Many people who are considering taking up fitness walking to lose weight put off embarking on their exercise commitment unnecessarily. One of the main reasons people often cite for postponing getting started on a healthier way of life by walking is the cost of walking or running shoes. They've seen ads for 0 shoes (or higher) promoted as the "ideal" walking shoes or the "latest technology" in running shoes. Then they see an ad for another shoe making a very similar claim, and costing just as much, or they head for the local runner's shoe store and the salesman tells them that they really should buy a third kind of shoe, costing just as much or more.
This leaves many people sitting at home when they should be out walking to lose weight. Either they can't afford to pay that much for a pair of shoes that are probably going to need to be replaced every few months, or they're bewildered by all the competing claims as to which is the best pair of walking shoes to buy. Or both. Thousands of people who could be getting healthier and losing weight instead remain sedentary. This is very unfortunate, and also very unnecessary.
The truth is, for the vast majority of people, spending a lot of money on shoes for fitness walking isn't required. Of course, you should always consult a doctor when embarking on any exercise program, and you can check with them to see if you need special shoes. But for most people, unless you have serious foot problems, low priced athletic shoes are just fine. Try them on at the store, take a few steps in them, and if they're comfortable, they'll almost certainly do just fine. In fact, more than one study has found that runners and walkers who wear inexpensive shoes actually have fewer injuries than those who wear the expensive kinds.
Most of the stuff we read and hear about the expensive running and walking shoes is simply marketing hype. Don't let it keep you from improving your health by putting off your fitness walking until you can afford the "perfect" walking shoes. If the shoe fits (comfortably), wear it! After all, if you're serious about your walking for weight loss program, you'll be replacing them in a few months anyway.
