk.
To give you a rough idea, a person weighing around 70kg doing a 45-minute Pilates session might burn somewhere between 150 and 250 calories. A 45-minute run at a decent pace might burn 400 to 500 calories in comparison. So if calorie burn alone is your measure, Pilates is not going to top the charts.
That said, calorie burn during exercise is only one small part of the weight loss picture, and Pilates offers benefits that go well beyond what you see on a fitness tracker.
What Does the Research Actually Say? Can pilates help you lose weight?
Here is where it gets interesting. While Pilates was never designed as a weight loss tool, several recent studies suggest it can make a real difference to body composition, especially when combined with a healthy diet.
A 2024 study published in PubMed Central looked at the effects of Reformer Pilates on overweight and obese women over eight weeks. Participants trained three times a week for 50 to 60 minutes per session. The results showed that body weight dropped from an average of 76.04 kg to 74.67 kg, BMI fell from 29.09 to 28.53, and body fat percentage reduced from 39.26% to 37.29%. At the same time, muscle mass increased. The study reported large effect sizes for fat loss and muscle endurance, which suggests these were meaningful changes, not just statistical noise.
A separate 12-week study looked at home-based mat Pilates combined with a Mediterranean diet in adults with obesity. Participants who did Pilates three times a week saw their fat mass percentage drop from 43.6% to 39.2%, while their muscle mass increased significantly. The control group, who only followed the diet, did not see the same improvements in body composition. The study concluded that Pilates combined with dietary changes “may represent an effective strategy to improve body composition in terms of fat mass reduction and muscle mass gain.”
It is also worth noting that a systematic review referenced in that same study found that 8 to 24 weeks of Pilates practice reduced body mass, BMI, and body fat percentage across multiple trials. So the evidence is building.
The keyword in all of this is “combined.” Can pilates help you lose weight? Pilates on its own, without any attention to diet, is unlikely to produce dramatic weight loss results. But as part of a broader approach, it can genuinely help.
Why Pilates Helps With Weight Loss Even if It Burns Fewer Calories
So if Pilates does not burn masses of calories, why does it help? Can pilates help you lose weight or not? There are a few reasons you can.
It builds muscle. Muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than fat does. When you build muscle through Pilates, you gradually increase your resting metabolic rate, meaning your body burns a few more calories even when you are sitting on the sofa. The gains are modest, but they add up over time.
It improves how you feel in your body. This might sound a bit wishy-washy, but bear with it. People who do Pilates regularly often report feeling stronger, more energised, and more body-aware. That tends to make them more motivated to move throughout the day, make better food choices, and stick to an exercise habit long-term. Consistency is far more important for weight loss than intensity.
It is low-impact and accessible. A lot of people, particularly those who are heavier, find high-impact exercise painful or off-putting. Pilates is gentle on the joints, and research suggests it is a valid option for people “who have difficulties with traditional physical exercise programs.” Being able to exercise at all is better than doing nothing because every other option feels too hard.
It counts as muscle-strengthening activity. The NHS recommends that adults do strengthening activities on at least two days per week, alongside 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity. Pilates is specifically listed as a muscle-strengthening activity in those guidelines. So it ticks an important box in your weekly routine.
Can pilates help you lose weight alone?
Technically, yes, but it would be slow and the results would depend heavily on your diet. The research is clear that diet is the most powerful lever for weight loss. According to the British Dietetic Association, a realistic and healthy rate of weight loss is around 0.5 to 1 kg per week, and that requires a consistent calorie deficit, not just exercise.
If you want to understand exactly how a calorie deficit works and what to expect from it, it is worth reading up on the mechanics before you start. And if calorie counting feels like a minefield, a practical guide to counting calories for weight loss can help make it far less overwhelming.
The short version is this: if you do Pilates three times a week but eat in a consistent surplus, you will not lose weight. But if you pair Pilates with a sensible approach to eating, you will likely see real changes in how your body looks and feels, even if the scales move slowly.
How to Use Pilates for Weight Loss
Can pilates help you lose weight? If you want to get the most out of Pilates as part of a weight loss plan, here are some practical tips:
Go at least three times a week. Both studies that showed positive body composition results involved participants training three times per week. Once a week is better than nothing, but it is unlikely to produce significant changes on its own.
Add some aerobic exercise too. Since Pilates sits at the lower end of calorie burn, pairing it with something that raises your heart rate more, such as walking, swimming, or cycling, will help you hit the NHS recommendation of 150 minutes of moderate activity per week. That combination is a solid foundation.
Focus on the food. You cannot out-exercise a consistently poor diet. Pilates will help with body composition, but a calorie deficit is still the engine of fat loss.
Be patient. The studies that showed the best results ran for eight to twelve weeks. Bodies change gradually, and Pilates is not a quick fix.
Choose a format that you enjoy. If you hate mat work, try reformer classes. If reformer studios are too expensive, there are plenty of free and low-cost mat Pilates videos on YouTube and NHS-linked platforms. The best workout is the one you actually do.
Can Pilates Help You Lose Weight? Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pilates better for weight loss than yoga?
Both have similar calorie-burn profiles, and neither is designed primarily for weight loss. Pilates tends to have a slightly higher emphasis on muscle strengthening and resistance, which may give it a small edge for body composition changes. But the differences are small. If you enjoy one more than the other, that is the better choice for you.
How long does it take to see results from Pilates?
Based on the research, you can expect to see measurable changes in body composition after about eight to twelve weeks of consistent practice (three times per week). Changes on the scales may come sooner or later depending on your diet, starting point, and other activity levels.
Is Pilates good for people who are overweight?
Yes. Pilates is low-impact, adaptable for different fitness levels, and specifically highlighted in research as a good option for people who find traditional exercise programmes difficult. It is gentle on the joints while still building real strength.
Will I lose belly fat by doing Pilates?
Pilates strengthens the core muscles, which can improve the appearance of your midsection. However, you cannot spot-reduce fat from a specific area through exercise. Overall fat loss comes from a calorie deficit, and where your body loses fat first is largely down to genetics. Pilates contributes to overall fat loss, but it will not target your belly specifically.
Do I need a reformer machine, or will mat Pilates work?
Mat Pilates can absolutely produce results. The 12-week study that showed significant fat loss and muscle gain used a mat-based programme. Reformer Pilates adds resistance and variety, and may be slightly more challenging, but it is not essential. Mat Pilates is free to do at home, which also removes a big barrier to consistency.
So, Can pilates help you lose weight?
Pilates is not a magic weight loss solution. It was never meant to be. But the evidence suggests it is a genuinely useful part of a weight loss plan, particularly when combined with a balanced diet and some additional aerobic exercise. It builds muscle, improves body composition, supports adherence to an exercise routine, and meets the NHS guidelines for strengthening activity.
If you have been putting off trying it because you thought it was not “intense enough” to make a difference, the research says otherwise. Start with three sessions a week, pay attention to what you are eating, and give it at least two to three months before you judge the results.
