Culture puts a ridiculous pressure on our bodies, especially women — look a certain way, dress a certain way, walk a certain way. Whether our parents raised us this way or not, the magazines we read and the movies we watched all told the same story. There’s only one way to be beautiful (and yet, suspiciously, every generation seems to have a new standard of what that one way is).
Although society is slowly changing (thanks #bodypositive movement!), most of us still grew up with the voice in our heads that tells us we’re never enough.
Whatever your weight, whatever your body — you are worthy, you are beautiful, and you are powerful for living all of this life in your skin.
Discussing weight and weight loss is always a bit tricky because for us, it’s not about how much we weigh or what we look like (we know we’re hotties no matter our size), it’s about the feeling. It’s about keeping our gorgeous bodies healthy and active and energized, knowing that sometimes, letting go of a few pounds can make all the difference.
We’re big fans of feet over here, obviously, and we know how hard they work every day keeping our whole bodies supported. Our feet carry our weight with every step we take — most of us average at least 2,000-4,000 steps a day. That’s a lot of steps for our feet to be walking, and any extra weight can add stress — not just to your feet, but to your knees, hips, and lower back too.
When there’s too much strain on the feet, conditions like plantar fasciitis can happen — common in both runners and folks who are heavier alike. It’s also a very common condition for pregnant women. Plantar fasciitis happens when the ligament known as the plantar fascia is stretched from tiny tears. Weakness, swelling, and pain in the feet are common symptoms, ranging from mild to severe.
Having more weight can lead to adding additional pressure to the arches of your feet, which then leads the ligaments to stretch and flatten.
So what to do?
Gettin’ movin’ is part of it! But we want to apply the Goldilocks Rule here — you know, not too stagnant, but not too intense either. Ease into it! Putting too much strain from exercise also isn’t good for your feet, and can end up hurting them too, especially if you haven’t warmed up enough. When you don’t stretch out properly, you can end up hurting your Achilles tendon and create more heel pain, which would kinda defeat the purpose.
Go for a walk, put on your favorite music to dance in your undies at home, or sign up for all the different online workouts that exist now!
Eating is another huge piece of the puzzle. Eating enough protein to keep you full, and eating less sugar not only affects your body, but your moods as well. Drink plenty of water (even more than you want to) which will help with inflammation as well as curbing your hunger. Read about some great anti-inflammatory diet tips here.
And, of course, get the right shoes on those feet. All sorts of conditions can be prevented and treated with the proper supportive footwear. Any worn out shoes? Throw ‘em out. Any ill-fitting ones? Throw ‘em out. Investing in shoes that fit properly, give your arches proper support, and prevent you from pain is worth it. Have a couple on hand — switching out your shoes every couple of days allows your footwear to dry out (cutting down the risk of Athlete’s foot) and keeps the integrity of the soles for longer. Plus you’ll get to have a different pair for different outfits — no complaining here!
Check out all the different styles we’ve got here. We’ve designed each style with intention, so you can have your sandals, your slippers, your running shoes, and your casual shoes all built in with the support you need to get you movin’ and groovin’ throughout the day (even if that’s just taking multiple walks to the bathroom for all the water you’ll now be drinking!) We believe in not having to sacrifice style or taste for comfort, and we believe some self-loving healthy maintenance tips can go a long way.
