Last week on my way into the Foot Solutions I was listening to a talk show, which turned out to be a radio show with a focus on Men’s health. Local here in the Atlanta area, I called and talked to the host later that day suggesting he consider doing a segment on feet – the foundation of our bodies. A week later he called me and asked if I would be a guest on his show to discuss the importance of foot care, fitness and answering common foot-related questions. A few controversial questions came up during the podcast regarding shoes vs. going barefoot, and the hot topic of ‘toning shoes‘.

Before shoes existed, our ancestors walked the earth barefoot. Keep in mind that pavement and concrete sidewalks didn’t exist either. Walking barefoot on natural, uneven terrain supports the arch, unlike flat roads and sidewalks.

So many things happen to our feet as we age- it’s important to take proper care of the foundation of our bodies! Similar to our eyes, our feet age. Most aging adults will need some type of corrective glasses…feet are no different in the fact that feet need support so they can continue to work properly.

Did you Know?

• 3x your body weight is forced on your feet with every step
• 5-10x your body weight is forced while you are running
• 90% of the population today are wearing improperly fitted shoes, causing major foot problems

Listen to the podcast with Men’s Health and Wellness Center, and if you have any questions regarding the health of your feet, leave them in the comment box below.

“As we spend more time during the day on our feet, leading longer active lives, the shoes we wear can  make a difference in how we feel.As Jeff Yastine reports, that’s a key strategy in the growth of the Foot Solutions chain….”

I was recently interviewed in New York City by PBS Nightly Business Report’s Jeff Yastine regarding the Foot Solutions’ business model. The bottom line is, people today want to be more active- and because feet are the foundation of the body, its critical to have proper, supportive footwear to keep your feet healthy. Part of the interview was filmed in one of our Foot Solutions locations in Plantation, Florida and explains, in detail, just how the Foot Solutions process works. You can view the segment below-

It has almost been a year now when we look back at when the economic slide really started to pick up speed and acknowledgment from most businesses.

There will certainly be more speed bumps and hurdles to get over but at this time let’s take a hard look at the positives.   If you have survived this long you have to continue doing whatever it takes to weather the storm.

What lessons have we learned?

For me it has been very clear for those of you that have focused on your core business and core customer your business has been stable and in a number of cases actually increased over the last year.  If this has not been true for you then it is time to challenge your business model; you will not survive  this downturn without change and adjustment.

The month of April we have had a Foot Solutions store set a new all time high record month.  This was a store in the middle of the pack that broke free and showed what could happen when one does not accept the doom and gloom from the media and naysayers.

Actually when I look at some of the changes, there have been Foot Solutions store closures and failures.  Let’s look at it from a different perspective – it has been relatively stable for about seven years prior to this economic downturn.  Put seven years of adjustments into the equation and it looks a little different.  This is almost a natural progression of what must happen for a business to succeed and continue.

In life there will always be speed bumps and issues to overcome.  The good news is we can and are working through the issues we all face and the potential for our future is actually brighter and more positive than it has ever been.

Let’s focus and celebrate on the positive, it exists everywhere.

Giving back is a very important part of life.  Many people miss the point and always tie it to money.  It is not about the money although it is about sharing, caring and reaching out.  It could be a very simple gesture; it could be a visit that is an emotional lift or just a shoulder to lean on; it could be mentoring, being a big brother or sister, the list goes on and on.  In many cases time and knowledge are a much more rewarding gift for you as well as the recipient.

We have partnered with Soles4Souls in a national campaign to clean out your closet and to trade shoes you no longer wear or need.  These shoes are donated to the needy and focus on 3^rd world countries.  In some places people don’t have any shoes and share them.

This is a feel good cause that costs you nothing and is also a great way to contribute to recycling and 100% utilization of products.  Click here to find a donation location near you, or you can ship them directly to Soles4Souls.

Today I had the opportunity to meet up with Allan and Silvana Clark who are volunteers for the Soles4Souls campaign who will be touring the USA in an RV promoting this cause; I would like to personally thank them for taking a year out of their lives to support this very helpful program.  They are collecting slightly used shoes for donations to third world countries and the millions of people walking this earth that do not even have a pair of shoes to their name, especially the children.  This is a very easy way for everyone to give something back.

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Balance Walking – eating component – DON’T DIET!  They simply do not work or at best for most people are a short term temporary solution.  Why fight it?  EATING is one of the few pleasures we all can enjoy.

The Balance Walking approach to food is very simple, eat what you want, just smaller quantities.  Focus on fresh vegetables and fruit, using meat and fish to compliment the main dish.  Start simply by getting rid of any over sized plates you have.  Get some smaller plates; I like the Japanese style smaller attractive plates.  This allows you to put together visually attractive dishes with very reasonable serving sizes.

Most of us could probably cut our intake of food in half without have a problem.  If you do this have a small snack mid morning and afternoon to keep the fires burning and preventing you from gorging out later that day.