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Sheila Shares

Foot Fitness Made Easy

Founder of The Oaks at Ojai

We abuse them beyond imagination. We tread on them without thought. We stuff them into places that are uncomfortable and actually destructive to our body's health. What are these things? Our feet, of course.

I recently heard about women who are having surgery so that they can tolerate the pain of pointed high heels and others who are having surgery to recover from the abuse of wearing high heels for too many years.

Is there sense in this? Yes, in an odd way, I do understand. I'm short, as many of you already know; so growing up I longed to be tall like a fashion model. So I forced my feed into high heels. It didn't take me long to realize they were not my cup of tea, but it's still does no't stopped me from admiring them.

However, once I became a health and fitness advocate, I look shoes as tools that can help the body become and stay fit. Good shoes can make a difference and we'll talk about that in a moment. For now, if your feet are aching, take heart. You can feel better and do good things for your tootsies. Here's how:

*Get fit. Building endurance will make it easier to stand. You can increase endurance by lifting weights (beginning with light ones and then using common sense to increase the amounts). You can increase your physical endurance by adding to the time you exercise with an impact routine, such as brisk walking, jogging and dancing. I think walking is the best form of fitness for our feet because it uses the muscles, strengthens the bones and trims off excess body fat.

It may feel like you're getting enough time on your feet during the day, but most likely it's the rush-around-then-stop form of walking. To increase circulation to your legs and feet and improve muscles tone and health, you need long distance walking. This is especially true if you suffer from circulation concerns such as varicose veins. Make it your goal to walk briskly four to five times each week. Begin slowly, say just two or three city blocks, and increase until you're walking at least an hour a day.

Cycling and swimming are good fitness routines to increase circulation, but will not strengthen bone mass.

*Reduce unwanted body fat. If you're even five to seven pounds over a comfortable weight, you're probably more tired when you're walking than you should be. Think about how heavy bags filled with groceries weigh you down as you lift them out of the car to bring into the house. Most likely they weight less than ten pounds. Now imagine carrying those bags with you everywhere you go, including standing at your job. That's exactly why you may be feeling bushed at the end of your shift.

Don't diet, but modify your food choices. The chief culprit is too many fatty foods in the diet. Must you eat a burger and fries twice or three times a week? Starting tomorrow, brown bag it with soup, salad and whole wheat crackers and you may be able to lose a pound a week without ever using the word diet.

Be realistic about weight loss and avoid crash or unhealthful diet "supplements." Those of you who often read my columns and know me have heard my "take" on diet pills, drinks and programs: If it seems too good to be true, it is.

Talk with your doctor or a nutritionist if you believe you have more than 15 pounds of fat to reduce.

*Bare it all, at least in the house and where your feet are concerned, unless you have a foot injury that precludes this. By walking barefoot you will improve the flow of blood to your feet, you'll exercise them, and you'll quickly learn to enjoy that bare-naked freedom.

*Change your fashion look and select shoes for comfort. Even in our health-conscious world, shoes with huge heels and soles are all the rage. They might look cool, but they could be reducing your energy level and in turn, may be making you uncomfortable.

If you must wear dress shoes, change them the moment you finish work. Yes, you can keep walking shoes in your desk or car for just that purpose.

*Take a foot break and give your feet a treat, with a pedicure, foot massage, foot soak and lovely, rich creams. Do-it-yourself treatments are wonderful, too.

Get off your feet when possible. Elevate your feet for just ten minutes and you should feel relief.

Take care of your feet and they'll take care of you, as you stay fit for life.

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Sheila Cluff, fitness expert, television celebrity and owner of The Oaks at Ojai, is the author of Take 5: How You Can Benefit from Just Five Minutes of Daily Exercise and The Ultimate Recipe for Fitness by Sheila and Eleanor Brown. Visit Sheila's Spa on the Internet and see all that's happening at the resort: The Oaks at Ojai www.oaksspa.com.