High Five! It’s Friday, and the weather is heating up in New Hampshire 😎 Almost enough to plant my garden!! And definitely warm enough to break out my barefoot sandals – but more on that in a minute.
It feels SO GOOD to say goodbye to frosty nights and hello to warm sunshine!
Although a couple nights ago it did get down to 37F… So I guess NH’s not technically out of the woods just yet.
But with summer just around the corner, it’s officially flip flop season!
A few years ago I made the switch from cheap, only-last-one-season, $5 flip flops to EarthRunners (barefoot sandals) and WOWZERS.
If you’re like, “Rachel, what the heck is barefoot footwear and barefoot sandals?” Let me tell you.
Quick Low-Down on Barefoot Footwear
Modern shoes do not match the natural shape of our feet. And when you aren’t walking (or running) the way your body intended, you can find yourself with hip issues, knee issues, posture issues, and of course foot issues.
These are some posts from the @EarthRunners IG account 👇
Most barefoot companies have a PLETHORA of information on the benefits of barefoot and the potential dangers of modern footwear. Earth Runners and Lems are my favorite barefoot companies and their sites are PACKED with info!
Another great source on all things alignment & foot health is @PetraFisherMovement.
My Experience with Earth Runners
Barefoot shoes, in general, are designed to help you experience all the benefits of barefoot walking without the risk of stepping on something that could hurt those precious T1D feet of yours 🥰👣
Barefoot Shoe Characteristics:
- They don’t have a lot of support (intentionally)
- They have a thin flexible sole
- Design is minimal
- They are zero drop (meaning there is no drop in height from the heel to the toe)
All this allows your feet to do their thing, which strengthens your muscles and tendons, making you less prone to injury and alignment issues.
And I can honestly say that my feet and ankles have gotten stronger since switching all my footwear (not just sandals) to barefoot footwear.
I’ve been wearing these EarthRunners for 3 years now and they are still going strong! And I wear them everywhere. The beach, small 2-3 mile walks on my lunch break, 5-6 mile walks with the dog, in the river, at amusement parks, running errands, you name it!
These sandals are seriously built to last.
It does take some adjusting to get the lacing tightness just right, but once you get it you won’t have to ever touch it again.
They slide on and off without you having to adjust the grip every time.
I found this video SUPER helpful when I first got my sandals and was adjusting the laces.
I got their Circadian Sandals in Charcoal (which I think is a discontinued color now). Their sizing runs typical. I usually wear a size 9 shoe and bought these in a 9 and they fit great. But I highly recommend using their size guide.
That’s a wrap for this week!
If you missed this week’s other post you have to check it out!
Easy Bruschetta Chicken.
What’s on the menu for next week 👩🍳
By the way, I almost forgot to mention – I’d love to share with you what’s on the menu for our meal planning this week! It’s always fun to get inspiration from others and see what’s cooking in different kitchens, am I right? So, without further ado, let me fill you in on our delicious and nutritious lineup for the week ahead!
Meals
M: Fish Tacos
T: Turkey Pot Pie
W: Carne Asada
T: Chicken Quesadillas
F: Left Overs
S: Loaded Salads
S: Beef Burrito Bowls
Snacks
Protein: Chicken Salad
Veggie: Carrots, Cukes, Peppers with Ranch
Sweet: Homemade Granola with Yogurt
OOoo those dinners sound yummy! Would love your granola recipe
Thank you! I’ll post the recipe for it soon! It’s SO good!
Oh they hurt my feet looking at them. But my wife says they look fantastic. Yes I know we will shortly own a pair or ten.
Hahaha! Tell her I say thank you!
Thanks for the post! Spotted your omnipod in the photo and remember you posting about taking a pump break a while back. Would love to hear more about how that went, what you learned, and what made you decide to go back on a pump!
Yes! I’m back on the pump. It was a very short-lived pump break. I’ll write a post about it within the next couple weeks. it was a doozy