Sunday, January 06, 2008
Life, Health + Fitness, Style

Walk this way

Shoes—a fitness revolution?

Bob Amick CREDIT: Courtesy of Shape Up Shoes

Shoes—a fitness revolution?
By Jessica Thomas

By Jessica Thomas Eating pizza versus working out? Snacking on cookies as opposed to working that booty in step class? Considering going to the gym, but have a yearning for a grande mocha latte? As far as diets are concerned, the eating part is always going to come out on top. Everyone wants a fab body, but hardly any of us are willing to work at it. Hey, we all like to eat and drink (and I’m not talking water here). But now you might not have to work as hard to get in bodacious shape. Shape Up Shoes provide an innovative way to tone and shape your body as well as shed pounds. It almost sounds too good to be true: Walk your way to sculpted legs. Of course, you do have to exert a little something (but not much) to get the goods in return. The shoes are designed to work your lower parts because of the seesaw way the soles of the shoes are shaped, which is called a negative heel. In order to stay balanced, you must use the muscles not used otherwise in your legs, abs and rear. Thus, those muscles are strengthened and toned significantly where they wouldn’t be otherwise. Another benefit of wearing the shoes is the strengthening of the inner core, which results in improved posture and a more aligned spine. The motion when walking in Shape Up Shoes is similar to that of balancing on a stability board in combination with using a Stairmaster, says Trammell Wilson, who developed the product in 2004 in her search to find a product that worked with a sensible diet and regular exercise to help lose weight. Wilson suggests that people wear the shoes while getting ready for work, cleaning the house, checking the mail, walking the dog and doing all sorts of everyday chores, but not when engaging in vigorous physical exercise. Just balance your weight in the middle of each of the shoes, and you won’t fall over. No, really, you won’t. It takes a little while to get used to them, but soon thereafter, people can walk normally, Wilson says. And wear them year-round, as they are available in three styles: flip-flops, clogs and boots. “With everyone’s busy, crazy lives, it so hard to find a significant time period to exercise,” says Wilson. “So wearing the shoes cuts exercise time in half. After wearing these for 30 minutes, I feel like I’ve been on a Stairmaster!” The shoes’ calorie-burning rate is three times that of standard walking for sandals and two times for clogs. Sounds simple, right? The increased muscular activity trims and tones legs, the abdomen, the lower back and even those dreaded love handles. The shoes also significantly reduce the onset of varicose and spider veins, and help diminish existing cellulite and prevent it from developing, as well as helps those who suffer from lower back pain, swelling in the arms and legs and plantar fasciitis. Wilson recommends increasing your physical activity and limiting fat and calorie intake, while also wearing the fitness footwear 30 minutes a day. “After a while of engaging in healthy practices and wearing Shape Up Shoes, weight loss and toning is natural,” she says. Shape Up Shoes are available in a number of local shops. Visit www.shapeupshoes.com for more information.SP