'toner' footwear - any ideas which are best?

[nancy75]

Ok so not very stylish or all that beautiful, but please advise me anyway.
I have decided to shift some weight with lots of walking during the summer hols and I thought I might get a pair of these toning trainer things.

Do any of them work?

Can somebody find me a pair that are not quite as vile looking as the ones I have looked at?

I am thinking black and as plain as possible is the way to go - I really can't do neon on my feet.

[nancy75]

oh come on - I know they are fugly shoes but somebody must have something to sy about them?

[sazm]

i have the reebok easytone trainers,there were some black ones in the next sale - not sure if they have sold out or not, the reebok ones have def made a difference,i do however need to wear them more!

[BulletWithAName]

Of course they don't work, the only thing that'll make you tone up is exercise. But on the plus side, I've heard they're extremely comfortable!

[nancy75]

Thank you Sazm, I will have a look at those.
Bulletwithaname - I was under the impression that walking counted as exercise.

[dexter73]

I agree with Bullet - it is the exercise (walking included) that tones you up not the trainers. Can't do any harm to wear them though if they feel comfortable.

[nancy75]

I have said I am planning to do lots of walking!

At the moment all i have to do the walking in is flip flops, going out shoes or converse, which is why I want to know about the trainers.
I don't think that putting them on and sitting on the sofa will turn me into Kate moss

[titferbrains]

i would look at reebok easytone and mbts. I think they are the only serious ones. MBTs are quite heavy so ~I think this if nothing else will help you lose weight, plus the funny shape means you have to stand up straight, which makes you look slimmer anyway.

I would look up some product reviews elsewhere. I am a review junkie and don't buy anything except groceries without finding out what other people think. I really think it's worth spending a bit of time finding out from people who have worn them as they are really expensive. Also, I'd aim to wear the trainers as often as poss. rather than just for walks iyswim.

[BulletWithAName]

Yes, but walking won't tone you up. If you do enough of it, it'll make you lose weight, but you need to do condition exercises to get muscle tone.

[BulletWithAName]

*conditioning

[snailsontour]

I have quite a collection of this type of foot-ware - and for the record I do a tremendous amount of hiking - especially fell walking.

I have MBT's, Earth, Skechers Shape-ups plus many styles of Fitflops from sandals to winter boots.

Yes, I guess you could say I'm a bit of a fitness freak - well I'm not really, but I do like my food and drink so walking is ,my way of balancing the books so to speak.

Well to answer your question as to whether they work, then I can't honestly say that I feel any benefit from wearing them - ie my bum doesn't resemble the models in the marketing bumpf! I think it's because I'm so 'walking fit' that I never felt any effect from them from day one. In reality I wear them to hedge my bets as they don't do any harm and I live in hope. That said, I do find them comfortable - except for my MBT's which always rub my heels!!!

[dexter73]

Walking will tone you up if you go up hills and walk fast enough. It has for me.

[DooinMeCleanin]

Fit flops are very, very comfy. Reebok eay tone are shite. I had a pair not long ago and the wore out much, much quicker than any other pair of trainers I have owned. I now have a pair of Puma toning trainers and they are vetry comfy and look like they have nice, thick, bouncy soles that will last a while.

None of them tone you anymore. I walk for miles every day with the dogs and have noticed no difference in my tone. But they are very comfy.

[flowery]

I walk the dog most days and definitely noticed a difference when I started doing the same walk in Skechers Shape Up trainers as compared to 'normal' footwear. They are also the most comfortable shoes I have ever owned!

[sazm]

hmm,i have had my reebok's for ages and they certainly havent worn out,i would say the sizes are quite small though (they are on the ones i have anyway) i have a cheap version of fit-flops (usa pro ones from sports direct)and i havent noticed the 'toning' side of it,but they def improve my posture and i dont have as much back pain when i wear them x

[BadRoly]

Snailontour I am interested that your mbt's rub your heels - I have some and can barely wear them, one day of school runs/shopping leaves my heels raw :(

I wore my fitflops for two years (including a pregnancy) before they wore out and this year have the Skechers equivalent, which I don't think are as good quality. I don't think they'll do next summer as well. I don't think they tone especially but they are very comfortable if you do a lot of walking.

[johnnycomelurky]

I really like my Fitflop Supertone trainers. Very comfortable and the stylemakes it less obvious that they are "toning" shoes. Like others have said, not sure if there is any extra toning going on.

Here's a link to some black ones www.shoe-envy.co.uk/FitFlops_SuperTone_Trainer_Black_p712.html

[nancy75]

thank you for all of your answers, i'm not expecting any miracles from any of them, but as I plan to start doing lots of walking and need to buy something to put on my feet I thought I might as well buy this type of shoe.

I have to be honest I am struggling with the total ugliness of most of them, although the fit flop black ones don't offend my eyes quite as much as some!