Toning Shoes: Getting you in Shape, One Step at a Time

Toning shoes are all the rage lately. They've been popularized by famous folk and footwear fanatics all across the globe have united in their obsession to tone muscles while they walk. Toning shoes are great - you don’t even have to do anything but walk and you end up strengthening your muscles. Celebrities have been singing their praises for years; at this year’s Golden Globes, Modern Family’s Sofia Vergara said she wears her Easy Tone shoes whenever she gets the chance to keep that famous backside in check. Wear them to the grocery store, to pick up the kids at school, to take a walk with the dogs in the morning, and voila, you’re working out without even adding any extra effort into your day! While toning shoes should by no means replace a regular workout routine, they’re a great supplement to the fitness plan you already have in place, as they offer you an opportunity to tone your muscles while you’re walking, which, let’s face it, you do all day, every day. Toning shoes are especially great for city dwellers who spend more time on their feet than your average suburbanite. In the past few years, toning shoes have come pretty far - previously, toning footwear was unattractive and ultra-obvious, meaning that people who wore toning shoes looked positively ridiculous out and about. These days, however, the toning technology has been refined and perfected, so toning shoes look just like regular shoes - whether you’re looking for sneakers or sandals, there’s a pair for you that looks just like regular shoes. Here are some of our favorite styles. New Balance Women’s True Balance Toning Shoes New Balance is a favorite brand when it comes to exercise and running shoes, specifically, so people have been extremely excited to learn that the brand had introduced toning shoes into their repertoire. This style features a solid rubber outsole with Ndurance technology and features TrueBalance, which is a special system formulated by New Balance that is designed to create natural instability. Toning shoes operate on this principle of instability; if your body feels unstable, it’ll work to keep you stable, which in turns works your muscles. TrueBalance is a patent-pending balance board that features a soft, flexible sole with a spring system design and a rounded bottom. How does it work? With every step you take, your body works to maintain natural balance, which in turn activates your muscles. This helps to tone your muscles from your legs to your glutes and all the way up to your core! New Balance women’s Rock and Tone Toning Sandal New Balance doesn’t just make sneakers anymore - with the introduction of their toning shoes, they’ve also introduced a toning sandal! Those who live in warm climates and whose feet are happiest in flip-flops, rejoice! These are the sandals you’ll be wearing all day, every day. Looking to be fit and fabulous as you make your way around town, or just around the golf course? Look no further than the rock and tone flip-flop sandal, which, thanks to an outsole that utilizes cutting-edge technology to tone your muscles and burn extra calories, helps you lose weight as you walk. These shoes are popular with women in warm climates across the country, so why not get on the bandwagon? MBT Men’s Asante in Black Leather Don’t think we’ve neglected the gents - though toning shoes are far less popular with men, there are still a few good offerings out there for guys who want to tone without spending hours pumping iron at the gym. A great example of men’s toning shoes are these MBT Asante shoes in black leather. They look like typical black leather loafers, so they’re perfect for the office, but they’ll also tone you as you walk! These shoes strengthen and tone muscles in your feet, legs, buttocks, stomach and back, increasing muscle activity and circulation, which can reduce cellulite and varicose veins. They also help you keep a relaxed upright posture and gait, which is great for guys who tend to slump. How do they do it? Through a unique design and a multi-layered sole that transforms the flat, hard surfaces of everyday life into naturally uneven surfaces, simulating the walking actions of our barefoot ancestors. These shoes challenge the sole and the muscles used to form your posture, which increases shock absorption, workrning your body from your toes to your core. In short, they’ll shape you without you even knowing it. As you can see, the toning shoe market is booming with great options for both men and women! While all shoes operate on the concept of natural balance and creating a constant instability to help your muscles work harder, each shoe brings something special to the table, so hunt around for the one that’s right for you.