Both Pilates and yoga can support weight management, but they work differently. Yoga (especially high-intensity styles) may burn slightly more calories per session, while Pilates may offer more direct muscle-strengthening benefits. If you’re wondering whether to choose Pilates or yoga for weight loss, this article explores the similarities, differences, and how each practice can fit into your everyday routine.
It’s important to remember that following exercise and eating plans is a personal journey and individual results may vary based on metabolism, activity level, and other factors.
Both Pilates and yoga are low-impact practices that can be performed on a mat, involve controlled breathing, and are suitable for a wide range of fitness levels. In most cases, both of them are brought up together because they have more in common than people would realize. For example, both of these exercises are low-impact exercises (1). What we mean by low-impact workouts is that they don’t exert a lot of pressure on your joints when they are performed. This is true for both as they are usually done gently and precisely.
Another similarity that both these workouts hold is that they are both performed on a mat. The fact that they are both performed on a mat makes people who don’t really know much about them confuse one for the other. Another similarity is that they both involve deep breathing or concentrated breathing. This makes them quite identical. They are also both done barefoot and have a set of moves and poses that overlap between them. These shared characteristics highlight the Pilates vs yoga benefits for overall physical activity.
While they share similarities, Pilates and yoga differ in their origins, primary focus, and typical pace.
| Feature | Pilates | Yoga |
|---|---|---|
| Primary focus | Core strength, stability, posture, controlled movement | Flexibility, balance, mindfulness, mind-body connection |
| Equipment needed | Mat (standard); reformer or wall (variations) | Mat only (standard); chair (chair yoga variation) |
| Typical pace | Slow to moderate; precise movements | Slow to moderate; flowing sequences |
| Approx. calorie burn (60 mins) | ~175–354 cal (beginner to advanced mat); higher with reformer | ~156–413 cal (Hatha to power yoga); varies by style |
| Best for | Core strength, posture improvement, weight management as part of a broader routine | Flexibility, stress management, mindfulness, weight management as part of a broader routine |
Their first difference is their history. This is in terms of where they originated from and when they were invented. Yoga has been in existence for more than a thousand years and originated in India (2), while Pilates just came into existence during the post-World War I era. It was developed by a German anatomist called Joseph Pilates and that’s where its name comes from (1).
Their second difference is in what they were invented for. They both have different purposes. Yoga is commonly practiced for movement, breathing, flexibility, mindfulness, and spiritual traditions. It’s able to achieve this through the different poses, which are also known as asanas, and the deep breathing that is involved (2). Yoga has different poses for different things and each of these poses comes with different benefits. Pilates was developed as a controlled movement method for prison-camp inmates. Over time, it became widely associated with core strength, posture-focused movement, flexibility, and body balance (1).
The third difference is how they are performed. Yoga involves flowing through a series of yoga poses that use your body weight as resistance. The main focus of yoga is usually to connect the mind and the body, improve balance, and work on your flexibility as most of the yoga poses involve a lot of stretching (2). The different poses are usually associated with deep breathing and a present sense of mind. Pilates, on the other hand, involves moving through slow, precise strength training exercises with breath control. While yoga focuses on balance, flexibility, and body-to-mind connection, Pilates focuses on improving your stability and your core strength. Yoga is a bit slow and mindful, while Pilates is a bit faster (1).
Even though we’ve highlighted these differences between the two workouts, the biggest difference between the two is the spiritual emphasis that is found in yoga but not in Pilates.
Read more: How to Lose Weight with Pilates: Complete Guide and Sample Workout
When it comes to this question, there’s no blanket answer that suits everyone, as the answer depends on what you want to achieve (1). If your aim is to build core strength and stability, then Pilates is the way to go. Pilates is actually recommended for people who play sports that require a strong core and back. Examples of such sports include golf and tennis.
If your goal is to relax, be at peace in your mind and with your body, and to be more flexible, then yoga is the way to go. To get the best of both worlds, you can try both workouts as they are both low-impact exercises and doing one won’t necessarily make you exhausted to the point you can’t attempt the other.
The BetterMe app offers a variety of low-impact workouts and meal plans to help you structure your everyday routine and eating habits.
Losing weight by exercising follows the basic principle of burning more calories than you take in. This means that any exercise that is able to do this may support your weight management journey. As previously mentioned, both of these workouts are low-impact exercises that are typically not very strenuous and likely won’t burn a substantial amount of calories in a given session. However, movement throughout the day can contribute to overall energy expenditure, which may support weight management. A Pilates or yoga session will likely not burn as many calories as you would doing different cardio exercises such as jump rope or even as many calories as strength training exercises burn.
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Here’s a close approximation of how many calories you’re likely to burn if you do yoga. Individual results vary based on body weight, intensity, and style:
One systematic review found limited evidence that yoga may reduce energy intake and increase physical activity in adults with overweight or obesity (4).
Here’s a close approximation of how many calories you’re likely to burn if you do Pilates. Individual results vary based on body weight, intensity, and style:
A recent meta-analysis reported that Pilates may support a decrease in body weight, BMI, and body fat percentage in adults with overweight or obesity (6).
Calorie burn varies considerably by style and intensity. High-intensity yoga styles such as power yoga may burn more calories than beginner Pilates, while advanced or equipment-based Pilates can match or exceed moderate yoga styles. The amount of calories both these exercises burn is not that significant and that is why they should be accompanied by other physical activities.
Practicing Pilates for weight loss at home is a convenient way to build a consistent routine. There are several variations you can try depending on your equipment and mobility.
Wall Pilates for weight loss is a bodyweight variation that uses a wall for support and resistance. It’s an excellent option for beginners because the wall provides stability while you perform controlled movements. This variation can help build strength and improve posture as part of a broader routine.
Reformer Pilates for weight loss involves using a specialized machine with springs and pulleys to create resistance. While it requires equipment, it can offer a higher-intensity workout compared to mat Pilates. One recent study reported that reformer Pilates may improve body composition and muscle strength in women with overweight or obesity (7). Another study found that home-based Pilates combined with dietary guidance may support reductions in body fat percentage in women affected by obesity (8).
If you have joint, muscle, or back-related concerns, please consult your physician before starting this or any new movement routine.
Chair Pilates for weight loss is a seated variation designed for individuals with limited mobility or those who prefer a gentler approach. It focuses on core engagement and upper-body movement while seated, which makes it a practical option for seniors who are looking to support their activity levels.
Read More: Beginning Yoga For Seniors: Types, Poses, And Benefits
Practicing yoga exercises for weight loss at home can be a practical way to incorporate movement and mindfulness into your day. Yoga for weight loss for beginners often starts with gentle styles and beginner-friendly poses.
Somatic yoga for weight loss focuses on the mind-body connection, emphasizing internal experience and intentional movement. While it isn’t a high-calorie-burning workout, it may support stress management and emotional balance, which can be beneficial components of a comprehensive weight management plan.
If you have joint, muscle, or back-related concerns, please consult your physician before starting this or any new movement routine.
Chair yoga for weight loss is a gentle, seated practice that allows individuals to experience the benefits of yoga without needing to get down on a mat. It may be a practical option for older adults or anyone who prefers seated movement, with gentle poses that can support flexibility and regular daily activity.
While no single pose causes weight loss on its own, incorporating these beginner-friendly yoga poses for weight loss into your routine may support your overall physical activity:
Here are some lifestyle changes you can add to your yoga or Pilates routine.
In addition to working out, checking your diet is an important part of weight management. A calorie deficit is required for fat loss and exercise combined with calorie cutting can be a useful strategy to achieve this. In order to properly achieve a calorie deficit, you’ll need to find how many calories your body typically burns in a day. Creating a calorie deficit of approximately 500 calories a day may support a gradual reduction of around 1 pound per week for many people (9), although individual results vary based on metabolism, activity level, and other factors. You’re able to lose this weight due to the fact that the body uses the stored fat as energy as it isn’t getting enough energy from your food intake. While cutting your calories, there are some things you need to make sure of:
When it comes to weight management, “cardio” is a common choice. Even though Pilates and yoga help with weight management, this is different from cardio. The best part is as yoga and Pilates are low-impact exercises, you can combine them with cardio exercises. You can start your training session by doing cardio and then you can do yoga or Pilates as a “cool down” at the end. This then means you’ll expend energy from cardio and also from these two low-impact forms of activity. In terms of cardio exercises, there are so many to choose from, as it really encompasses anything that gets your heart rate up and keeps it up. Some of the cardio exercises that burn the most calories include swimming, jumping rope, cycling, and mountain climbing. Most of these activities can be done for fun while also helping you to stay active.
If you’re a regular drinker, this might just be a factor in weight gain. If you want to manage your weight, you may consider cutting down on the number of drinks you have and how regularly you have them. Alcoholic beverages have what we call empty calories. These are calories that have little nutritional benefit to your body (15). For example, a regular 12 fl oz beer has around 153 calories, and these calories add to your normal calorie intake (16). These extra calories may contribute to weight gain over time, particularly if they’re not balanced by overall calorie intake and activity level (15).
Drinking alcohol may also affect appetite and food intake, and research has suggested that people may not fully compensate for alcohol calories by eating less food later (17). Some research has also linked alcohol intake with poorer overall diet quality, so drinking may make it harder to stay aligned with a weight management plan (18).
Water is generally supportive for your body. Even when doing Pilates and yoga, it’s advisable to drink plenty of water. Water also helps with weight management in different ways. For example, drinking water may support your metabolism. You can also use water to help manage your appetite. If you drink water before you eat any meal, you may eat less compared to what you would have eaten had you not drunk the water (19). This may lead to you taking in fewer calories, thereby creating a calorie deficit.
In addition to cardio exercises, you can also add strength-training exercises to your workout program. As previously mentioned, the best thing about these two low-impact exercises is that they can be complemented by any other workout. Strength-training exercises can help you build strength and muscle and may also support your weight management goals. Strength-training workouts burn calories, but they may burn fewer calories than many cardio exercises, depending on duration and intensity. However, calorie burn isn’t their only benefit. Strength training can help build muscle, and muscle tissue uses more energy at rest than fat tissue, so it may modestly support daily energy expenditure.
Are you looking to build a consistent movement routine? The BetterMe app offers guided low-impact workouts and meal planning tools to help you stay on track.
If you want to manage your weight, you may consider adding foods that have fiber to your diet. A good example of such foods is fruits and vegetables (20). Fiber helps with weight management in that it may help you feel full faster and for longer (21). This may result in you not eating as much food. The calorie reduction caused by this may support weight management (20).
Another way to support weight management is to sleep enough. A person is recommended to sleep 7 to 9 hours every day (22). Sleep helps with weight management as it helps prevent unsupportive eating habits such as midnight snacking.
If you want to manage your weight, you may consider finding ways to manage your stress. The good thing is that exercising helps with stress management, so by doing Pilates and yoga, you’re already on the right track. Yoga may help with stress management through physical postures and breathing techniques (23). The lack of a proper way of managing your stress may lead you to stress eating and this may hinder your efforts to manage your weight (24).
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Yes, Pilates can be a good addition to a weight management routine when it’s combined with a balanced diet and consistent physical activity (24; 26). It helps build lean muscle mass, which may support your resting metabolism over time (27).
Neither is definitively better—it depends on the style and your goals. High-intensity yoga styles may burn more calories per session, while Pilates focuses more on core strength and muscle building. Both can be part of a broader weight management routine.
Yes, you can do both Pilates and yoga. Combining them can provide a well-rounded routine that improves flexibility, builds core strength, and supports overall weight management.
Practicing 3 to 4 times a week is a common recommendation to build consistency and support weight management, although any amount of regular movement is beneficial.
For beginners, both practices offer beginner-friendly entry points. Beginner mat Pilates focuses on core engagement and controlled movement, while beginner yoga often starts with Hatha or gentle flow styles. Both can be practiced at home with minimal equipment.
When it comes to Pilates vs yoga for weight loss, calorie burn varies by style and intensity. High-intensity yoga styles may burn more calories than beginner Pilates, while advanced Pilates may match moderate yoga styles. Our recommendation is to try your best to stay consistent, so try a combination of yoga and Pilates. Find what you like to do and remain consistent with it over time. For better weight management results, pair these workout styles with a healthy diet in a calorie deficit. In addition to helping with weight management, these two low-impact exercises come with other benefits. For example, yoga helps with stress management, helps increase your flexibility and balance, and helps you get in touch with your inner self (2). Pilates, on the other hand, helps with improving flexibility, helps strengthen your core and other muscles of your body, helps improve your posture, helps you ease yourself back to physical activity, helps improve your concentration, and helps improve the stabilization of your back area (1).
This shows that when it comes to Pilates vs yoga, there is no clear winner and it all depends on your goals. If your goals are more spiritual and emotional, then yoga is the place to go, but if your goals are more physical, you should choose Pilates.
The best thing about these two low-impact exercises is that they can be adjusted to fit a wide range of fitness enthusiasts. As they only exert minimal stress on your joints or bones, they may be a better activity option than something more strenuous.
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