Easy steps to shed extra inches and pounds this holdiay season

With the holidays approaching, one can anticipate a few extra treats...and possibly a few extra inches and pounds. Lady Foot Locker recommends shoppers take advantage of the "black Friday" haul, and let the mall do the work. With the right footwear, it can do exactly that.

Toning footwear like Reebok's EasyTone and Skechers' Shape Ups, can transform the mall into a personal gym. Burn calories, and tone your glutes and thighs while you shop.

Fitness expert for Lady Foot Locker, Cathy Lang, offers these easy steps to get the most out of your Holiday sprawl.

- Park as far away from the mall as possible.

Who enjoys driving around in circles looking for a place to park? Occupy one of those empty spaces in the back of the parking lot and easily add 1/2 a mile walk or more going to and from your car.

- Buy the heaviest items first.

Rather than saving the trip to the computer or appliance store for the end of your shopping day, grab that laptop or smoothie maker first. You could end up carrying 5-10 lbs of items and that will pump up the calories you burn as well as your arms.

- Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator while holiday shopping.

Walking up a set of stairs can burn 5 to 10 calories, depending on your weight and the number of stairs. Going down stairs typically expends one-third as much energy. Concentrate on driving through your front leg and lift through your glute to simulate lunges.

- Choose your shoes wisely.

You wouldn't power walk in your stilettos so why would you do the Mall Haul in them?!? Choose an athletic shoe that is comfortable for your foot. Have an associate measure your size and maybe even consider one of the popular shoes that destabilizes you and fires up the toning factor in your lower body. If you are using your time at the mall to reach a 10,000 step/day goal, get the gear to do it right.

- Apply any or all of these tips to the rest of the year as well.

Remember, Santa Claus didn't get as big as he is just by overeating during the holidays!