Between the obesity epidemic, constant pressure from society to be thin and fit, and the prevalence of infomercials, America is a prime market for new fitness products that appeal to both our inherent laziness and our love for consumerism.
The fact is, being fit takes real work, several days per week. There are no shortcuts. However, many of us are incredibly busy, work long hours, and barely have time left over for our families, let alone the gym. It’s not surprising that promises of quick and easy weight loss appeal to so many. Lately, however, some of these get-fit-quick products have been called out on their outrageous and unproven claims, and are paying the legal price. While they may be slightly more effective than holding down the couch while watching TV, claims of a ripped physique in the same amount of time or less than you would get it going hard in the gym are getting these companies into big legal trouble.
Here are 4 of the worst offenders:
Sketchers Shape Ups
Last May, the shoe company Sketchers was ordered to pay consumers who had purchased their “Shape Ups” shoes $40 million in refunds after the claims they had made in advertising proved to be false. The rocker-bottomed Shape Ups were supposed to give you an epic behind of the Kim Kardashian sort—the kind you get from heavy barbell squats three days a week—just from walking around on them. Shape Ups ran from $60 and $100, which is a lot of cash to shell out for a product that doesn’t do what it claimed to, which included toning the tush, legs, and abs, as well as promoting weight loss and increasing cardiovascular health.
Reebok EasyTone
Reebok got the smackdown from the FTC for essentially the same reason Sketchers did. Their EasyTone shoe had a special sole that, as you walked, was supposed to significantly strengthen your behind and legs. In fact, Reebok claimed in their advertising that wearing the shoes would result in “28 percent more strength and tone in the buttock muscles, 11 percent more strength and tone in the hamstring muscles, and 11 percent more strength and tone in the calf muscles than regular walking shoes.” Unfortunately, Reebok was unable to substantiate those claims with scientific evidence, so the Federal Trade Commission forced them to pay customers $25 million in refunds.
Ab Circle Pro
Everyone wants abs you can grate cheese on, but very, very few of us accomplish that look—mainly because it takes devotion to a real fitness program combined with a low body fat percentage, the latter of which can only be achieved through proper eating. That hasn’t stopped dozens of companies from promising a six pack in mere weeks, however. Shredded abs are one of the hallmarks of a super fit body, and people will ignore common sense and believe companies like the one that sells the Ab Circle Pro when they’re told that just three minutes on the thing will give them the same results as 30 minutes at the gym. Advertising for the Ab Circle Pro stated that fitness guru Jennifer Nicole Lee lost 80 lbs. using the Ab Circle Pro for three minutes per day, and that the average person could lose up to 10 lbs. in just 2 weeks with the device. The FTC called the company on its ridiculous claims and made it refund customers up to $25 million.
BodyFlex
BodyFlex is a weight loss program that combines controlled breathing with exercises using a plastic bar and elastic band. The company claims that their program can result in a loss of 4 to 14 inches off six body areas in just one week. The routine takes 18 to 20 minutes per day and is done while sitting and does not include diet modification. In 2003, after over 2,000 airings of the Body Flex infomercial, the FTC filed a lawsuit against the company, disputing their claims. It settled in 2004, when parent company Savvier LP was required to pay out $2.6 million in customer refunds, as well as to cease and desist from making unsubstantiated claims about their product.
