If you’ve participated in the toning shoe movement then it’s time you cashed in and got your money back!  Consumers who purchased Skechers Shape Ups and other Sketchers toning shoes,  are entitled to money from a $40 million settlement that the company made with the Federal Trade Commission. The Skechers lawsuit applies to 42 states and was passed on Wednesday (5/ 16/ 2012).

“Skechers put its foot in its mouth by making unwarranted claims,” said David Vladeck, director of the FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection. Ads for Shape-Ups claimed that the sneakers with the rounded bottom toned muscles, improved posture, and encouraged weight loss., while reducing stress on knees and ankles (source).  

  If you purchased these shoes you are entitled to a refund via the FTC’s Website 

Besides Shape-ups, Skechers also made deceptive claims about its Resistance Runner, Toners, and Tone-ups shoes, the FTC alleged. Consumers who bought these “toning” shoes will be eligible for refunds either directly from the FTC or through a court-approved class action lawsuit, and can submit a claim here.

“Skechers’ unfounded claims went beyond stronger and more toned muscles. The company even made claims about weight loss and cardiovascular health,” said David Vladeck, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “The FTC’s message, for Skechers and other national advertisers, is to shape up your substantiation or tone down your claims (source).”

 

Why Did Skechers Lose The Lawsuit ?

• Unsupported claims on weight loss, muscle toning, strengthening using these shoes verses regular gym shoes.
• Shape ups used an endorsement from a chiropractor named Dr. Steven Gautreau, who did an independent study which was used as part of the advertisements.  However, the FTC says that the study’s claims were not verified.  To add to the drama, Dr. Gautreau is married to a Skechers marketing executive!
• Celebrity Endorsement worked against the company.  Kim Kardashian is seen ditching her trainer for a pair of Shape Ups.  Brooke Burke told consumers that newest way to burn calories, tone and add muscle was to tie their new Shape Ups shoe laces.  KA-WHaT!
• An ad that claims consumers who wear Resistance Runner shoes will increase “muscle activation” by up to 85 percent for posture-related muscles, 71 percent for one of the muscles in the buttocks, and 68 percent for calf muscles, compared to wearing regular running shoes. The FTC alleges that in citing the study that claimed to back this up, Skechers cherry-picked results and failed to substantiate its ad claims.

This could be a ripple affect.  While sketchers dominated the market in 2010 with sales of over $1 billion, there were other brands that attempted to cash in on this toning shoe movement.  Brands such as Reebok and New Balance could be next if they made similar mistakes.  If you know someone shelled out money for Skechers Shape Ups or other Skechers toning shoes, forward this fitness tip with the links below.  You can also chose to print it out and post it at work!

Adria Ali

BS, CPT, CES, PES

The wedding industry is a booming market.   The stress that goes along with the “big day” can be overwhelming.   Brides will do almost anything to lose weight so they can look stunning in their expansive gowns.  In efforts to shed the extra pounds, a new diet has emerged to help brides lose 5, 10, or even 20 pounds QUICK.  This controversial approach called the K- E Diet involves inserting a feeding tube in their nose and living off a liquid diet for up to 10 days.

How Does The K -E Diet Work?

• A feeding tube is inserted in the nose of the dieter which runs to their stomach.
• A mixture of fat and protein is dripped directly into the stomach.
• The carb free mixture boosts the body’s fat burning in a similar way to the Atkins diet.  It forces the body into Ketosis.  Ketosis is said to increase the burning of fat while storing muscle mass (this is still up for debate).
• The Feeding Tube Diet only supplies you with 800 calories per day.

Side Effects of K – E Diet 

• For one you could look like this …..

    DO you want to have to  explain why you look like a run away hospital patient???   

• Bad Breath - Due to Ketosis.   Yuck!
• Constipation – There is absolutely no fiber in this liquid diet so it doesn’t not pass through your system as fast.

Why People Do The Feeding Tube Diet 

•  The woman in the picture above was quoted as saying

“I don’t have all of the time on the planet just to focus an hour and a half a day to exercise so I came to the doctor, I saw the diet, and I said, ‘You know what? Why not? Let me try it. So I decided to go ahead and give it a shot,” she said.

“It was emotionally difficult, the 10 days of not eating,” Schnaider said. “And sometimes I had to give excuses to people who were asking are you sick? And I was like, ‘No, I’m not sick, I’m not dying, I’m fine.’

“I was tired. I didn’t feel like exercising. The doctor told me that if you can compliment with walking for a half an hour on the beach, that would be great, but I didn’t feel like doing that. I’m a very energetic person, but those days I was a little tired (source) .”

How Much Does The K E Diet Cost 

    You would think that not eating for 10 days would be cheap right!??  WRONG.  This liquid solution will cost you $1,500 dollars.  For some brides, that’s the cost of their dress and part of their wedding.  

Our personal take on this drastic diet is that it isn’t much different then doing your own liquid diet.  Your own version might even be more beneficial then this feeding tube that costs an arm and a leg, gives you bad breath, constipation, and a sickly appearance.   Fitness tips like these are meant to bring people back to reality.  Health and fitness isn’t about a size or a number on the scale.  It’s about feeling healthy and fit as well.