What shoes should you wear in your BeachFIT workout?

If you're taking BeachFIT classes, you are getting in a variety of training - HIIT training, strength training, mobility & flexibility. 

Taking that into consideration you should understand that in any of your classes you will be moving in all different directions. You'll be putting a variety of demands on your feet, whether its up and down, side to side, or forwards and backwards.  Let's breakdown some common shoe questions to help you find the best shoe to wear:

Can I go bare-foot or wear a bare foot shoe?

First of all, we would NEVER recommend doing our type of training bare-foot!  There is WAY too much impact on the jumping exercises.  You do need some cushioning to absorb that impact or you are going to absolutely kill your knees, hip, back and ankle joints.

Is it OK to wear running shoes?

Let's face it, most people work out in running shoes.  This is great if your main activity is running, but running shoes are NOT RECOMMENDED for other types of exercises.  There are three important reasons:

(1) Running Shoes are designed to support the foot in a forward-motion only. They have no lateral stability built into them because you don't move your feet laterally when you run. At BeachFIT you move forwards, backwards, side-to-side and up and down!
(2) Running Shoes tend to have some degree of arch support.  While this is beneficial to many runners who are repetitively putting weight and pressure through the soles of their feet, it is not really necessary for a HIIT workout like BF Sweat, Boot Camp or other high intensity type classes.  
(3) Running Shoes usually have quite a bit of cushioning, to support the joints and muscles as the foot strikes the sidewalk.   BeachFIT training is a mish-mash of different exercises. While there are jumping exercises where some degree of cushioning is useful, there also exercises which are performed lying down or on your front. 

What shoes do you recommended ?
Typically a cross-trainer shoe would be ideal for our BeachFIT classes.  You want to find a shoe with the following features:

- A firm heel
- Good support (you shouldn't be able to bend the shoe too easily)
- Light weight (you don't want to add a lot of pounds to your feet)

- You want a flattish shoe without excessive arch support
- The shoe should provide support not only at the front of the shoe, but also at the rear and sides

Lastly, keep these key ideas in mind when it comes to your workout shoes:

*Your workout shoes should be your workout shoes and not your running-around-town shoes as you'll break down a pair of shoes standing in them or wearing them to the mall and running errands much faster than when you're running or exercising. So buy yourself a pair of casual tennies for running around town, and stow your good workout shoes in the closet as soon as you get home from your run or your tennis game.

*Another big mistake many people make with athletic shoes is not replacing them often enough. Shoes start to break down while they're still looking good. The support -- the reason you buy the shoe in the first place -- is gone, and you'll start feeling strange aches and pains in your knees, hip, and back.  If you're working out every day, 6 months is pretty much your limit.

* You should also have your shoe size rechecked every year. Foot size doesn't stay the same; our feet tend to grow bigger as we age.

The Dirty Dozen & Clean Fifteen  

You might have heard these terms before, but ever looked into what they actually mean? Modern chemical farming has changed our food, the way we shop, and how we eat. Chemical pesticides deplete food of nutritional value while simultaneously contaminating it. These types of pesticides are linked to many health problems ranging from respritory issues to cancer.  With risks so high it's no wonder why buying organic has become so important. Even washing produce will NOT get rid of pesticides; they're already absorbed through the entire thing. Unfortunately, buying organic can be expensive, and tough to maintain when you're on a budget. Thankfully the Environmental Working Group ranks 48 of the most popular fruits and vegetables every year on their pesticide contamination levels. Each year they come out with the Shoppers Guide to Pesticides (AKA the dirty dozen and clean fifteen) to help you decide what produce is most important to buy organic, and what conventional produce is on the safer side. 

The dirty dozen tested positive for the most pesticide residue even after they have been cleaned and prepped to eat. Here is the 2018 dirty dozen list ranked from most pesticide residue to least:

1. Strawberries

2. Spinach

3. Nectarines

4. Apples

5. Grapes

6. Peaches

7. Cherries

8. Pears

9. Tomatoes

10. Celery

11. Potatoes

12. Sweet bell peppers 

The clean fifteen are the least likely to be contaminated with pesticide residue and therefor are safer than other produce to buy non-organic. The 2018 list from least pesticide residue to most is:

1. Avocados

2. Sweet corn

3. Pineapples

4. Cabbage

5. Onions

6. Sweet peas

7. Papayas

8. Asparagus

9. Mangos

10. Eggplant

11. Honeydew

12. Kiwi

13. Cantaloupe

14. Cauliflower

15. Broccoli 

Keep these lists in mind the next time you find yourself in the store trying to decide whether to spend the extra cash to go organic. The "dirty dozen" are produce items you definitely want to buy organic whenever possible! Try to find a grocery store with a good organic produce selection, or try out a local farmers market. You can also freeze some produce if you buy in bulk or happen to find a good sale!