Lori
First of all
I am new here also, 3 weeks and the people here are so great, supportive, informative and just really nice. Also,
on the 20 pounds, did you know 20 pounds = 80 sticks of butter . . .
sorry I'm on a bit of a butter kick . . . somewhere in here someone was not happy they had only lost 1 pound and someone else made sure they knew that 1 pound = 4 sticks of butter . . . needless to say I look at weightloss in a WHOLE different perspective.
OK, Pilates . . . I really like Pilates, I used to do it a lot and have not yet gotten back to it as much as I'd like to but I'm integrating exercise slowly. Right now I take a Yoga/Pilates class 3-4 times a week (last week was the first week) Pilates focuses in on areas, e.g. stomach, arms, legs and really works those muscles . . . OH YES you will be sore . . . as for when will it show . . . it depends on how your body reacts to the exercise. Everyone is so different, how much muscle they are starting with, and how tone those muscles are already, how fast YOUR body builds muscle . . . I would imagine about 3-4 weeks you may see a difference, especially if you are losing weight at the same time, maybe more, maybe less. GREAT toning exercises, though.
Every "body" reacts differently to the same thing. You could put two people who weigh the same amount, have similar eating habits, and activity levels and have them do the same diet/exercise program and the will probably NOT lose weight equally . . . everyone's body is just . . . different.
I know this doesn't give you any definitive answers, but I hope it helped a little, either way I would give it a try, it will definitely give you a workout though.
Maybe some of the other chickadees will be able to help you more . . .
Anyone tried Pilates?
Just registered today as a matter of fact. I've been battling my weight off and on for ten years. I can't keep blaming my ten year old son for this either! LOL! Seriously though, at 5'7 I was my thinnest 7 years ago and was 165 pounds. We did a major shift in our lives and moved two provinces and my weight moved up and up and up! By 2005 I was 232. I've since dropped twenty pounds after we moved to the farm and away from all the fast food, easy meals that I lived off of for five years. I'm still fat though...212. Reality kicked in when I got my passport photos done last week and i looked at my chins. I always have thought I wasn't that big...just had big boobs and that made me look big. Guess again. The boobs, although too big (40H) don't make my butt a size 18/20. And I highly suspect that if I lose the weight I want to lose I'll be back down to a D cup but after all that weight they'll likely look like goat udders 
I just don't know how well it works. Of course the infomercial says "you'll lose weight and shape your body" but when? and how much? and will I look like Daisy Fuentes (or however the heck you spell her name) when I'm done?!
to a fellow Cannuck. I'm sure you'll find the group very supportive. I've been here for almost 4 months now and, even as the only regularly posting man, I find that this is a great group to hang out with. They're here for a 
when you need it and a 
when you need it too. 
