Do Toning Shoes Really Work?

Anyone who has walked into a shoe store (or turned on a television) recently has probably noticed toning shoes.  Though the shoes may look strange, their manufacturers offer impressive claims regarding the shoes' ability to help you burn more calories while toning your rear.  Because the theory behind how toning shoes are supposed to work seems to make sense to consumers, many have payed between $100- $245 to have a pair of their own.  However, the question remains, "Do they really work?"

The American Council on Exercise recently recruited a team of exercise scientists from the Exercise and Health Program at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, to help find an answer to that question.  The study compared exercise responses to walking in regular atheletic shoes to that of toning shoes.  Their findings showed that there was no significant difference between the two (see the full report here: http://www.acefitness.org/getfit/studies/toningshoes072010.pdf).  If it looks too good to be true...  

Popeye was Right

Are you looking for a food that can make you "strong to the finish"? According to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a half cup of cooked spinach can offer: 573 μg of Vitamin A, 3.2 mg of iron, 81 mg of magnesium, 3.5 grams of dietary fiber, 419 mg of potassium,1.9 mg of Vitamin E, and even 146 mg of calcium.  So, Popeye was right- you should eat your spinach.  And while you're at it, why not throw in a little olive oil too?

Source: www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/