The 300 Burn

So, I just learned that a pilates session will burn anywhere from 300-400 calories... Dailey Method looks like around 200 - 300-- which is great, even though it really just equates to about  an english muffin and a couple of berries.  Woohoo!  Well, if you're looking for quick weight loss, pilates or Dailey Method aren't always the quickest to sweat the pounds away.  To put it most simply, weight loss results from burning more calories than you consume.  

That being said, the magic of these workouts comes from the deeper changes of the musculature, metabolism and overall shape and tone of your body.  Your metabolism (the rate at which we burn calories) increases with muscle mass. Specifically, as you increase your lean body mass/fat ratio, your muscles will continue burning calories for you long after your hour long workout.  Aerobic exercise on the other hand, while is pumps the heart up, causes a good ole' rompus sweat, doesn't do that.  

Long story short, if you're looking for a weight loss plan, Dailey Method and pilates should be coupled with a diet plan (still gotta count those calories).   Smaller, more frequent meals can help keep one's metabolism reved up without feeling like you're depriving yourself to much.  Rest assured, the other countless benefits from doing such deep core and full body toning, include: 

- Improved posture (that longer leaner look and feel!)

- Improved balance & alignment

- Tighter, more toned shape of your entire body

- Increased flexibility

- Better joint control and mobility

Fyi - what your work out equates to in food calories!  

Breakfast – 290 Calories
1 whole wheat English muffin
2 pats low fat butter
1 hard boiled egg
1/2 cup of fruit
8 oz fruit juice
8 oz water

Cereal – 300 Calories
1 cup of cereal
8 oz 2% milk
1 banana
1 coffee or tea

Baked potato – 305 Calories
1 medium baked potato
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons salsa
1 cup sliced melon
12 oz water

Oatmeal – 325 Calories
1 cup oatmeal with raisins
1 cup of fruit
1 cup coffee or tea
1 banana

Soup – 350 Calories
1 bowl of soup
1 small tossed salad
2 tablespoons reduced fat oil and vinegar dressing
12 oz water
4 saltine crackers

Chicken – 345 Calories
6 oz of chicken
1 cup of green beans
2 pats of low-fat butter
1 small tossed salad
2 tablespoons reduced fat oil and vinegar dressing
12 oz water

Chicken Salad – 350 Calories
1 large tossed salad
2 tablespoons reduced fat oil and vinegar dressing
6 oz sliced chicken
1 cup of low fat wheat thin crackers
12 oz water

Scrambled eggs – 360 Calories
2 scrambled eggs
2 strips of turkey bacon
1 piece whole wheat toast
1 pat of low fat butter
1 coffee or tea
8 oz water

Fish – 365 Calories
6 oz broiled white fish
1 cup of mashed potatoes
1 pat of butter
1/2 cup of peas
8 oz diet iced tea

Chicken and Rice – 395 Calories
6 oz cooked chicken
2 tablespoons of barbecue sauce
1 cup of mixed vegetables
1/2 cup of brown rice
1 small tossed salad
2 tablespoons reduced fat oil and vinegar dressing
12 oz water