More often than not, women tend to limit their healthcare needs to doctor’s visits, lab tests, and immunizations. In between your daily hustle of job, household chores, and taking care of the family, your health may not even be a top priority. By overlooking this basic self-care, you invite a host of preventable lifestyle diseases, hormonal issues, and physical discomforts.
However, did you know that you can get your general health back on track by exercising regularly? By doing smart workouts like pilates, you can control your blood pressure levels, reduce cholesterol and cardiovascular diseases, prevent diabetes, lower your stress levels, and improve mood and cognitive functioning every day.
Pilates is undoubtedly a favorite workout among women, mostly due to its dance like nature. Through a series of precise movements, pilates can stabilize and strengthen your core while keeping lifestyle injuries and diseases at bay. Today, ladies only pilates classes are very popular all across the globe, with thousands of dedicated female practitioners all across the globe
In this blog, we will discuss more pilates and how it helps women in maintaining their health.
Why do we urge women to do Pilates?
Pilates is perfect for women, as the health benefits that come with it help control many common hormonal issues and health risks. It is undoubtedly one of the best preventive options for women to keep their health and wellbeing in check. Here are five reasons why we encourage all women to start doing pilates-
- Pilates can help stabilize your mood
From the first menstrual cycle until menopause, women undergo a lot of physical and hormonal changes for the better part of their life. Living with shifting levels of estrogen and progesterone impacts not only their fertility patterns but also their mental and emotional stability.
For instance, women experience a swift drop in their estrogen levels before or during their monthly menstruation and the days leading up to menopause. During this period, they experience reduced levels of “serotonin,” a key hormone that stabilizes mood, feelings of wellbeing, and happiness. This is why women experience moodiness, anxiety, or even depression, such as the symptoms found in severe premenstrual syndrome or postpartum depression.
Pilates can counter these hormonal mood swings by enabling the release of endorphins or “happy hormones” that will leave you feeling relaxed and happy after a workout session.
- Pilates helps withstand bone density loss
Apart from balancing out hormonal issues, pilates also helps women counter the effects of bone density loss.
Studies show that women are more vulnerable than men to develop osteoporosis, a bone disease that occurs when the body loses too much bone or makes too little bone tissue. This is because women have naturally thinner bones that rapidly lose strength with age due to varying estrogen levels. Practicing pilates from a young age will help build bone mass and protect you from developing osteoporosis later in life.
- Pilates helps maintain healthy body weight
Many women also experience severe weight fluctuations throughout their life from pregnancy, hypothyroidism, or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Regularly practicing pilates will help the body build lean muscle mass and burn excess calories that otherwise trigger fat accumulation.
- Pilates can alleviate back pain
As many of the movements in Pilates focus on strengthening your core muscles, it can help minimize and manage chronic back pain. The fluid movements of pilates keep the lumbar-pelvic region of the core muscle flexible and strong and prevent stress injuries in the area. As pilates is a great exercise for toning the core muscles, regular practice can reduce pain in your lower back and/or spine.
- Pilates enhances coordination
Pilates encourages your mind to focus on your breath and body movements, allowing you to release stress and tension from your body. This unique workout can bring your body and mind together to make coordinated movements while doing everyday activities by increasing your overall concentration. With increased flexibility, improved mobility, and enhanced coordination, you will find it easier to navigate your surroundings without losing your mental focus and your physical prowess.
Takeaway
While anyone can benefit from pilates, this wonderful workout is especially advantageous for women. If you are new to this exercise, join our ladies-only pilates classes today to start your wellness journey.
