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| Hi,
I'm new to this website as I am desperate for an answer to the question that has been keeping me up at night. I have been using Winsor Pilates now for about 2 to 2 1/2 years. The first year that I did this, (right before my wedding) I had never been thinner. I did not alter my diet in any way, in fact I believe that I let myself "pig out" more often because the pilates had worked so well that it had allowed me to eat what I wanted in moderation of course. I became such an advocate for Winsor Pilates that I told everyone that I knew about this amazing program.
Now I am still doing the same accelerated Winsor Pilates routine and eating better than I was before the wedding, and I am not even close to where I was. True I have only gained about 10 lbs. but for someone who works out and puts the time in, I really feel jipped! I even purchased her advanced pilates routine, the one that is between 20-30 minutes long and is done really fast I guess for cardio purposes and I've even tried switching things up between the two DVDs and I'm still not seeing the same results as I had.
I've had some problems with water weight as I was on and off of birth control for about 6 months and now the same things that happened when I was on the bc is still happening like I will start seeing results after my 4th and 5th workout and by the end of the week 2, the results are covered up by water weight and I must start over from square one again! I used to be able to see real results after at least a week and a half and now I am so desperate that I have bought Slim Quick!
What really kills me is that I feel like I have really mastered the breathing and I know that I am aligned much better than when I first started pilates so I don't understand why I am not getting the same results as when I was doing the excersizes poorly.
Has anyone else had the same experience? Can anyone recommend a solution?
Much thanks to anyone with some insight!!  |
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| Couple of things come to mind:
1) First, doing something the hard way is often just that, hard.
2) Your body becomes used to certain activities, so they nolonger tax the system the way it did before. Try switching your routine around, doing some different exercises.
3) You might be doing really well. Scale weight really isn't as important as how your body looks and feels. Muscle weights more than fat, so you may be getting really buffed and trim, and gain good muscle, instead of ugly fat. |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
    
| Pilates is a complex and effective system. To learn it properly and get maximun results you need to find a certified, experienced Pilates instructor. |
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| Hi,
I really appreciate everyone that replied, although I still feel lost. My husband said that your body gets used to certain things but aren't Mari Winsor routines put together in a certain way so that you get the most from pilates??
Does anyone know if her other dvds have the same excersizes but in a different order? If yes, I will buy a new one thinking that maybe I have just gotten used to the same routine and it stopped working???
And no I am not getting more muscular, just thicker and I believe that it's water weight and I have been drinking more water and then I only get fatter.
Also, I never needed a teacher in the past and like I said earlier that when I first started using Winsor Pilates, I have never been sleaker or more toned. I used to go to the gym did 30 min. on olyptical (sp?) and then about an hour of strength training and never saw results like I had with pilates and weights. Now I am not getting any results except that it seems easier to suck in my ever growing gut.
Again, has anyone had this happen to them and what did you do? Should I just give up on pilates and try a new work out like the Billy Blank thing?
Thanks again! 
Edited by BellaBootsie 2006-08-18 10:42 AM
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| I hear changing up workouts is good. I am not an exercise specialist. But I do know that originally Pliates was intended to be taught individually for a long time before the student worked alone. And it was intended to be done with all the fancy equipment. The mat work is a new addition. I know for sure that you would learn new things with a good teacher. |
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| I know a guy from another board I participate in who works with a personal trainer to develop his workout routines and who does a lot of his own research and study on exercise physiology and methods and I think is working through an ACE certification on personal training in his spare time as well. He completely changes his routine every 6-8 weeks in order to not plateau and to keep his body working. We do adjust to whatever it is we are doing regularly. FWIW, he is a huge advocate of stability ball exercises with hand weights. (He likes to stand on his to do some of his exercise, but also uses it in the traditonal ways.) Perhaps adding in some resistance training would help switch things up and get you past your current plateau? Good luck! |
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| an instructor would be able to help you with new challenges and new exercises. an instructor can hep you work deeper as well. I know a lot of people feel that they're just fine on their own but working with an instructor a few times to help you gain that extra little knowledge is worth it. |
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| Thanks again for everyone who wrote back and offered their advice. I took it and ordered two more Winsor DVD's the one with the ball ( I HAD NO IDEA THAT SHE EVEN HAD THIS) and another one for advanced. I'm hoping that I'm just used to my old tapes and this can bring me back to where I was.
I will try the new DVD's first, and if I am not seeing any results I will be looking for an instructor. I really am a pilates believer and would like to stick with it for as long as I can.
Thanks again!!! |
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| I also believe in the "Newbie Effect"... with any new programme one takes on.
For some people, when they start something.. be it, yoga, pilates, weights, a new cardio gimmic.. whatever it is they jump in with both feet, become incredibly passionate about it and quite submerged in the associated culture. You start something and it works, it works so well that you just start to love it, it's your life and then (and this is what bites you in the ass..) you reach a moment where you can't really and I mean really get any better at what ever you are doing.. (although I am going to assume that this would not, could not be the case with yoga.. pilates?? not too sure??)
You reach this moment and you get stuck.. for me, well I collapsed in a big heap after getting ready for a comp.. but for you, it may be that you are starting to think it's just not working anymore, this could be your moment.
It is very difficult to maintain particular levels of your passion.. attaining, well that's the easy (and I say easy when I mean.. frickin hard) part.. maintaining and achieving higher and higher gains.. difficult.
You need a goal.. something that you can aspire to.. get re-motivated!!
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| Just like anything, your body will get used to repetative excercise. I would find a private instructor that likes to change it up, that way your body is constantly working hard. My pilates instructor (Claire) does that pretty well. If you're local, you can check her out at www.pilatesbyclaire.com |
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| If you do the same routines, you will plateau.
Using the different workouts will probably help you break your plateau.
I'll echo the advice of other people--try to go to a live Pilates class. Pilates routines on DVDs are much, much easier than the actual classes. The instructor will monitor your form and absolutely will not let you cheat! |
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| I hear that once you move onto the Pilates equipment- the Cadillac and the Reformer- it's a whole different ballpark..
other than that, I'd say get to a class and change up the exercises- there are so many to choose from, you could vary it every few days.. |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 1738
Location: right where I'm supposed to be | I teach Mat Pilates and most of my students (regulars once a week for over a year) struugle with certain exercises (double leg stretch, rolling like a ball-advanced, etc...) Your repetitions should increase as you become stronger. You can not get that on your own. A qualified teacher will bring the most out of you.
If you miss a week or two you will feel the absense. There comes a time that you are maintaining strength. You should try a Pilates class with the machines. It will bring focus back to your core, plus working with a qualified instructor will bring more awareness and correct form to your practice.
Dont give up on the Pilates, just try some other forms of exercise or maybe even a nice strong yoga practice with your Pilates workout.
Mish |
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| WOW...this is amazing because i've been going through the same exact problem!!!
I started winsor pilates about 3 years ago and i lodt weight and got super slim. I wasn't fat before but my thighs got smaller, my abs tighter, it was amazing. I kept it that way until exactly one year ago. I got marries last sept and when i came back from my honeymoon i started noticing that my clothes were all getting tighter. I have not changed my eating habits at all and i actually do more pilates now than i did then! I have almost all her DVDs...the accelelarated ones, the circle ones, the targeted ones and i have not gotten back to the way i was.
Im so frustrated and dont get it? I even tried Ellyptical for a few months and was doing almost 40 minutes 3 times a week and still no changes! I would give anything for the Pilates to work again. Sadly from what i've read its a lost cause as obviously my body has gotten used to it and the workouts no longer work on me. Please let me know if you get results with any other pilates dvds....
Thanks |
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| Hi, I just wanted to put my own two cents in as someone who makes her living as a Pilates and Yoga instructor. Time to get back on my DVDs and videos soapbox.
No offense to Mari Winsor, she's a very knowledgeable and experienced Pilates instructor, but I don't necessarily advocate doing Pilates to videos or dvds without prior experience with a real, live instructor. There's so many benefits to working with an instructor that you don't get with media. First of all, the biggest concern is safety. When you have someone watching you and correcting your form there's much less of a chance that you will get injured. I can't tell you how many times I've had students come up to me and tell me that they hurt themselves while doing a workout DVD or video. Second, an instructor can keep challenging you in ways a DVD won't. Third, if problems arise such as a plateau, an instructor can help you troubleshoot so that you are always making progress, or if you have a special concern such as an injury, she or he can help you work through that concern.
By the way, after viewing some of Winsor's videos, I'd have to say in my opinion, many of the exercises she shows are inappropriate for people who do not have prior experience with an instructor, and some of the people she uses to demonstrate certain exercises are exhibiting poor form. |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| itchy!!! Nice to see you and thank you for getting up on the soapbox  If we all take turns, maybe the world will get the message and we won't each get so very, very t i r e d of saying it all the time.  |
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| I completly agree with you itchy....everyone should take courses with a teacher before trying it on DVD but i have done courses in pilates studios and then resorted to DVDs because of my work schedule. Since you are an instructor, which DVDs would you suggest are the best. Like i said beforeWinsor worked wonders on my body but it stopped working about one year agi and im actually using them more now and gaining inches.....im getting very discouraged!!!!
Please help  |
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| Gaining inches? Have you been exercising less, have had any significant changes in your diet, or have been really stressed out lately? Those could be contributing factors. It could also be that your body is just plateauing, and you're not taking your Pilates practice to the next level when you should be.
Again I can't stress the importance of being with an instructor--be it in a private lesson w/in your home, at a studio, or a class. I understand that not all of us can have that luxury though so here's my recommendation now that I've gotten the "disclaimer" out of the way.
I think anything by "The Pilates Coach" is very good. I've had training and studied with many different companies, and I think they're one of the best. They're very meticulous about form and teaching exercises that are appropriate for certain levels (I've seen way too many DVDs show exercises that are supposed to be "beginner", but are more appropriate for more advanced practitioners or people with highly conditioned bodies.) I also recommend things by Stott or Balanced Body as well. |
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| Thanks for the advice.
I have not changed my diet or exercise routine...if anything i exercise more now than i did previously.
I had my first private pilates lesson last night and loved it. The reformer is a great machine and you can really feel your muscles working :-) Unfortunately cant afford to buy one of those at home! How often would you suggest i take courses with a teacher.....im thinking once a week and ill do my pilated DVD on other days....
Thanks again
S |
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| Sandra,
Thank goodness for you. I was starting to feel like I was the only person ever to experience this problem!! I'm of course sorry that it happened to you tho! It is very frusterating to spend years trying to find something that works for you, and have peace of mind knowing that if you just stick to it, that you can feel and look beautiful forever.
It's been a little while since my last post. I did get my new Winsor Pilates the Maximum Burn series and I wish that I could say that I've lost all of my weight. I would say that I have been doing it 3x a week for the last 5 weeks. I thought that I was slimming down but now I'm not so sure. My legs are definitely getting slimmer, and sometimes I feel like my abs are getting tighter, but then one day i'll just wake up with a huge stomach again and start all over again.
I am going to stick with this new tape. Have you or anyone else tried this series? I have the 57 minute one and boy, do you work!!! It is def. by far her hardest series and one of these days I hope to perform it all the way through as good as the girls on the tape. Have you broken your plateau yet?
For all of the teachers.....I appreciate the fact that a teacher would benefit my workout and I'm sure that I would get more results that way. But most people, like myself, cannot afford a private tutor or have the money to start taking classes. If there's something that I can do at home to keep myself fit, I'm all about it. I think that we all get the point that getting a teacher or taking a class would benefit our workout but you teachers have to understand that it all comes down to time and money....but we understand your point.
Thanks so much to all of you who recommended changing up the routine. I am pretty confident that my next posting will bring good news.
Best of luck Sandra. Keep us all posted on your progress and I will do the same.
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| Hi all! Just wanted to say, that most brides-to-be lose a lot of weight right before their weddings due to the stress (a lot of which may be sub-concious!) of getting married. After the wedding, most people (guys too) do gain a bit of weight. Probably something everyone knew but wanted to throw that out there... which is also why made-to-order bridal gowns are always a bit small.
Also want to agree with switching up the routine - and nothing beats shedding calories/pounds then good old fashioned cardio/aerobic excercise! Which I believe Pilates can offer (after many years if you know what you're doing and won't injure yourself), like perhaps the video you mention... but throwing in some jogging/rollerblading/latin dancing classes can't hurt. Just my 2 cents. A well-rounded healthy routine should "switch it up" like many people have already said and should also include a variety of different disciplines to "keep the body guessing". Thanks for a great discussion and website!
Sandy
PS Happy New Year! 
Edited by Sandwhy 2007-01-01 12:22 PM
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| First i want to thank everyone for their posts. They have been very helpful.
Since my last post i have been attending private pilates courses once a week for one hour.
On the other days i practice my pilates DVDs. I feel great but no change in my body.
I have recently ordered a few Yoga DVDs and i also ordered the "Supreme Pilates". For those who don't know its like a trapeze wall unit that you would see in a pilates studio. It's about $250 so not so bad compalred to $4500 for a reformer! Hopefully it will give me more of a workout versus the plain DVDs and pilates circle i've been using which are really starting to bore me.
I also want to say that you are right about the stress of a wedding causing weight loss because that must be exactly what happened to me.
Best of luck to everyone.... 
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| I believe Pilates will stop working if you do! Our bodies are living and ever changing. Results achieved before may not be what will be achieved again. That is not to mean you are not making progress! Pilates strengthens from the inside out! So, while there may be water weight, new muscle weight or you may feel that your body looks odd, be sure that if you are committed to making Pilates a part of your life, it will continue to work for you and burn much fat. I do understand the frustration of gaining weight after starting Pilates, I gained 20 lbs!
So I went on my first diet, lost 19 lbs in 3 months, and then never lost another pound. So, I have decided that I will eat well, not count points or calories, continue my work out and let my body decide it's course and results. I know that after 4 years of Pilates I am now so strong, flexible, happy and have been learning much patience. For Pilates teaches patience above all else, you don't get it yesterday. By the way, I still wear the same size 10 that I wore before my weight gain and muscle is slowly replacing fat. But more importantly, I carry the Pilates principles with me through out the day, and that in itself is going to make you look great and stand out in the crowd!
Nothing can replace a studio class that is alive, as you and your body is. While I am in class, I think to myself, I would never push myself like this if I were at home alone. It is a comfort to know that there are others next to me feeling the same thing. |
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| Hi there . I'm a Pilates Instructor (somewhat new). I've been doing PIlates for 12 years and for the first 2 I was doing it on my own and doing it wrong.Then I worked with an instructor and read, read read! 50 % of my traing has come from studying the techniques and really thinking about them. Pilates is using the mind and body together as one. In my classes I start by teaching them about Pilates and not doing the excersises for the first class . At each class we first practice 10 min of body awareness then do the 7 introductory moves in begginer style even if it is an advanced class. Anyone can do the advanced moves but are you doing it correctly? Instructors who have 30 years + experience say that they are still learning and improving something everyday. It's a very complex excersise and there are so many components that its almost impossibe to truly master it. If you are thinking about anything other than the excersise when working out you are not doing it correctly (mind and body). I always tell my students that no matter how long you have been doing the excersises they should be difficult and if their not they should go back and review the basic moves to see what they are doing wrong. I do it myself a lot because my life is so busy and I get sidetracked a lot. Hope this helped;)
Cynthia |
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Does Pilates stop working?
