Easing The Pain of Winter Through Your Feet!

My teen son is an all season athlete. He stays in shape all year around.

I tend to only be able to be most active when the weather is WARM, which means, in Chicago, I am out and about - what - three months out of the year?!

So we all know what that equals - YES?

Well, yes, my mid-drift mimics the same waistline I had 13 years ago while I was pregnant!

Nonetheless, with his support, I have been consistent with yoga, and a host of other maneuvers that simply has not kept all the pounds off!

Being hopeful that we will have blue skies so that we can all become most active and healthy with invigorating runs and other outdoor activities was also part of my seeking inspiration.

Unfortunately, it appears we are in the midst of a winter production outlasting many Broadway Shows, spring must surface at some point!

I AM exaggerating, but cold, wet, weather continues, and many of us are having a difficult time holding on to the fact that warm weather will grace us very soon.

One of the things that brightens my perspective was included in a few lines I read in a magazine at the gym.

What stuck with me were the tips they listed for buying running shoes.

Something as simple as running shoes inspired me? Yes!

Immediately my mind raced to my pink, lightweight Adidas. They are worn, but to me, they reflect miles and miles of dedicated walking, some running, lots of jumping and overall engaging in physical activity. I was quickly able to recall that there is a sun and it will shine. There is a lakefront that will be free of garbage and muddy sludge. There will be cafes to try, friends to encounter - and even a dog to play with.

The recall of what is in store, combined with the few tips shared about purchasing new gym shoes sincerely made me smile.

The disclosure that buying your shoes later in the day assures that you will receive a truer fit actually moved me.

Believe it or not (ladies & gents, we know this all too well), our feet swell after workouts (and during many other time periods of our days, months and years). By day's end we are often victims to pain that can be often associated with ill-fitting shoes. Consider many of these factors and you might be determining it is time for a new pair of athletic shoes.

Shoes should typically be replaced after 500 miles or 100 hours of impact exercise. Additionally, shoes wear from the inside out, and therefore the condition on the outside may not be a reliable indicator of their true state.

I am eager to purchase myself a new pair of athletic shoes!

Admit it, your mind has wondered right outside to blue skies, the dank smell of growing sod, flowers and May!

Visualization is an incredible tool! Picture your feet in motion, your smile across your face, heart beating strong, and your arms flailing wildly. Do this and know that we only have a few more weeks until fun, sun and all of the goodness of spring flings and summer in-betweens.