Step up your workout with fitness-focused footwear

Super Fitness
Footwear
Sarah Wassner Flynn

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It is no surprise that walking is a great way to get fit. In fact, with an hour-long brisk walk, you can burn off about 270 calories – or a slice of cheese pizza. And now, some footwear companies are trying to capitalize on the fitness benefits of walking with shoes geared to work your muscles even harder with every step you take. But are these super fitness shoes just silly or are they a smart way to slim down? You decide.

MBT Shoe

MASAI BAREFOOT TECHNOLOGY (MBT) SHOES

A Swiss engineer studied the perfect posture of Africa's Masai tribesmen then simulated their barefoot stride with these chunky sneakers. With a special, squishy sole that creates a rocking motion and engages the leg, butt and core muscles, MBT shoes also improve posture and balance while minimizing strain on the joints. This fitness footwear is a hit on the Hollywood scene, recently spotted on the feet of celebs like Katherine Heighl, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Gwyneth Paltrow and Heidi Klum.

Cost: About $250.00
Fitflop ShoeGet them: Zappos or Shoes.com

THE FITFLOP

Called the “flip-flop with a built-in gym,” these sandals feature a similar midsole to the MBT shoes and stimulate butt, hamstring, thigh and calf muscles with each step. FitFlop fans say the cushiony shoes also offer relief from lower back pain, joint aches and pains, and encourage mobility in stiff ankles after just a few days of wearing them. Plus, in a variety of colors and sizes, you can make these flip flops a summer staple by pairing them with everything from sundresses to shorts.

Cost: About $50
Get them: Bath & Body Works

Lytess Shoe

LYTESS MUSCLE TRAINER SNEAKERS

When it comes to buying shoes, you will likely always spring for super-light sneaks over a clunky pair. But these Japanese-designed shoes, which weigh a whopping three pounds each (that is about four times the weight of standard sneakers), might make you reconsider that thought. The extra poundage – courtesy of small metal spheres within the sole – provides a weight-lifting session while you walk, burning up to 300 calories and firming muscles during a half-hour stroll.

Cost: About $150
Get them: Bliss World

If these shoes aren't tempting, your footwear is still important. Find the perfect running shoe for you.

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Sarah Wassner Flynn is a New York City-based writer. She's contributed to magazines such as CosmoGIRL!, National Geographic Kids, Runner's World, Women's Health, Prevention, and MetroSports New York. Her book, The Book of Happy Things, is slated for a June 2008 release.


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