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I hope you enjoy this article.  I have reposted it from the Weight Watchers Website.  I thought the information was invaluable for beginners like me...

Find The Best Shoe For Your Workout

It’s not enough that the shoe fits – it also needs to fit your fitness routine.

Article By: Michele Stanten

Unless you swim or do yoga, if you’re going to exercise, you need sneakers. And not just any sneakers; to protect your body from injury and maximize the benefits of your workout, you need to match your shoe to your workout. Trolling the aisles of a shoe warehouse or heading to your local sporting goods store isn’t enough; we got expert tips on what shoes are best for which workouts from podiatrists Elizabeth Kurtz, DPM, spokesperson for American Podiatric Medical Association, and Matt Werd, DPM, spokesperson for the American College of Sports Medicine.

RUNNING SHOES

Best for: running or walking

They’re specifically designed for forward motion, and the sole is constructed for the continuous heavy impact of running.

Skip them if … you do cardio classes like Zumba and step

Running shoes have very little – if any – support for all the side-to-side moves you’ll do in these types of classes.

Buying tip: Running shoes often dominate the shelves of athletic shoe departments or stores, offering you a wide variety of styles. To help you navigate all the options — stability, neutral, and motion control — shop at a specialty running store. The salespeople are more knowledgeable and can help you find the shoe that’s best for your feet.

WALKING SHOES

Best for: walking

Like running shoes, they’re designed for forward motion and to facilitate the heel-to-toe rolling motion of walking.

Skip them if… you plan to include running intervals in your walks

The impact from running is two to three times higher than walking, and walking shoes aren’t built to handle those kinds of forces.

Buying tip: Many stores have slim pickings when it comes to walking shoes (and they’re often less stylish than other sneakers). If you can’t find a pair that suits your feet and your style, browse the running shoe section.

CROSS TRAINERS

Best for: strength training, Zumba, boot camp workouts, step aerobics, cardio machines such as an elliptical.

These shoes provide support whether you’re moving forward, backward, or side-to-side.

Skip them if… you do walking- or running- specific workouts

If you’re doing a certain activity two or more times a week, you should get a sports-specific shoe to better handle the repetitive motions. This goes for other activities like tennis or basketball, too.

Buying tip: Not all stores label these shoes as cross trainers. Some are simply called “trainers” or “performance training” so ask a salesperson to identify them for you.

TRAIL SHOES

Best for: hiking hilly trails with rocks and roots

The rugged soles on these shoes grip better than other athletic shoes and are harder to protect your feet from obstacles you’re likely to find in your path.

Skip them if… you stick to mostly level gravel or well-groomed dirt trails Hiking shoes are heavy so they’re likely to slow you down. If you don’t need the protection, you’ll get a better workout with a lighter-weight running or walking shoe.

Buying tip: Choose a high-top hiker if the terrain is very hilly or you’ll be navigating a lot of obstacles. For more moderate trails, a low-top trail shoe is fine.

TONING SHOES

Best for: slow, short walks

Ads tout that these shoes with rounded or rocker bottom soles work muscles harder for faster toning, but some scientific studies dispute these claims. Even if they provide some benefit, wearing these shoes for a full-length workout or all day as you run errands may put you at risk for injuries like Achilles tendonitis.

Skip them if… you have balance or joint problems

The purpose of these shoes is to make you unstable. Combine that with balance or vertigo issues and you may be more likely to fall. This instability also changes how you walk, which could aggravate joint problems like arthritis.

Buying tip: Some toning shoes are more curved than others, so try on a variety of styles and pay attention to how your entire body feels when you’re walking in them. If something doesn’t feel right (for example: your knees seem to be rolling in) try a different brand or put these back on the shelf and stick with a traditional walking or running shoe.

The Shoe That’s Not Right For You

Barefoot walking and running has become popular in the past few years, and shoe companies have jumped on this trend. Most running shoe manufacturers now offer what they call “minimalist” styles. These shoes provide little to no support or cushioning in an effort to mimic barefoot walking or running. While brands vary in these features, the shoes are basically just protecting your feet from the pavement. Minimalist shoes may have a place in training programs for competitive runners or walkers, but they are not appropriate for the average walker or runner who is trying to lose weight. The heavier you are, the more support you need when you begin exercising to avoid excess strain on your feet that can cause injuries, says Dr. Werd. 

Bottom line: If you wouldn’t exercise barefoot, don’t exercise in these shoes.

NEWS FROM THE WEIGHT WATCHERS PRODUCTS TEAM:

Spoons ready? More than 20 flavors of Yoplait® Light—from Strawberry to Red Velvet Cake to Boston Cream Pie—will hit supermarket shelves near you beginning mid-July. Yoplait® Light, now endorsed by Weight Watchers, has been newly reformulated to contain 90 calories. It will feature the Weight Watchers shield showing a PointsPlus® value of 2 per serving*.

With this endorsement, Weight Watchers members can continue to enjoy the delicious goodness of yogurt, now in a broader, more delicious assortment of Yoplait® Light flavors.


* Within the next few weeks, you will start to see the Weight Watchers Shield on the packaging with the PPV shown - until then, please double check the PPV using the nutritional information on the package you purchase in the usual way. The 2 PPV talked about in this article is the reformulated recipe.


And in closing:
"He who has health, has hope; and he who has hope, has everything".
Thomas Carlyle