The following is a post sponsored by Fitness Footwear.  

Flip flops that are actually good for your feet and tone your body at the same time?  Sounds too good to be true, right?  We were thrilled when Fitness Footwear sent us a pair of FitFlops for one lucky GGS girl to review! 

When I opened the box, I thought the pair sent to me was totally cute.  They looked like a wedge sandal at approx. one inch height.  I love a wedged shoe!  Very sporty looking and I liked that the FitFlop logo on the front was not too visible.  Being from Western Canada, we can’t really wear flip flops until April,(if we are lucky) so I tried them on a recent trip to Cancun in March.  I wore them for about one hour there and the strap between my toes managed to create a huge blister.  I am not sure if it was because my sensitive feet were not used to that strap in between my toes after a long winter or if it was these shoes in particular.  So off they went until the nasty blister healed.  

Spring forward, I tried them on again when I got home, wearing them for the full day.  I have to tell you what I exactly experienced.  The  mid-sole is suppose to work your balance by slightly destabilizing your footing in the same way that a wobble board would.  It is almost like you have to curl your toes to walk in them.  These FitFlops don’t really ‘flip and flop’.  You don’t hear them like regular flip flops probably because your toes are so curled…. 

They were very comfortable for the whole day that I had them on.  I did not feel any burn or sensation in my legs, calves or buttock, like a work out. Or even like the Earth Footwear I reviewed.  I do however, think they do make your legs work a little harder when walking, so how cool is that!  I will continue to wear my FitFlops for the Summer and I will keep you up to date with my findings.  Yippeee to sandal season! 

Womens FitFlop Electra - Gold

They have loads of other cute, hip styles of FitFlops, check them out here~FitFlops 

This GGS girl gives FitFlops  out of 5 dumbbells.  

We are putting ’TONING’ Shoes to the ulimate test! See which ones the GGS crew think you should try out! 

We were lucky enough to get our hands on these pairs of ‘toning’ shoes:

• Reebok Toning shoes-Review-check out what a GGS Member had to say
• Sketchers Shape Ups-Review-check out what a GGS Member had to say
• EarthFoot wear Toning shoes-check out what a GGS Member had to say
• Champion Pace Toning Shoes~Check out what a GGS Member had to say
• New Balance’s Rock&Tone shoes~
• MBT’s-Check out what a GGS Member had to say

Reviews on GirlGetStrong.com reflect the personal opinion of the writer, whether it is good, bad or ugly.  No compensation was accepted by me or GGS Media Corporation for this review.  This product was sent to us for review.

This post has been re-visited.  Please note that there are many more styles coming out for this Spring/ Summer.

How cool is this?  No more excuses when travelling for business or pleasure for that matter!  Read on…..

New Program Provides Guests with Complimentary Athletic Footwear, Apparel, Accessories, equipment, In-Room Workouts and More  

Boston, Massachusetts and White Plains, NY (December 14, 2010) – Two renowned global brands in the fitness and hospitality categories are joining forces to empower travelers to stay healthy and fit when away from home.  New Balance and Westin Hotels & Resorts have forged an exclusive, worldwide partnership to help hotel guests overcome the hurdles of exercising on the road by providing New Balance footwear, apparel and fitness program content.  The complimentary program recently launched at 10 Westin properties across the globe and will begin rolling out brand-wide in 2011.

No More Excuses – Pack Light and Still Stay Fit with Westin and New Balance 

Guests of the 10 Westin pilot properties have access to New Balance shoes, apparel and accessories through a product loan program.  During their stay, guests can borrow running shoes with brand new, disposable insoles for each use, as well as a variety of men’s and women’s apparel including shorts, shirts and socks for men and shorts, capri pants, shirts, sports bras and socks for women. 

Westin guests will also benefit from travel-specific fitness content and added-value experiences provided by New Balance.  New Balance Fitness Ambassador and Exercise TV celebrity trainer Holly Perkins will develop exclusive in-room fitness and equipment-free content that includes stretching and strengthening workouts, cardio and yoga.  The program includes “Wellness in Travel” tips from Holly on nutrition and creative ways to combat jet lag and healthy living.  In addition, New Balance is working with individual Westin properties to enhance its current three- and five-mile local area running maps.  As part of the partnership, participating properties will provide guests traveling to a city for a major athletic event, such as a marathon, with wellness amenities, including turn-down gifts with “performance/fuel” goodies for the race and “good luck” wake-up calls.

“Keeping guests’ fitness goals in mind, we’ve partnered with New Balance to provide yet another option to help travelers stay well on-the-road,” said Nancy London, Vice President, Westin Hotels & Resorts. “Guests simply need to show up ready for a great workout. We provide the rest.”

“Convenient access to the proper athletic equipment and programming is vital to the traveler who wants to stay healthy and fit while they’re away from home,” said Hilary Keates, director of global marketing and brand management for New Balance. “New Balance is excited to partner with Westin to provide their health and fitness-minded guests with footwear, apparel, accessories and programming for an overall enhanced experience.  As leaders in our respective categories with like-minded consumers, this alliance made perfect sense.”

The 10 participating pilot hotels include:  The Westin Boston Waterfront; The Westin Michigan Avenue; The Westin San Francisco Airport; The Westin Maui; The Westin Santa Fe; The Westin Jersey City; The Westin Beijing Chaoyang; The Westin Tokyo; The Westin Valencia; and The Westin Grand Berlin.  Additional details are also available on the co-branded website developed for this partnership at Westin/New Balance.

The new fitness offering joins a host of wellness initiatives recently introduced by Westin Hotels & Resorts. In late 2009, the brand launched a sleep study and sleep hotline with National Sleep Foundation aimed at helping travelers troubleshoot common sleep problems. In the fall of 2007, Westin partnered with SuperFoods Partners LLC to become the first hotel brand to create a SuperFoods-focused menu. In 2006, the brand introduced Breathe Westin and became the first in the industry to go smoke-free and offer guests a healthy, 100% smoke-free hotel experience.

This partnership is part of an ongoing effort by New Balance to forge innovative partnerships with active lifestyle and fashion brands that share a similar customer base, as evidenced by the company’s recent collaborations with Heidi Klum on a global active wear collection and with J.Crew on a domestically-manufactured footwear collection.

About New Balance

New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host.  New Balance employs more than 4000 people around the globe, and in 2009 reported worldwide sales of $1.65 billion. For more information please visit New Balance.

About Westin Hotels & Resorts

Westin Hotels & Resorts makes the healthiest choices irresistibly appealing, so guests leave feeling better than when they arrived.  With over 170 hotels and resorts in over 36 countries and territories, Westin is owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. Starwood Hotels is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 1000 properties in nearly 100 countries and territories with 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, and the recently launched Aloft®, and Element ^SM.  Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit Starwood Hotels.

There are twenty-six bones, twenty muscles and thirty-three joints in the human foot. The human foot is truly a work of art and we need to treat it with respect! By wearing proper foot wear, you provide your feet and your body with the advantages they need during exercise and normal daily activity.

The Vibram FiveFingers are shoes that are exploding in popularity, as barefoot running is recieving more and more attention. FiveFingers provide you with all the benefits of going barefoot while protecting your foot from cuts or surface injuries. These shoes can be worn while exercising or during normal everyday activities. By wearing these shoes, you will not only improve your strength, but they will help improve your balance, agility, and proprioception. Proprioception is defined as one of the human senses that targets reception of stimuli produced and the awareness of the position of one’s body. Check below to see the benefits of exercising barefoot as well as with the FiveFingers!

Benefits Of Exercising Barefoot:

• Improves balance and stability
• Improves strength of ankle
• Improve muscle alignment
• Reduce risk of injury
• Helps strengthen arch and calves

Benefits of Vibram FiveFingers:

• Reduces risk of punctures to foot unlike barefoot exercising
• Improves balance and stability
• Improves muscle alignment
• Reduces risk of injuries like plantar fasciitis
• Improves agility
• Improve proprioception
• Protects feet from germs and untrustworthy surfaces
• Get tons of compliments on your shoes

Problems Created By Wearing Improper Foot Wear:

• Plantar Faciitis: Inflammation and pain in the arch and heel
• Raised Heel: Shoes often raise the heel which unnaturally tightens the calves and creates cramping
• Shin Splints: Shoes lengthen the shin due to raising the heel, thus causing shin splints.
• Weaken Ankle: Shoes cause the ankle to become weak and rely on the shoe support instead of relying on itself.
• Knee and Back Pain: Artificially supported shoes force unnatural pressure into the knees and spine.

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I have seen so many people barefoot running in the last month than ever before.  I am not sure how people do it without cutting and hurting their feet?  Read on to find out how…

There has been a ton of research done over the past few years on the benefits of running barefoot. Some studies have shown that running in shoes somehow weakens the small muscles of the feet as well as the tendons, ligaments, and natural arches of the feet. Several experts agree that running barefoot can improve your feet’s biomechanics and prevent the risk of injury.

If you do decide to run barefoot, start with short runs and slowly progress to longer runs over time. This will help strengthen the supporting muscles, tendons, and ligaments as well as prevent overuse injuries. I recommend starting with a 10 – 15 minute walk for the first couple exercise sessions then progressing to longer runs, which will allow your feet to adapt to the current workload. Good luck!

Best Surfaces For Barefoot Running:

• Sand – Great for improving foot support, but the risk of a rolled ankle is extremely high.
• Grass – Softens the impact of the knees, ankles, and feet, but be aware of uneven surfaces (golf course grass is best).
• Dirt – Softens the impact of the knees, ankles, and feet and forms the shape of the foot during impact. Be cautious of rocky terrain.
• Artificial Track or Surface – Softens the impact of the knees, ankles, and feet. One of the safest terrains due to the fact of even surfaces and lack of sharp objects that could lead to serious injury.

Barefoot Running Safety:

• Map out your routine and plan accordingly
• Avoid city streets or sidewalks and potential trash, glass, other hazardous objects
• Avoid running at night, which makes it hard to see uneven terrain
• Pay close attention to the placement of each step
• Hydrate before, during, and after your run to prevent cramping or injury
• Listen to your body and don’t overdo the run (feet are extremely sensitive.

I could not do this but I am stoked to be reviewing soon Kigo’s and  Vibram Five Fingers.  Both are suppose to stimulate barefoot running!  If you barefoot run, please email me your experiences!

Since the GGS Crew are doing a whole series on ‘toning shoes’, I started to do some more research on the topic and found these on youtube. Tell me what you think of these commercials for Reebok Easy Tone…they are super short and worth the watch…

And this one:

And there are way more on youtube but these two are ones that I found the most sexiest.  Do these commercials make you want to go buy Easy Tone Reebok?  Do you think they are way too sexiest?  Please do tell us in the comments below and we will meet you there with our two cents worth!

Check out our Quick Toning Shoes Review Guide to help you pick the ones that are for you.