Some products are marketed to walkers but I cannot recommend them, for one of two reasons. First, the product may make claims that have not been supported by properly designed studies. Second, they may be products that increase the risk of injury or strain if used by fitness walkers to walk for 30 minutes or more.
Weighted Shoes
Several companies have come out with weighted shoes with the benefit being that you burn more calories per mile walking in very heavy shoes. I have consulted with several physical therapists and walking coaches and all say the same thing - that such shoes when used for fitness walking would likely increase the risk of muscle strain and injury. It is not natural to have very heavy feet. Wearing them around the house or office might increase your calories burned. However, I find that wearing heavy shoes makes me want to take fewer steps and to not walk as much. Rather than wearing heavy shoes, just walk a couple minutes longer to get the same calorie burn with less risk, or use fitness walking poles to burn more calories in the same time.Why I Don't Recommend Weighted Shoes
Ankle Weights
The same caution applies to ankle weights as to heavy shoes. It is not a natural place to add weight to your body, so you increase the risk of strain to your hips, knees, and leg muscles. Leave them at home and just walk a couple of extra minutes to burn those calories, or use fitness walking poles.Arm Weights
Some "powerwalkers" carry handweights and use lots of arm motion when walking. This is supposed to tone the upper body and to burn more calories. But fitness walkers are walking for 30 minutes or more, and with the increasing time the weights may lead to repetitive-strain injuries to the elbows, wrist, and shoulders. The weights can also easily throw off your posture, leading to backache and neckache. To tone the arms, it is better to spend 5 minutes three times a week doing a simple upper body routine rather than trying to do it while walking.Upper Body Exercises
Better Choice: Walking poles are a superior alternative to make you burn more calories per mile while working out your upper body and taking some of the strain off your knees, hips and ankles.
Choosing Fitness Walking Poles
Magnets
The science just isn't there to show that magnets have benefits for any condition, let alone being the cure-all that their proponents claim they are. Buying lots of expensive magnets for all of your aches is unlikely to be of any benefit beyond the placebo effect and enriching your magnet salesperson.More on Magnets
Fat-Burning Supplements
Given that 2/3 of all Americans are overweight and would LOVE to just pop a pill to get lean, don't you think if these really worked they would be sold by a major drug company as if they were Viagra? I would invest and be rich. No, these don't work as claimed. If they contain stimulants such as ephedrine, ephedra or ma huang they may even be dangerous. At best you may get a caffeine-like buzz. At worst you could die.There IS a real miracle-cure that burns fat and reduces your risks of major diseases - your walking shoes.
