Stats:  Physiological Footwear

Cost:  $250.00

Review:

For those of you who haven’t heard about one of the newest advancements in shoe technology, allow me to introduce you to the MBT, or Masai Barefoot Technology, shoe.  These shoes have been created to mimic the walking motion made by the Masai, a tribe who walks barefoot in their homeland of Africa. 

MBTs are supposed to strengthen and tone muscles in the legs and backside as well as prevent and treat injuries.  The shoe’s looks are unconventional because of the thick, rounded sole and when wearing them, you are supposed to rock from your heel forward.  Notwithstanding the asthetics of the design, I had heard about how they were so beneficial so I gladly plunked down my $250.00 (okay, maybe not gladly, but at least willingly) for a pair of the tennis shoes. 

Because the shoes are pricey, I did my homework before my purchase - the other reviews I read about MBTs were mostly positive and I’m glad to hear that they work for so many people.  Unfortunately for me, they didn’t work so well.  I tried on several pairs in various sizes (they do not come in half sizes) and ended up going a half size up because it was the closest fit.  The problem is that my heel slides and rubs and no matter how tightly I tie the laces.

The loose heel aside, I was willing to give them a chance and figured that the benefits from proper posture would outweigh any heel issues.   I eventually stopped wearing the shoes simply because they were too heavy.  I tried and tried to walk the way the video showed me, but I constantly felt as if I were “doing it wrong.”  It simply got to be too much work.  But for those of you who fit in them and have stronger leg muscles than I apparently do, wear them and enjoy!

Pros:

• Comfortable
• Well-made, durable
• Will make you at least 1 1/2″ taller
• Great idea
• Comes with an impressive video teaching you about the technology and how to walk in the shoes

Cons:

• Hard to fit, doesn’t come in half sizes
• Heavy and clunky, found them difficult to walk in
• Pricey

Website:  Click here to purchase

Rating: 2.5 Stars

Stats:  Online diet and fitness website 

Cost:  $4.00/week or $39.00 for 3 months ($3.25/week)

Review:

Well, like all online diet programs these days, this has a lot to offer.  It is based on Harley Pasternak’s approach (and his book) which is to use five factors when losing weight: 5 meals a day (using 5 main ingredients that don’t take longer than 5 minutes to prepare) 5 days of exercise with 5 sessions that are each 5 minutes long.  Are you seeing a theme here?

The concept is a good one and apparently it works, according to celebrity endorsements from singer John Mayer, actor/singer Jessica Simpson, and actor Eve Mendes.  There is one main difference between this and other diet plans and that is the “cheat day.”  You get to choose which day you can eat at will and during that day, nothing is off limits.  The idea is that if you have one day of freedom, the other six days you will be more likely to follow the plan. 

About the site itself: after entering your personal information, you are asked to choose your meal plan.  Now here is where I would like to see changes as only two meal plans are offered: “Light and lean meats and fishes” and “veggie lovers.”  (This limits the options and could be a problem if there are food allergies or restrictions.)  Once the plan is chosen, daily meal suggestions are provided along with a handy shopping list of the necessary ingredients.  If there is a meal you don’t like, you can swap it out for a different one. 

The fitness plan offers a similar choice of plans: either a beginners plan or an advanced one.  A daily exercise plan is then given with the option to change out the exercises if needed (similar in layout to eDiets.com).   

The layout of the website is nice, easy-to-read, compact, with lots of information.  There is a food and fitness journal, a place for success stories (which oddly doesn’t seem to have any actual success stories) and message boards for users to communicate. 

Overall, the idea and concept is a good one and probably works.  The problem I see is the lack of versatility which may hinder those with specific dietary needs.  There doesn’t seem to be as much “meat” to this website as I’ve seen with others.  There aren’t as many articles or references, although there is an informative newsletter and the option to work with a diet and/or fitness coach.  Bottom line: it’s good for the money and may work for some, but my favorite is still eDiets.com. 

Pros:

• User-friendly
• Good layout
• Offers online journal
• Provides meal plans and fitness plans
• Has a “cheat” day scheduled once a week
• Offers small segments of exercise that may appeal to those who don’t like to work out

Cons:

• Does not get a lot of personal information up front (diet requirements, health history, etc.)
• Does not offer a wide variety of plans or options from which to choose
• Has a success story section (which can be motivating) but there is only one story posted

Website:  www.5factordiet.com 

Rating:  3.5 Stars

Posted by: Tabitha

Stats: Cal 300/Fat 7g/Carb 45g/Protein 15 g/Fiber 3g/Sugars 11g/Serving size 1 pocket

Flavors: Three Cheese and Chicken Quesadilla, Four Cheese Pizza, Chicken Parmesan, Meatballs and Mozzarella, etc.

Cost: $2.59/box (2 pockets, 4.5 oz each)

Review:

I have eaten these things for years and am continually surprised by the new flavors.  They now have them made with whole grains, I can only assume to be more healthy.  That’s good actually, we need to add healthy ingredients where we can.

These little pockets are excellent when you’re in a hurry and have nothing but the microwave.  They are not the most nutritious things, but what do you expect in a frozen food that heats up in a cardboard pocket?  My favorite is the Four Cheese Pizza because it is actually very cheesy.  The chicken varieties are pretty good too, if you can get passed the little pieces of processed “chicken.” 

Pros:

• Quick and easy
• Tasty
• Convenient

Cons:

• Could be called the “fast food” of the frozen section

Website: www.hotpockets.com

Rating:  4 Stars

Stats:  Cal 100/Fat 0g/Carb 24g/Protein 0g/Sugars 12g/Fiber 0g/Serving size 3 pieces

Flavors:  Black Cherry, Cola, Cran Razz, Lemon Lime, Margarita, Orange, Pina Colada Strawberr

Cost:  $1.95 per package (6 in each package)

Review:

This was a new product for me, having never needed them in any of my extracurricular activities before.  I packed them for a long walk and found them quite easy to grab and scarf down.  They are pretty tasty and the texture is unique - they are little little square “bloks” of Jello, only not as soft as Jello.  They come in several flavors, my favorite being the black cherry.

One word of caution: they do contain caffeine and I learned the hard way not to eat them on an empty stomach because I quickly got a caffeine buzz which was hard to shake.  Other than that, they are a great, portable burst of energy when you need some help during a long workout. 

Pros:

• Easy to carry and eat
• Tasty
• Made from mostly organic ingredients (Organic Brown Ricy Syrup, Organic evaporated cane juice, Organic sunflower oil, etc.)

Cons:

• Seemed a lot of calories for three little pieces, but maybe that’s the idea

Website:  www.clifbar.com

Rating:  4 Stars

Stats: 85 cubic inches/9 oz./Holds 48 oz./2 pockets plus main compartment

Colors: Blue knight, Neptune & Magnesium (green and grey), Amber & Magnesium (orange and grey)

Cost: $19.93 - $40.00

Review:

I bought this pack for one purpose only: to use during a 20-mile walk I was participating in.  I knew I had to stay hydrated and I also knew I didn’t want to carry anything but the essentials (my IPod being at the top of the list of course).  I loved this pack for a couple of reasons.  It has two little pockets that are at the front near the clasp that are perfect for an IPod and a cell phone (one on either side).  The main compartment (located in the back) is a decent size and holds plenty of dehydrated food, bandaids and sunscreen. 

Now lets talk about the water bottles.  First I’ll say that I’ve not once found a plastic water bottle that is perfect.  So I shouldn’t expect much from them.  And these water bottles fell in line with my expectations.  They did their job and I was able to drink from the spout easily.  I especially liked that there was an elastic cord that held the bottles in place. 

Another thing to note is the location of the bottles.  I really liked how the bottles and the compartment were in the middle of my back.   I was able to walk freely without my arms scraping against the sides of the pack.  That is a big deal when trying to avoid chafing.  The position of the bottles was a downside, however, when trying to actually drink from them as I had to turn the pack around to get to them.  But it was a minor inconvenience and a necessary one.

One final note: the pack was very heavy by the time I got everything loaded.  It fit a lot of stuff, but it sure weighed a ton.  I ended up keeping my bottles half full so that it was more manageable.

Pros:

• Placement of water bottles: in the middle of the back
• Large main compartment
• Elastic cord to keep bottles in place
• small pockets for IPod, phone or keys

Cons:

• Have to reach around back to get the water bottles
• Quite heavy when fully loaded

Website:  www.rei.com

Rating: 4.5 Stars