It depends. But I’d argue the answer is often yes.

For a long time, trainers and influencers demonized the usage of running shoes for any weightlifting exercises. It was often recommended that you should always lift with flat shoes – like Chuck Taylors or Vans. In fact, many of these same people also argued it was best to lift barefoot.

I know. I was one of them.

This argument was made because running shoes have “too much cushion.” This excessive cushion tends to shift your bodyweight too far forward. As a result, your weight is mostly on your toes, making it hard for you to “ground yourself” and maintain balance.

Here’s the problem with this statement.

While its not entirely wrong, it doesn’t paint the whole picture. Most people who are first getting into fitness have weak feet from working a sedentary job. Some individuals who wear heels at work often have high arches or bunions.  Additionally, obese individuals often have flat feet. This is due to the excess bodyweight pushing their center of gravity so far forward that they apply all of their weight onto their toes. On the other hand, there are other individuals who were born with flat feet. Is it fair to say that each and every one of these individual’s feet all have the same strength and capacity to support their body during a strength training session using flat shoes? It’s not.

The foot is a complex mechanical structure of the human body. It is composed of 33 joints and 26 bones.

The muscles, tendons and ligaments that support these 26 bones are either strengthened or weakened by the person’s daily movement patterns. Advanced gym rats have developed the body awareness and the ability to control their bodyweight over their feet. The most common issue I see with beginners in the gym is knowing how to shift their bodyweight over their feet.

For example when learning to ride a bike, we use training wheels to help us gain confidence. We also do this to understand the feeling of control and balance. With time, you learn to ride a bike without those training wheels.

If you haven’t strength trained before or worked on your foot muscles then having a supportive running/walking shoe is a great training wheel for the gym.

So the best way to get started with weight training is NOT to strip the individual down to bare feet. It is to provide them with a supportive shoe and show them how its supposed to feel to have a stable base of support. Bunions, high arches, and flat feet are often permanent in adults. I can’t say I’ve ever seen someone change their foot shape without surgery but I wouldn’t doubt that there are individuals who have managed to improve their foot health. I know I have.

With that being said, not all running shoes are created equal. There is SOME truth to the overly cushioned shoe argument. Brands like Nike, Skechers, Adidas, and Puma make very cute shoes but at the expense of being overly cushioned or with zero regard to arch support. Instead, I often have my clients take a test online to determine their foot’s limitations and needs. Then they’ll purchase a shoe (usually Brooks or Asics) that provides the support they need as they learn how to move their bodies in the gym. As for advanced gym goers, Olympic lifting shoes can be great for improving your Squats and Weight lifting exercises but are not entirely necessary for the average gym rat.

TLDR: Not all feet are created equal and there’s no shame in getting a shoe to support your unique foot structure.

YEP.

(Photo by feey)

If you understand the role that vitamins and minerals play in your body via chemistry, this wouldn’t be a surprise to you. But lets chat more about the title of this post in a more digestible way.

A large-scale study led by researchers at Columbia and Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard is the first to establish that a diet low in flavanols—nutrients found in certain fruits and vegetables—drives age-related memory loss.

We already know that a young developing brain needs essential nutrients in order to develop properly. Similarly, an aging brain needs nutrients to slow down the rate of aging/deterioration.

If haven’t heard by now, the hippocampus is an important part of the brain that controls learning and memory. This study found that the area in the hippocampus known as, dentate gyrus, improved in function if it was provided adequate nutrients found in flavanols.  These flavanols have been proven in the past to enhance hippocampal-dependent memory by increasing synaptic and blood vessel density in a subregion of the hippocampus called the dentate gyrus. By improving the communication between neurons and providing greater blood supply to the brain, we can maintain a healthy brain that retains memories and learns information adequately. The article discusses a host of other potential reasons for improvement but i won’t bore you.

One thing to note is that this massive study only saw improvements in individuals who weren’t eating enough nutrients to begin with. The Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) uses a scoring system and data to determine how well the average American is able to achieve a diet that provides enough nutrients for their overall health and wellbeing. Sadly, the average diets of Americans do not align with the dietary recommendations and fall short. 

Dementia is currently the seventh leading cause of death. Every 3 seconds someone is diagnoses with dementia and women are more likely to develop this illness than men.

If we deprive a plant of water, it wilts. If we water our plants, they blossom and thrive for as long as they can. If we deprive a brain of nutrients, it will decay. If we feed our brain the nutrients it needs, it greatly improves its ability to thrive as well. Imagine how much more fruitful our lives can be with a thriving brain. Our brains are the thing that allow us to experience life. How bizarre it is to be neglecting such an organ.

(Photo by Monstruo Estudio) 

Do you need to start juicing or using greens powders? No, in fact, I would advise against them. The best thing you can do is eat real food. Extracting juices and using powders will never compare to the abundance and quantity of nutrients you will find in fresh, whole plant foods.

Eat well, sleep enough and stay moving.