Featured image photo credit: by Ingo Joseph from Pexels

It’s been said that “Diamonds are a Girls best Friend” and while that statement may be true for some women and although “the diamond” just happens to be my birthstone. My diamonds were these best friends below…

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Oh my gosh, you couldn’t get me NOT to wear a pair of 4, 5 or even 6 inch heels every day to work. I wore them so much, they actually became my staple. People knew me from the many different styles of heels I wore (Thanks JustFab!! – no this is not a sponsored post) but they too had become my best friend. I bought shoes so much until I literally had them take 39.00 out of my debit card just for shoes. Yes, too say I was addicted would be an understatement. I was so addicted I had well over 70 pairs of shoes – Yes, ALL HEELS #mydiamonds

People often wondered how I was able to walk in those pointy killers every…single…day and I would just say, Oh it’s easy….HA! It sure was, what they didn’t know and I shared this with a best friend one time is that those shoes were easy because they were on platforms, which brought a little comfort to my heel and forefront. Also what they didn’t know was that most of those heels were harsh on my feet and toes, however; I’d endure the pain because I didn’t want anyone to see me without them on….after all, I had made a reputation for myself and sometimes, reputations are hard to break….OUCH!

Well, the ending of the story above is that when I moved to another job. I had high hopes of continuing to wear my glorious heels but this job was different and caused me to walk up hills and sometimes very long distances, I did that twice in a couple of 5 inchers and tore them slam up. It wasn’t long after that I had to move to an new group of shoes that I thought I’d die if I was ever caught in….If you guessed “flats” you’re so right!

After years of being on my job I’m actually thankful about both transitions, the job and the heels. Now I can’t even bare to stand up in a pair of heels without screaming….they hurt my feet soooo bad. I did take the picture below, and while my feet looked as if they were being premiered for the red carpet – my top half (in which the picture doesn’t show) was holding on to my shower curtain with dear LIFE!! and praying it wouldn’t fail me….ha-ha, if you could’ve seen the look on my face, it definitely didn’t match the bottom….lol

So, here’s my question to you. “Is it time for you to change up your shoes? Now that spring is officially here (although the weather seems to be playing peek-a-boo with those details) it’s the time of year where the weather is warmer and you know what that means, it’s time to get out the house and enjoy the weather, by either exercising and/or just enjoying a day out with family or friends. And our feet and the shoes we choose will play a BIG role in both of those activities.

Too tight shoes can cause issues with not only your feet but your posture as well. I have lower back pain today due to wearing high heels for prolonged periods of times. High heels place your feet in a very high and uncomfortable position, it stretches your arch completely out of shape.

Your feet can tell you a lot about your health and most often will show signs of concern before your other body parts get the message.

If you love high heels like I once did, it’s best to take a break from them and/or carry a flat pair of shoes with you so if your feet get tired or achy, you can switch into something a little more comfortable.

It’s also very important that you have the correct exercise shoes as well. I have to be honest, when it came to working out; I thought all tennis shoes were created equal. I didn’t think it mattered what you wore as long as it wasn’t heels during a workout (sorry, everyone can’t be like Mariah Carey), but boy was I wrong! I remember taking a Jazzercise class some years ago and always wondered why I felt fatigued during the workout. I didn’t think anything of it, just chalked it up to being out of shape. However I learned that yes, I was out of shape BUT I needed workout shoes. Ms. Roxanne, which was the lady that ran the class, began telling us about these special shoes that would help us in workout. The shoes didn’t look like much of nothing, but she promised they would not only support our feet but we’d feel better during workout…

Sixty-dollars later (in which I thought was a lot of money for a pair of ugly shoes) I was hooked! Those shoes were on point, not only did I feel better but I felt as if they helped me move better as well, they were good for my back and overall I felt really good. It was then that I realized that exercise shoes were not created equal and it’s not just hype. You really do need special shoes to exercise, for your feet’s sake and your health too!!

So to sum up this post – spring is here and that means it’s time to clean up the old and bring in the new, including a good pair of shoes. Your feet are very important, you need them and they need you to take care of them so they can take care of you.

While we’re now springing forward, make sure taking care of your most prized possession is able to move along with you.

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For more information on foot care and what proper shoes to get for exercising, check out these links below:

WHAT CAN YOUR FEET TELL YOU ABOUT YOUR HEALTH

8 tips for buying shoes that are good to your feet

Are Your Shoes Killing You?

The best workout shoes for women, according to fitness experts

10 Best Workout Shoes for Men 2019