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Foot Pain and Weight Loss - Simple Tips to Avoid the Likelihood of Foot Pain and Other Plantar Conditions
I am writing this page in hopes that you do not have to go through the miserable foot pain that crippled me in my first years of fasting, working out and weight loss. Three Magical WordsMany people who embark in a weight loss, fitness program focus all of their attention on diet (fasting) and exercise, yet pay little if no attention to taking care of their feet. I should know, I was one of them and, for some years, paid the consequences harshly with terrible foot pain, arch problems and nasty, nasty plantar fasciitis. If you are new to fitness and (especially) if you have lots of weight to lose, then I have three magical words for you that will make the journey much more comfortable and pain free. And these three words are proper arch support. I was 110 pounds overweight and also had to deal with very flat feet. I was so eager to work out and lose weight that I was careless. While athletic shoes today often come with good soles which provide adequate support against the constant shock of movement, those who are moderately to severely overweight should add more support. You may not feel any pain right away,but as the weeks pass by and you continue to exercise in your quest to lose the excess weight, the foot pain can come out of nowhere and literally cripple your efforts. There is nothing more frustrating than to work hard at exercising and changing our diets, only to be sidelined by a foot injury that could have been avoided. Or, if you already struggle with a foot condition as bunions, hammertoes, neuroma, flat feet, plantar warts, Achilles tendonitis or, like me, the dreaded plantar fasciitis, then you simply cannot have 'too much' foot and arch support. Padding The Shoes![]() So how did I best accomplish this all-important foot support? By padding the shoes. In my particular case, I use TWO heel cups on each shoe, as well as a padding insole that stretches down to the toes. I would have been able to stick to my fitness program and lose weight faster, rather than having to interrupt it on several occasions because I simply could not stand - let alone walk or trot. Low ImpactAnother tip I want to give you is to - Take it Easy. One of the mistakes is to come out of the gate wanting to do high impact exercises, particularly running (including walking for long periods of time), jumping rope and sports like basketball and/or racquetball. If you have not worked out in some time and are significantly overweight, this is the very worst thing you can do. Again, I say this because - of course - it happened to me. I was so pumped to get ultra-fit after my first 40-day water fast that I started to run, run and run. To be sure, within a week I was sidelined with horrible heel pain IN BOTH FEET. So what is the moral of my humble story? STICK TO LOW IMPACT during (at least) the first six-to-nine months of working out. By low impact, I am referring to the elliptical (instead of the treadmill or walking), the stationary bike (or actual bicycling), and even the step climber (on slow and for no longer than 15 minutes per session). Slow Is FastThe bottom line is that Slow Is Fast. In other words, it is better to move slowly and steadily over a prolonged period of time than to come out full force and then get injured (or simply burn out). What you have to keep in mind is that weight loss and exercise must become a 'lifestyle.' Weight loss and fitness, in my opinion, should be a marathon, NOT a sprint. And, trust me, I have gone through sufficient foot pain and misery to attest that this is true! Proceed with passion and hope, BUT DO NOT FORSAKE THE FEET. Return from Foot Pain and Weight Loss to Health, Diet, Fitness MAIN.
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