As part of the Go Green, Get Fit Challenge, I had to reconcile that my old beat up sneakers were just not going to make it anymore. (See side by side picture above. Nasty, huh?) Honestly, how can you get fit when your treads are…well aren’t there any more. PlanetShoes, our sponsor, provided me with a pair of walking shoes to get me going since I love to walk. (In fact, you can win a PlanetShoes $100 gift certificate too. Check out details below. Expires 9/6/2012)
The Company offers many great looking eco-friendly athletic shoes it was hard to decide. Unfortunately, much to my dismay, my stubborn feet made the final decision.
Finding the Right Shoe:
Shoes are so hard for me since my feet swell. (Visual: Fred Flintstone’s feet.) I was diagnosed with idiopathic (no cause for) lymphadema when I was 15. My sister was diagnosed two years later.
Ever since then I remain on a low salt diet, watch my weight, and sleep slightly inclined to help my legs drain. In the last couple of years, sitting on my butt has caused the old weight to creep up. Weight is a double no-no when your legs swell. The more weight, the more pressure, the more swelling, and the more looks (um stares) at your swollen ankles.
Don’t get me started how many people stopped me when I was pregnant to ask me if I had elephantiasis.
To top it off, my feet are perfectly flat. Flatter than a pancake. Walking around barefoot is not fun. Consequently, I wear orthotics. Heck, you would think I was ready for an old age home.
My sister calls my old shoes “grandma shoes.” *Sign*
What Does PlanetShoes Offer?
PlanetShoes offer an array of shoes for every type of sport. My heart was set on several vegan pairs but I was too scared to try ones since my feet just complain too much. Plus, many of the vegan shoes couldn’t accept my orthotics or didn’t come in a wide size for my swollen feet. I wear a D width, which stands for “darn I wish I could buy the pretty shoes.”
So, I settled on a New Balance pair since I am kind of a New Balance girl. Sadly, I have been wearing the same type of athletic shoes for a decade. Seriously. I am such a creature of habit.
I have stuck with New Balance since their toe box seems to be larger than most shoes I have tried. Unfortunately, PlanetShoes didn’t have my same old grandma type shoe. So, I had to buy another New Balance shoe. Talk about taking me out of my comfort zone.
So I was a little adventuresome. Well, as adventuresome as I can be. (I drove my sister batty the other day at a Sketcher store trying on every shoe there and none fit. Everything hurt.) So I took a large leap of faith on another type New Balance shoe.
Call me wild and crazy. What a risk taker I am.
So check out my slightly more modern New Balance shoes. They aren’t as clunky as my old shoes. Unfortunately, I couldn’t put my orthotics in it and the toe cap was much shallower than my old shoes. Perhaps these shoes ran small and I should have gone up a size? However, they are comfortable and much more lightweight.
What Can You Buy at Planet Shoe
But just because I am fear based about my shoes, you shouldn’t be. The Company offers great eco-friendly alternatives for your hard core running shoes to walking shoes for everyone in the family. Let me live vicariously through you when you don a bright colored running shoe (like the Merrell Lithe Glove.) Perhaps flex your toes in the Vivobarefoot Ultra Pure. (By the way, both are magenta, one of my favorite colors.)
Oh, while you are on the site, check out one of my loves, the Jambu shoe. According to the site, “the outsole is made of a unique eco-friendly rice rubber that gives you great traction and comfort.” I could wear this shoe with shorts, pants, and dresses. No more lugging the old big sneakers when walking in the city!
The Giveaway!
Better yet, check out the #GoGreenGetFit Challange PlanetShoes’ $100 gift certificate giveaway over on Rafflecopter. Run to put in your entry! Expires 9/6/2012. (Note, this is not my giveaway. I am just helping out in announcing it.) Don’t forget to check out their Deep Discounts on Great Shoes! Changes Daily, Act Fast!
Join the Conversation:
- Do you shop online for your shoes?
- If so, how do you make sure the shoes will fit before you buy?
- What are you favorite athletic shoes and why.
- Which shoes do you like on the Planet Fit site?
- What are your must have favorite athletic shoe and why?
Leave a Reply