A few weeks ago we announced our participation in the Reebok EasyTone road test challenge. These special sneakers are designed to give muscles a workout and tone legs while going about your usual daily activities. Excited about the prospect of working out without hitting the gym, we heartily agreed to give the EasyTones a try.
Since then, we've been wearing our EasyTones around town: running errands, grocery shopping, walks around the neighborhood, etc. The best part about these sneakers is the super-cushiony feel. After wearing them for several hours at a time, there were no signs of foot fatigue at all. We can definitely see why Reebok says they're 3X softer than foam based walking shoes. For this reason alone, we'll continue to reach for these shoes on days we plan to do a lot of walking.
Now the big question: are our legs noticeably more toned from wearing these sneakers? The answer is... maybe. In our efforts to give these sneakers a hearty road test, along with a few bouts of early spring weather, we've stepped up our recreational walking. We definitely feel more toned, but it's difficult to say whether it is from the shoes or the increased activity - or perhaps a combination of the two.
While wearing the shoes, we do feel as if our thighs and calves are putting in a little extra effort - mainly due to the balance pods built into the heel and forefoot of the shoes that work much like the core train ball used in gym workouts. Thankfully, the muscular involvement is subtle enough not to cause any muscle fatigue during your walk or aching when you get home.
We'll check back with you in 2 weeks to give you our full report and final conclusions. In the meantime, you can find out more about Reebok EasyTones here or at reebok.com.
(this post was sponsored by Reebok)
While we're busy testing out the EasyTones, we'd love to hear what YOU do to stay fit without hitting the gym. We're giving away a pair to the reader who gives us the most creative response, so post your comments here!
..do regular housework but with weighted ankle and wrist bracelets!
Seeing as I am currently unemployed, and can't afford a gym membership, my rotating routine consists of riding my retro-cruiser bicycle through hilly areas (cruisers don't have gears so it has more resistance going up hills), jogging up and down the stairs to my 3rd floor apartment when everyone in the house (3 family) is at work, doing backwards pushups using one of my chairs, using a laundry basket filled with books (add or remove books for desired weight) as weights, and try to walk/bike anywhere I need to go. This has really helped me to not only keep the pounds from setting in while I'm not working every day, but I seriously save on gas money when things are already tight. All of these are super easy and no equipment required that you don't already have at home.
As a pediatric physical therapist, I advise parents of sedentary children to take their children to the mall or a toy store and park in the farthest parking spot. The incentive to walk briskly to their favorite store is great! I now take my own advice when running errands and park in the farthes parking spot even in rainy or snowy weather. I walk even faster in inclement weather!