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What you Need to Know When Buying Your First Running Shoes
By: Scottsdale Weight Loss Center
Published: May 7, 2019
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When you start running, a decent pair of running shoes is essential. Not only will it make your running more comfortable and more pleasurable, but it will also help to keep injuries at bay. However, trainers can be expensive, so knowing a few basics about what makes the perfect shoe can save you a lot of money. So, what do you need to know?
Buy Slightly Bigger Than Your Normal Shoe Size
It may be a bit counter-intuitive, but you want your running shoes to be a little bit loose. When you are running there is a lot of force going through your feet, and the shoes need a bit of give to avoid injury. Ideally, you want around a thumb width gap at the toes to allow your feet to move inside the trainers, which usually equates to around a half or full size bigger than your regular shoes.
Expensive Doesn’t Mean Better
It can be tempting to think the more you spend, the better pair you are going to get, but running shoes are a very personal choice, and expensive doesn’t always mean better. As well as this, the top of the range models target those who do some serious running, so while they might be a good bet down the line, you just won’t need the higher specs while you get started.
Ankle Support Is Crucial
If you want to avoid injury it is critical you get shoes with good ankle support. Everybody’s foot is different, so you only know what is right when you try them on. You want to find a pair where the cushioning is around the ankle bone, and without any stray threads or seams that could irritate the skin. Especially as a beginner, you will find you land slightly lob-sided from time to time while you are running. When this happens, the ankle support takes a lot of the force for you, preventing injury.
Lighter Is Not Always Better
There is a big buzz about lightweight running shoes and how they impact on performance. While lighter shoes can help you expend less energy as you run, as a new runner, you are not going to notice the difference. Besides, most lightweight trainers are for experienced runners, and so they sacrifice a bit of comfort and support for better performance. Instead of weight, concentrate on looking for the pair that fits your foot the best.
Adjust the lacing to fit your foot
When you try your new shoes on in the shop remember to fiddle with the lacing to make it snug around the top of your foot. With your heel pressed to the back of the shoe, you want to tighten the laces from the bottom up to fit around your foot. Only then will you get the proper feel for how the trainers suit your feet.
Following these few guidelines is a perfect starting point to getting your first pair of shoes. Remember as well, that running shoes are not a lifelong investment! Every shoe will wear out over time, so by the time you need your next pair you will know that little bit more and maybe want an upgrade. The most important thing is to get you out there running, so concentrate on comfort and injury prevention, and you shouldn’t go too far wrong.
Nick
Nick's Story
"I wish I would have come here first. We spend all our time reacting to the next great weight loss tip or program. It might work for a while, but does not last and we end up yo-yoing from one fad to the next – as we gain more weight." Read More
Gina
Lost 44.5 lbs
"I had no trouble adhering to the meals and they really helped catapult my progress! The classes were so beneficial to me because they helped change my thinking about how I viewed health, nutrition, and fitness.
I will always have my relationship with Scottsdale Weight Loss Center. They truly helped me change my life forever." Read More
Lauren
Lost 60 lbs
"Dr. Ziltzer and everyone who I have come in contact with at the Scottsdale Weight Loss office have been so encouraging and I look forward to seeing them each week. It is now a year and 2 months later since I started. I am down 60 lbs., which is the average amount a 9-year-old weighs, it is crazy to think I lost a whole person! I feel amazing, I hit my goal weight in November 2021 just before Thanksgiving. Nothing on my body hurts anymore..." Read More
Chuck
Lost 66 lbs
"The best thing I did was call the Scottsdale Weight Loss Center. I have a lot more energy, I'm not hungry, and it feels great.
You can take it from me that this is a program that produces results. The staff is always positive, supportive, and never judgmental.
Your visits always result in positive reinforcement, no matter if you had a good week or a bad week." Read More
Emily
Lost 101 lbs
"Here I am at the lowest I have been since high school weighing in at 155lbs. I have lost 101 lbs, BMI of 39 when I started, to 21.6, and of course at body fat % of 47.1 to 26.5%. I told myself by my 30th birthday I wanted to be confident in the way I look and I owe it all to SWLC. The entire staff is so welcoming and they are rooting for you just as much as you are rooting for yourself...." Read More
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Meet Our Team
Robert Ziltzer, MD, FACP, FAAP, FOMA
Obesity Medicine Certified Physician
Diana Bone, FNP-C
Specializing in Obesity Medicine
Craig Primack, MD, FACP, FAAP, MFOMA
Obesity Medicine Certified Physician
Kristen Ash, FNP-C, FNP-BC
Nurse Practitioner
Alicia Earley, FNP-C
Family Nurse Practitioner
