need help with shoes page

[diinky1119]

I have been a hairstylist for 35 yrs. I knew going primal was for me when i read about the barefoot thing . I have been eating primal for about 2 months now and am finally losing and i love it . back to shoes . I hate shoes am always barefoot at home , but i need a new pair of shoes for work and usually wear clogs . I cant stand socks and lace up tennis shoes . my feet hurt when i wear them so much more .. its like they squeeze my feet . so conventional wisdom strikes again telling us to wear them !! I need opinions on shoes for standing but i do walk around my salon a bit also.. maybe just flip flops? . vibram 5 fingers or what . i am open to suggestions . thanks in advance

[primalrob]

vibrams are great. they are probably the closest shoe to being barefoot because they are so form fitting, have a super thin sole, no support, etc....but mostly they allow your toes to flare out better than most shoes. on top of that, they are one hell of a conversation piece, which i'm guessing is helpful in a salon. for casual work wear, go with something simple like the classics. if you want to do a little more with them, the sprints are really versatile, easy and have a simple, smoother sole not built for long runs or hiking (some are built for outside, you probably want the simpler models for work).

but, those aren't your only option. i actually wear a pair of water shoes at work. they're completely flat, no support, wide toe box, etc., and they only cost me $15. there are a lot of minimalist/barefoot options out there, but they're pricey. water shoes or ballet flats will feel about the same while costing less than $20.

[diinky1119]

hey thanks .. do you think it will take a while for me to get used to wearing shoes with no support .. im concerned about knees and my back ? thx!!

[primalrob]

hey thanks .. do you think it will take a while for me to get used to wearing shoes with no support .. im concerned about knees and my back ? thx!!

not if you're used to walking around barefoot. walking a lot might take some time because you won't want to strike your heel anymore, but i think you'll be fine. shoes like these are just like being barefoot, like you are at home, but with protection from whatever is on the ground. it's a pretty easy transition.

[diinky1119]

ok thx!!

[diinky1119]

Im going to work today and try my ballet flats .. my co workers will give me crap about it but i dont care ... they are still bullied by conventional wisdom!! I went after christmas shopping at the mall for 10 hours and wore new balance tennis shoes and my feet were majorly sore for 2 days !! I knew this cant be right!!

[HavMom]

You may want to get one of those thick rubber mats to stand on around your chair if possible especially if the floor is concrete. Either way, if you are used to going barefoot, you will love Vibram Fivefingers. The only problem with Vibrams - once you are used to wearing them, you don't want to wear anything else!

[diinky1119]

I do have a mat already ... got my shoes today .. cant wait to try them out!!!

[Francesca]

In my opinion I love my Vibrams for running in (much more bouncy) but I don't think they feel like you are barefoot, they feel like minimalist shoes. During the day I spend most of my time in huaraches which are like super thin flip-flops, and I do a fair bit of walking. If you make them yourself your toes can spread normally and I forget I'm wearing them. It's kind of like the world is covered in a super thin layer of rubber! See Huaraches Barefoot Running Sandals of the Tarahumara Indians | InvisibleShoe.com for great tips.

Good luck with it, hopefully you can find a cheap solution

[FitMountain]

VFF or anything with no heel. Just be aware of your posture and make sure you have flexible hips/strong butt and you should have no problems!