I Tried Pilates For a Month: Here Are My Results | POPSUGAR Fitness

This summer, I was looking for a new fitness routine. I wanted something I could do from home, something that wouldn't make me sweat like crazy in the heat, and something that I could keep up with during a travel-heavy couple of months. Plenty of things came to mind: running was free and easy to do on vacation, but the heat was just too much. Walking was a solid alternative, but I wanted something that would build more strength. Weight training seemed like a potential fit, but since most of my workouts took place in the morning, I often didn't have enough energy to lift as heavy as I would've liked.

With these factors in mind, I turned to Pilates and found that it was a near-perfect fit for my workout needs. Although everyone is different and no two people's experiences will be exactly the same, here's what happened to me after doing Pilates for a full month. Read on to get all the details on the fitness routine I followed, plus specific results — from physical strength to mental health.

Grace Taylor, PT, DPT, is a physical therapist specializing in general orthopedics, pre- and post-operative care, and sports-related injuries.

Ashlea McKee is a certified classical Pilates instructor and former professional dancer.

There's a reason why Pilates has proven to be a hit among celebrities and fitness enthusiasts alike: it builds strength, isn't too sweaty, and can be done using just your body and a mat. On days when I felt like moving off my mat, I decided to pair Pilates with walking. After all, if it's good enough for Miley Cyrus, it's good enough for me.

"Walking is a great tool for active recovery, meaning it aids in the repair process that follows muscle strengthening," says Grace Taylor, PT, DPT. Pilates and walking also complement each other when it comes to building a well-rounded fitness routine, says certified Pilates instructor Ashlea McKee. Pilates offers strength, and walking is a simple and accessible form of cardiovascular exercise. Essentially, these two exercises are a match made in heaven.

I generally practiced Pilates in the morning before work, then walked when I got home, although sometimes I switched it up depending on my schedule (or the weather). While I wasn't perfect, I was pretty consistent overall; if I couldn't squeeze both exercises into my day, I almost always made time for one. To keep my walks interesting, I challenged myself to try new paths in my neighborhood. As for Pilates, I used a subscription service — Pilates With Ashlea ($26 per month or $245 per year) — which was super accessible and inexpensive, but still gave me great results.

As a Pilates novice, the app workouts had lots of helpful visual and audio cues to help me learn the proper form, and the mat workouts were plenty challenging despite not having a Pilates reformer. I also liked being able to choose different areas of focus and workout lengths, depending on how sore I was, or how much time I had that day. To me, this was better than committing to a set studio workout for an hour every time (although that may be my next fitness venture!). Trying something new in the privacy of my living room was also much more comfortable than stepping into a studio and hopping straight onto an intimidating machine.

In terms of workout equipment and fitness gear, I added ankle weights, resistance bands, and the occasional heavier weight to make my workouts more intense. I firmly believe in the importance of investing in yourself when you start a new fitness routine, so I treated myself to new gear from Bala and Vuori. I swear my gorgeous Bala ankle weights ($55) and resistance bands ($35) made me even more excited to hit the mat every day — and don't get me started on Vuori's luxe activewear. When it came time for my daily walks, my trusty Hoka Bondi 8 sneakers ($165) made every mile a breeze. As mentioned before, I didn't have a Pilates reformer at home, so I did my workouts using only a mat.

When I first started Pilates, I didn't realize how much it would do for me. After a full month, it strengthened my core, increased my mental awareness, and improved my overall knowledge of Pilates. It also helped me slow down and enjoy the "soft exercise" life — and I have to say, I loved it. Here are a few more of the most notable results:

As travel slows and routines settle back into place, I'm not sure what my updated fitness regimen will look like just yet, but I do know I'll carry my Pilates lessons with me. I'm now much more aware of my core and how to activate it — whether I'm doing planks or deadlifts. That said, I do think Pilates and walking is something I'll return to again and again — when my body needs a break from high-intensity workouts, when I feel my lower core in need of training, or when it's just too damn hot out. This was a routine that I loved, and I certainly plan to keep Pilates on rotation in the future.

— Additional reporting by Chandler Plante

Kaley Rohlinger is a freelance writer for PS who focuses on health, fitness, food, and lifestyle content. She has a background in the marketing and communications industry and has written for PS for over four years.

Chandler Plante (she/her) is an assistant health and fitness editor for PS. She has over four years of professional journalism experience, previously working as an editorial assistant for People magazine and contributing to Ladygunn, Millie, and Bustle Digital Group.