MomReviews are seriously my favorite types of posts! A long time ago, I wrote product reviews for another site and loved doing it. Maybe because I tend to be a little opinionated?
ANYWAY - up for review today are the new hot thing from the Sketchers shoe brand: their Shape Ups line. Sketchers touts these shoes as "helping you get in shape without ever setting foot in a gym". Well, I had the pleasure of trying these out for 30 days now, and I'm sure you're all waiting on edge to hear my thoughts - because a life without having to go to the gym seems like a heck of a good idea to me!
About these shoes:
Sketchers says that these shoes will help promote weight loss, tone your muscles, reduce cellulite, reduce stress on knee and ankle joints, and improve your posture. Some other brands call this style of shoe a "rocker" - I priced them out not long ago and most companies were charging $300 or more for this "technology" in their shoes! So I was surprised -and maybe a little skeptical- that Sketchers Shape Ups are only a bit over $100. For me, that's expensive for shoes. My sneakers usually cost about $50 or less and I was reluctant to double my shoe budget. However, I had a nasty knee injury last year and I find it hard to find shoes that I can wear all day without my knee acting up. They pretty much lured me in with "weight loss" and "reduce stress on knees".
How these shoes work:
From the Sketchers site, because honestly, they can explain the technical aspect better than I can! We have turned hard surfaces into comfortable ground through revolutionary technology designed into the framework of the shoe. The core of this technology is in the dynamic rolling bottom, the soft foam insert under the heel, and the dual-density midsole. These three elements work together to give you the feeling of walking on sand or luxurious pile carpet – regardless of the actual surface. Walking on softer, uneven surfaces forces you to engage muscles not normally used when walking on hard ground. Not only does this strengthen your muscles, but it also increases blood flow and reduces the impact on your joints and lower back. I find this to be VERY true. You know that feeling in your legs that you get from walking on the beach due to the lack of resistance from sand? The way you really have to push from your toes to keep momentum? Well, these shoes use those muscles! I definitely felt it in my muscles for the first two weeks - it was like I had never used them before now. I had some sore buns for a few days!
It takes a bit to get used to wearing these. They're a bit wider than your average sneaker, so they will fit best if you wear a normal or wide width. Sorry narrow ladies - these probably will not be a good choice for you! I honestly can't speak for weight loss because I kind of fell off the wagon with my workout routine. I CAN say though that these have greatly improved my posture - I don't slouch anymore. Also, they are great on problematic knees, ankles, and joints - I wear these for my full ten hour work shifts (in retail, on my feet all day) and I still feel great at the end of the day. I also do feel that my calves and rear are starting to become more toned - I promise I'll come back and update after another 60 days with these.
Shape-ups are offered in a few different styles. Three of these are sneakers (I chose the "Strength" model shown above), one is a casual Mary Jane style with a crossover strap, and one is a work style shoe.
So - spend a little on yourself, or save for something else? I vote a big SPLURGE on these shoes! I definitely think they're worth the investment (and I had to buy my own, Sketchers did not comp me or know that I'm writing this review, so I'm totally writing this from the heart). If you can't get to a Sketchers store, you can order them online and they are great about returns for size or fit. If you'd like to find out more than what I could fit here, I've added a link to them in our left sidebar - definitely go and check them out! Your feet (and legs) will love you for it!
No comments:
Post a Comment