Here is a collection of links about barefoot and minimalist running.
Interesting post from Podiatry Today
Wikipedia entry on barefoot running
A collection of links about why it might be healthier to run barefoot
Make your own huaraches or just buy some Vibram 5 fingers
Links to some of the research done on barefoot running
A link to a group of minimalist runners
This link used to go to a story about running barefoot on RunnersWorld.com but the story has been removed and replaced with ads for shoes. (Here is a link to the story that still works)
A list of shoes in order of suitability for running. I have the Vibram 5 fingers and have never had any pain, but I bought the Asics Paranha and had a lot of pain after just a couple of miles.
the [beginners guide] to Vibram Five Fingers shoes
A good story about running barefoot
This is not a fad – you can run pain free That’s been my experience!
How to run – a great set of posts about transitioning to barefoot or 5 fingers from the Birthday Shoes blog
A great post and link collection on the research behind barefoot running from the Birthday Shoes blog
Here’s how to get started. Check out Barefoot Ted’s post.
How I lost 40 pounds in two years
Let me start by saying the first 30 pounds of weight loss happened BEFORE I started running or exercising. About all I did before December of 2009 was to walk occasionally for a mile or two. Then in December of 2009, I read Born to Run, and because of that I started running and taking more of an interest in eating better foods. Prior to that it was all about monitoring and controlling how much I ate, more than controlling what I ate. And to say I was “controlling” makes it sound a lot harder than it really was. I did not often feel hungry, and it didn’t take a super effort. I just watched my weight every day, and I moderated how much I ate, especially when I was consuming more than I burned. That really is the key – you must consume less than you burn.
I weigh every morning first thing before I eat, and again just before going to bed. My bathroom scales will compare the current weight to the last weight, so in the morning I’ve always lost 1.5 to 3 pounds. I’ve never gained weight while sleeping so that finally proved to me that weight gain is directly connected to eating. I also start off the day feeling pretty good, because I’ve always lost weight. It’s a mind game, but it helps.
I started tracking my weight at dailyburn.com which is a local startup that I met a couple of summers ago. It’s helped to see the progress, but it helps more to see when I’m gaining weight because then I can be more careful that day, not a week later when I’ve gained 5 pounds. The website is free, and I only use it to track weight. I use it to track my exercise, which for me makes it more fun. Tracking your weight every day and writing it down, either on line or on paper is very important so you can watch for the trends over time.
I still eat everything I always did, sort of. I read the book ” The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite ” which has convinced me that the more fat, sugar and salt I eat, the more I want of it. The book is really about the brain and how it gets fooled by an overabundance of available food that is often designed to make us eat more of it. The chain restaurants build their menus based on this fact, so they are the worst. I still eat that stuff, but I’m more conscious about it.
I’ve cut the portions back, and found that I’m not hungry after a smaller portion. I tell myself, “If I’m still hungry, I can have more when I’m done” but most times I don’t, so I realize it is just my brain getting confused at first.
I go for walks about 3 times a week, but that’s all the exercise I’m getting. (As of December 2009, I’ve been running 5k a day almost every day. ) There is evidence that more exercise just makes you want to eat more. I know it would be good for me, but it hasn’t been the key to losing weight.
It’s helped to think about it long term. I’ve lost about 18 pounds in 18 months, which means that’s only about a pound a month. Since I can lose 3 pounds over night, that’s nothing so you can’t think about weight loss in the short term. If you eat slightly less than you burn each day, you WILL lose weight. When I slip and eat more than I burn, and I gain weight, I catch it the very next day, and that day I’m a little more careful. That really seems to be the key.