[Ashley]

For some of us, it's about to be summer time. This means breaking out the short skirts, dresses, and bikinis! That's why it's all the more important to make sure your legs are looking and feeling good! Here are two products that claim to increase your muscle activity during everyday walking, so you make the most out of your every movement:



FitFlop:
A new footwear, invented in the UK, does not only protect our feet, but can also do wonders too nowadays - to improves posture, tone calf muscle, trim and firm up butt.
Sound too good to be true? Read on.
A company in the UK has creatively created this unique footwear called FitFlop. By wearing it on your feet, you are actually working out your legs and butts when you walk. The company even has the tag line “It’s the flip flop with a gym built in“.

You may guess that these shoes must be heavy and therefore making the leg muscles work harder. Not really. They are light, only around 400 gram per pair.
So, how this footwear achieves those benefits claimed by the inventors? Here is what I summarize from what they said:
“Fit Flop has a multi-density midsole. It slightly destablises the foot as one walks, making a continuous tension in the muscles of the foot and leg. It activates the slow-twitch muscle fibres in the legs and that muscles fibres which are the fat burners in your legs.


So, every step you take, FitFlop actually improve your core muscle strength, absorbs shock on your feet, knees and back, encourages better posture and stronger muscles and burns calories.
They can help reduce cellulite and slim and tone your thighs and get you that much closer to having longer, leaner looking legs.”
Interesting, but are these statements convincing enough?


SOURCE for FitFlop Article


Here is a thead on FitFlops:

Anyone tried these???









MBTs
Masai Barefoot Technology

MBT stands for "Masai Barefoot Technology," and the shoes are designed to simulate walking in sand. It's a multi-layered, curved sole that accomplishes this by creating a natural but uneven walking surface. This technology is meant to make the core strengthening muscles more active, creating better posture and increasing shock absorbtion for all of the joints. It also makes wearing the shoes quite a unique experience, and a bit of a workout. Benefits of MBT Shoes - What's Real and What's Hype

MBT shoes have been billed as "the world's smallest gym." Since they increase muscle activity, strengthening and toning of the leg, buttock, stomach and back muscles takes place during everyday activities like walking and standing.

They've received a lot of press since celebrities like Cher, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Heidi Klum have reportedly added them to their shoe collection. Their unique design has supposedly help wearer's tone up, lose weight, and even smooth cellulite, which has garnered the brand a lot of attention as well.

While no such claims are made on the manufacturer's web site, MBT shoes have been used in training by olympic medalists, and other top athletes. And according to Swiss Masai Inc., other benefits of the shoes include:

• Increased muscle activity
• Increased circulation
• Encourages upright posture and relaxed stride

As well as relief of:

• Muscular Tension
• Joint Problems
• Back Problems
• Leg & Feet Problems

My Thoughts on MBT

After a few minutes in the shoes, I actually began to like them -- a lot. I did feel like I was getting a mini workout, but they also gave me an oddly energetic feeling.

Despite liking the shoes, I wouldn't and I haven't worn them every day. This is mainly because I'm a bit of a slave to fashion, but also because I view them as more of a piece of equipment, than a pair of shoes. In these shoes, I feel that a trip to the grocery store could almost qualify as a workout.

SOURCE of MBT Article

[La_Mari]

I saw the flip flops in my VS catalogue, I thought they looked sooooo cute on her (tan) legs, but then I saw them @ Bath & BW and I knew they'd look horrible on me.

I would get them if they were extremely cheap.

[StereoXGirl]

I wonder if these actually work? I've just started walking for 40 min. a day to try to lose weight, and these would be perfect for me if they actually work!

[Ashley]

Shaundra - I've read a lot of mixed reviews. It sounds like they are shaped in a way that causes your muscles to work harder. Quite a few people did say that they were sore the next day!

I know the MBTs are expensive, but the FitFlops are pretty affordable!

[magosienne]

they look interesting, i'm not sure i would try them though. another thing you can do if you want to muscle your legs is to wear a pair of New Rock boots. they're heavy enough you feel your legs working !

[butterflyblue]

I think I would stick to my NB walking shoes!

[monniej]

i saw these in my bliss catalogue and wondered if they really worked. great article! i walk/run a couple miles a day so these might enhance my workout. i think they'd be worth a try!

[katana]

Interesting.....If anyone tries them out, let us know how they feel.

[cheller]

comfyyyyyy.

[magneticheart]

I'm actually thinking of getting a pair of these.

[Nick007]

I see everyone walking around with the fit flops.

[x33cupcake]

i've never heard about these til now.