Produce No Case: Shape-Ups & Easy Tone
Each month I have a little fun showcasing an item that, in my opinion, just isn’t as good for your health as it is advertised to be. In the past I have showcased food items. But last week, a client prompted me with a brilliant idea.
She had been to City Sports in Cambridge and decided to try on a pair of Skecher’s Shape-Ups (Reebok Easy-Tone is another version of the same idea). You know the shoes. Slim, long legged models wear them in their commercials, promising that they’ll help you “burn more calories, tone muscles, and more.”
So my client was curious to know whether or not there was any actual research behind the dramatic sales pitch. So I did some research of my own. First I looked for any data to support the claims of calorie burning and leg toning. Nope, couldn’t find anything. Doesn’t appear that either company has done any actual research that would validate such claims. Skechers or Reebok, if you know something I don’t, please send the research my way! I’m all ears.
Then I decided to contact my colleagues. Here were their responses:
- There was another brand that came out a few years ago with these. I bought them (because Oprah had them…lame, I know!) and they really hurt my knees so I gave them away. A chiropractor told me they were not great for your back.
- My husband is a physical therapist and he says to stay away from them!
- My best friend is a PT and says the same: bologna.
So it seems that at best, wearing these shoes won’t lead to any body-transforming miracles. And at worst, they may take a toll on your back, hips, and knees. No thank you!
My advice? Be grateful for the body you do have and take good care of it with moderate yet consistent exercise. Your joints will thank you!