Note from the editor: For years I fumed about Skechers ‘Shape-ups’ and their claims to tone your legs and butt. The only way to tone your legs and butt is to DO THE WORK!! No piece of clothing, equipment, or diet pill are going to make you magically thin and perfectly toned. Hard work, dedication, and healthy living are the only way to go!

Consumers Who Bought Shape-ups, Other Toning Shoes Will Be Eligible for Refunds

The Federal Trade Commission announced that Skechers USA, Inc. has agreed to pay $40 million to settle charges that the company deceived consumers by making unfounded claims that Shape-ups would help people lose weight, and strengthen and tone their buttocks, legs and abdominal muscles.

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. The settlement with the FTC is part of a broader agreement, also being announced today resolving a multi-state investigation, which was led by the Tennessee and Ohio Attorneys General Offices and included attorneys general from 42 other states and the District of Columbia.

“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.”

The settlement with the Manhattan Beach, California-based Skechers is part of the FTC’songoing effort to stop overhyped advertising claims, and follows a similar settlement with Reebok International Ltd. last year. The Skechers advertisements challenged by the FTC include:

• A Shape-ups ad telling consumers to “Shape Up While You Walk,” and “Get in Shape without Setting Foot in a Gym,” and claiming that the shoes are designed to promote weight loss and tone muscles. The FTC alleges that Skechers made unsupported claims that Shape-ups would provide more weight loss, and more muscle toning and strengthening than regular fitness shoes.
• Shape-ups ads with an endorsement from a chiropractor named Dr. Steven Gautreau, who recommended the product based on the results of an “independent” clinical study he conducted that tested the shoes’ benefits compared to those provided by regular fitness shoes. The FTC alleges that this study did not produce the results claimed in the ad, that Skechers failed to disclose that Dr. Gautreau is married to a Skechers marketing executive, and that Skechers paid Dr. Gautreau to conduct the study.
• Shape-ups ads featuring celebrities including Kim Kardashian and Brooke Burke. Airing during the 2011 Super Bowl, the Kardashian ad showed her dumping her personal trainer for a pair of Shape-ups. The Burke ad told consumers that the newest way to burn calories and tone and strengthen muscles was to tie their Shape-ups shoe laces.
• 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.

Skechers was the market leader in the toning footwear category. Industry shoe sales peaked in 2010, with sales close to $1 billion. Shape-up fitness shoes, which Skechers introduced in April 2009, cost consumers about $100 a pair. Resistance Runner, Toners, and Tone-ups became available in mid-2010, and retailed for $60 to $100 a pair.

The FTC complaint charges that Skechers violated federal law by making deceptive advertising claims, including falsely representing that clinical studies backed up the claims.

Under the FTC’s settlement, Skechers is barred from making any of the following claims for its toning shoes unless they are true and backed by scientific evidence:

• claims about strengthening;
• claims about weight loss; and
• claims about any other health or fitness-related benefits from toning shoes, including claims regarding caloric expenditure, calorie burn, blood circulation, aerobic conditioning, muscle tone, and muscle activation.

The settlement also bars Skechers from misrepresenting any tests, studies, or research results regarding toning shoes.

www.ftc.gov/skechers gives consumers the basic facts about the Skechers settlement and directs them to file for a refund if they are eligible.

Consumers should carefully evaluate advertising claims for work-out gear and exercise equipment.  For more information see: How’s that Work-out Working Out?  Tips on Buying Fitness Gear.

NOTE:  The Commission files a complaint when it has “reason to believe” that the law has been or is being violated and it appears to the Commission that a proceeding is in the public interest.  The complaint is not a finding or ruling that the defendant has actually violated the law.  The consent decree is for settlement purposes only and does not constitute an admission by the defendant that the law has been violated. Consent decrees have the force of law when approved and signed by the District Court judge.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them.  To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).  The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.  The FTC’s website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics.  Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Betsy Lordan
Office of Public Affairs
202-326-3707

 

CONTACT FOR CONSUMER REFUNDS:

866-325-4186

(FTC File No. 1023069)
(Consumergoods NR)

Hey!

Guess what!!

It’s Wednesday, guys! Time to weigh in. You didn’t think we were going to leave you hanging did you?

Just because we are between challenges doesn’t mean it’s time to rest on your laurels! We’ve got three weigh ins before the next official challenge starts so let’s get to work!

You’s got to have goals, people!

So, what’s it going to be? How are you going to spend the next three weeks?

Are you going to flounder away because there is no official challenge?

Or are you going to set yourself a mini goal and continue toward your bigger goal of HEALTH?

So. First things first. If you’re a weigher, go get on that scale.

Secondly, set some goals. Three weeks is plenty of time to get something D-O-N-E, done!

Thirdly, blog about it. Let us know how it went this week. Let us know what your goals are. Let us know what you had for lunch yesterday. Let us know if you have a pet!

O.K. You get the point. Talk to us! We love hearing from you!!

This past weekend, an opportunity landed in my lap to try out a type a race that I have never done before- a mud race.

What is a mud race?  It’s usually a fun run that includes obstacles of some sort.  The length of the run can vary.  The number of obstacles can vary, but there is ALWAYS mud involved at some point.

You can read my race report here, if you like.

No mind you, I had not trained for this race.  I mean, I still have my running background but I was not prepared for hoisting myself over any kind of obstacle.  My only plan was to have fun and not lose my shorts in the mud pit- mission accomplished!  I did, however, get very very very muddy.

 This was my first time to do a race of this kind, and I LOVED it.  It kind of makes me wish that I had done it sooner.  I vividly remember thinking at one point in the race- this is so much better than straight running, I get to break up the monotony of running with obstacles- yippee!!!!  It was harder in some respects, since I was using different muscles for the obstacles and then a different set for the running/hiking.

Now, I want to do more, especially given my hate disdain dislike of HOT RUNNING.

Since I am no longer a Mud Run virgin, I am anxious to find another run to do in my area and soon.  ’Tis the season for mud!

I did a quick google search on Mud Races and was surprised on the number of options out there.

• Muddy Buddy
• Spartan Race
• Tough Mudder
• The Original Mud Run
• Diva Dash
• Survivor Mud Run
• Warrior Dash

This is by no means the entire list- just a beginning. Also, I’ve heard of Zombie Runs, Urban Adventure Races, Foam Fest 5K’s.

So go ahead. Try it, you just might like it.  I did!

Tell me – what fun races have you done?!

As I was sitting around thinking about what to write, I realized that I’ve been going through my closet a lot lately. Which made me think of this post I wrote a couple years back. It’s definitely still pertinent, so take another look, if you please.

image courtesy of Dee West

While clothes may not make the woman, they certainly have a strong effect on her self-confidence – which, I believe, does make the woman.Mary Kay Ash (1915 – 2001)

What’s in your closet? Right now. Need to check? Go ahead, I’ll wait…
…………………………………..

Did you look? Cool. So what’s in your closet? Did you answer clothes or did you answer saboteurs? Can you tell the difference? Am I making any sense at all or have you already stopped reading?

Let me explain. But wait, one more question. How many clothing sizes do you have in your closet? Do you have categories (fat clothes, skinny clothes, good clothes, etc)? O.K., that was 2 questions. Sorry. But anyway, if you have several sizes of clothes or more than one “weight category”, it’s time to clean house (or closet).

If you have clothes that are too big for you hanging in your closet, you need to get rid of them. That’s right. Toss ‘em. Nothing is a bigger saboteur then thinking there might ever be a time when you would need those clothes again. You are giving yourself permission to gain the weight back. And you are sending little subliminal messages that you don’t believe in yourself enough to keep it off. So go get a big garbage bag and get rid of them. You can donate them to a local charity. You can sell them on Ebay. Heck, you can start a bonfire with them if it will make you feel better. Just get rid of them.

And the same goes for clothes that are too small. Sure, they can give you something to work towards, but don’t you think you deserve new stuff once you hit your goal weight? When I was helping my sister purge her closet, I told her that she could choose 2 pieces that were too small for her. She hung those on the back of her door and they became her motivation. The rest of it she bagged up and donated. She thought that she would miss them, but she actually felt some pressure being taken off that she didn’t have half a closet full of clothes that didn’t fit her.

Holding on to clothes that don’t fit is just one more mental hurdle that you need to cross on your road to weight loss.If they’re too big, they’re holding you back. If they’re too small, they’re causing you stress.So toss ‘em.

Leave a comment to let us know if you’ve gotten rid of anything lately. Was it hard? Easy? Do you feel better about it now or did you go rooting through the trash the next day to get it out? Let us know!

If you are anything like me, it’s hard to find the time in a busy day for exercise. The month of May is manic for me. We have seven family birthdays. The last month of preschool gets really crazy. We have preschool olympics (which I love) but, it takes so much planning and getting ready for. The actual day itself is awesome, but so exhausting. We have preschool graduation. Another major event (that I also love) that requires tons of planning and work. The list goes on and on. Finding the time and the energy to exercise sometimes becomes a real challenge.

I still try really hard to make my night classes three times a week. I try to do something at home every morning. But…sometimes it is a real struggle. What I have learned in the last few weeks is how to get the workout in and not use a huge chunk of time. I’ve learned that mini workouts are just as effective. Here’s a list of some of the things that I have been doing.

1. When I am waiting for one of the preschoolers in the bathroom, which is quite often, I do push ups against the wall or I walk back and forth in the hallway.

2. When I am sitting at my desk working on something, I’ll pick a muscle and clench tight, hold and release. I do it over and over.

3. I park in a faraway parking place at work and at the store instead of a close spot.

4. If I am watching tv, I do push ups, sit ups or wall sits during the commercial breaks.

5. I wear my pedometer every day and set my goal for at least 10,000 steps. I don’t take it off at night until I reach my goal. If I only have 9000 steps, I’ll hit the treadmill for a few minutes or just walk around the house till I hit 10,000.

6. On weather permitting days, I finish my lunch hour with a quick walk. The road behind my building goes down a hill, across a parking lot and up another hill. I walk that little stretch for five or ten minutes. The hills make it a little tougher than just walking.

7. I fit in a quick 20. While I’m cooking dinner or waiting to change the laundry, I’ll drop down and do 20 sit ups or push ups. The push ups you can do against the wall, if you want.

8. I’ve started taking the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.

9. I do the monthly workout that Melissa has been doing for us. They don’t take that long and they are amazing exercises.

10. This isn’t an exercise tip, but every day I fill a 64 ounce water jug and don’t go to bed until it is empty. I have to confess that most days I drink more than that, but I started with the 64 ounces and it makes a huge difference in the way I feel.

If you give this a try, you’ll see that at the end of the day you’ll have added lots of extra exercise minutes into your day without really trying too hard. It’s quick and almost painless. If I can do it, anyone can do it! Remember how important it is to take care of yourself. Look at every moment as an opportunity to be fit, healthy, and strong!

Finale? Really?! Where has the time gone? I might be having a minor panic attack when I think about the fact that May is already half over and the kids are going to be done with school in two weeks.

We have been Springing into Action for the past several weeks. Remember back on Day One when we discussed our Action Plans?

Analyze your goals – decide what you want to accomplish over the next 6 weeks.
Commit to a plan – how are you going to achieve your goals? Put it on the calendar!
Track your progress – Journal, journal, journal. Whether it’s on your blog or on paper.
Inspire yourself and others – Supporting other people will inspire you to do your best.
Overcome your fears – Face them head on, and realize you’re strong and can do anything.
Never give up – Enough said. Quitting is not an option.

Did you stick with your plan? Have you seen success and reached your goal? Tell us about it in the comments below or by blogging and leaving a link to your post!

We have been busy kicking-ass in April and building mad muscles in May! Are you enjoying the monthly workouts? Are there certain areas you would like to see targeted in upcoming workouts?

Stay tuned for a new, fresh challenge coming your way June 1st! Details coming soon!

Keep checking in every Wednesday! We love to stay in the loop with our readers!

I’m sitting here wondering what the heck I can toot my horn about about I’m drawing a blank.  Isn’t that sad?!  I’ve already *tooted* in the past about running, the building of our house and the like- what else is there?!

Well of course, there is so much more.

I want to toot about other stuff.

Like, the fact that I want to Las Vegas 1.5 weekends ago with one of my BFF’s and we had the absolute best time duh.  The best part about that trip wasn’t the obvious- sitting by the pool for hours, or wearing pretty dresses and make-up, or dancing the night away.  Vegas taught me about being me…..well, really, it just gave me a reminder that I very much needed.  It also reinforced for me how much I love my family.

Oh, oh oh.  I just thought of another one.  I’ve *upped* the weights in the weightlifting class that I take twice a week.  I still don’t squat, lunge or curl as much as some of you, BUT I am stronger.  I can especially tell how much stronger my *butt* muscles are when I am running.  Running feels even better now that I am strengthening my entire body.  SCORE!!!!

Speaking of running, the other day I ran a mile in 10:50, which again is slow for some of you but fast for me.  I was a dripping, sweaty mess (hello HOT running!) but I felt awesome awesome awesome as I pushed myself.

Lastly, I will be 40 years old next week and I am fairly certain I don’t look 40.  More than that, I feel the healthiest I have ever been in my life and the strongest mentally.  I can’t ask for much more than that, can I?

What about you? Are you ready to toot away?  Please do in the comments below!

The final bell of school is getting ready to ring, and that means plenty of fun summer road trips! Plan ahead to make sure when you stop to fill up the tank, that’s all you’re filling up! What is it about gas stations that says Hey! It’s okay to grab some of those 2/$1.00 candy bars, a few of those hot dogs on the turn-y thing, and while you’re at it, get a 4,000 ounce slushie, too!

Do me a favor, pack these quick and easy snacks, pay at the pump, and avoid a huge road trip disaster!

1. Nuts! Who’s not nuts for nuts? Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and pecans are your best bet. And, no corn-nuts don’t count! If you’re looking for something a little sweet, try the cocoa-dusted almonds – they’re divine!
2. Dried fruit. Raisins, cranberries, apricots, peaches, the possibilities are endless.
3. Blueberries. Totally portable and non-messy! Really, any berry is a great idea.
4. Cherry tomatoes. Once you pop ‘em, you can stop.
5. Baby carrots. Keep your eyes focused on the road with carrots!
6. String cheese. The kids will love this!
7. Energy bars. Think Lara Bars, Clif Zbars, or even mini-Luna Bars (my fave).
8. Bananas. Nature’s perfect road trip food.
9. Sandwiches. Pre-make some peanut butter, banana, and honey sandwiches. Cut into quarters and you’re ready for the road.
10. Hard boiled eggs. Peel them before you pull out, and you’ll have a great protein boost when you need it.
11. PopChips! If you must have chips, these are a great way to satisfy that craving.
12. Grapes. Like bananas, grapes were made for road trips.
13. Suckers. Sometimes you really just need something sweet. Try Yummy Earth organic suckers – sweet, healthy, and totally portable. My favorite is Very, Very Cherry. The organic Hot Chili Pops are fun, too!
14. Yogurt. We don’t recommend you try this while driving, but for those pit stops for pictures, a single-serve cup of yogurt is a great idea.
15. Water! Yes, you definitely want to stay hydrated on the road!

By the time you read this post, I will be on my very own road trip – our end-of-year school trip! Packed in my bag and cooler, I have 11 of the 15 ideas I have listed above!

Tell us you favorite healthy snacks for road trips!

Breakfast has never been a priority for me.

Like, ever.

Honestly, I can remember as far back as middle school, trying to skip breakfast. And it wasn’t because I was dieting or anything. I was just too busy or not hungry or whatever. Like I said, it just wasn’t a priority.

As an adult, I know that breakfast is important. The most important meal of the day. But I still find that I’ll blink and it’s already 11 am and all I’ve had is a pot of coffee. It’s so bad. I mean, the kids have been fed, sometimes twice (breakfast and snack) and here I am, subsisting on a few stray goldfish and caffeine.

Of course, lunchtime rolls around and I’m ravenous. And it all snowballs. Spoonful of peanut butter while I’m making sandwiches for the kids lunch. A handful of animal crackers. The string cheese I keep trying to feed my four year old that I know he won’t eat but I keep trying anyway (probably so I can finish it).

And then I eat lunch.

Basically, I’m digging myself in a hole, nutrition wise.

I’m sure I’m not alone.

So, why is breakfast so important? First of all, it’s the fuel that helps your brain function. This piece of information should be enough to get me on the breakfast bandwagon. Cause my mommy brain has reached ridiculous levels of forgetfulness.

Also? People who skip breakfast are 75% more likely to be overweight than those who don’t.

HELLO?!

You might be wondering, what exactly is an ideal breakfast (I was)?

Here it is: 53% carbs, 27% fat, 20% protein. You want to aim for 25 to 30% of your daily calories at breakfast – if you’re trying to lose, that’s about 400, if you’re maintaining, 500, and if you’re very active, 625.

You may have every excuse in the book as to why you’re a breakfast skipper – too busy, not hungry, saving calories for a splurge later in the day – but the bottom line is that skipping your morning meal is terrible for YOUR BOTTOM LINE.

How can you make breakfast work for you? Here are a few ideas:

- Be prepared. Keep individual baggies of frozen fruit in the freezer so you can chuck it in the blender with some greek yogurt and psyllium husks for a quick smoothie.

- Keep it simple. Whole grain toast topped with natural peanut butter and 1/2 banana. Done. That takes all of three minutes. You have three minutes, right?

- Nosh on leftovers. Breakfast doesn’t have to be ‘breakfast’ food.  Heat up last night’s quinoa and vegetables. Your body will just be thrilled to be getting fuel.

- Keep an emergency stash. So you ran out the door without grabbing anything for breakfast…but you remember you have a little bag of almonds and dried apricots in your bag. Try to keep a small meal in your purse or your car that you can fall back on in a pinch.

- When you feed your kids, feed yourself. Obviously this only applies if you actually have children (though you could use your pets as a cue as well). I try to sit down and eat with my children in the morning. It forces me to slow down and fuel myself, and also sets a good example.

I’ve been making an effort to eat breakfast daily, and I have to say I feel much better when I do – and I notice my children eat better when I sit down and eat with them.

So, are you a breakfast eater? If so, what are your go-to eats? If not, what’s your excuse? Spill in the comments!

In the grand scheme of life, breaking a toe doesn’t seem like that big of a deal. I mean, it’s a toe. But waddling around in this little post-op shoe of mine seems to elicit the stories from people. I’ve heard about people breaking their own toes. I’ve heard about family members breaking their toes. I’ve gotten personal stories from mother, my pastor, and a teacher at the kids school.

And when people don’t have broken toe stories to tell, they have broken leg, broken arm, sprained ankle, bum knee, surgery, and hangnail stories to tell.

At some point in your life, you will probably be met with some sort of injury. Whether it’s a big injury or small, chronic or acute, injuries just suck the life right out of you and your training. It will undoubtedly mess with your head. Runner’s World even wrote an article likening the stages of injury to the stages of grief.

But there are ways to make it through an injury with hopefully more than a shred of your sanity intact. I took the following information from the article The Emotional Side of Running Injuries written by Christine Luff from About.com. This is just a small snippet of the whole article, so be sure to click on through to read the whole thing. She writes specifically about running injuries, but I feel the process can cover ANY activity you do.

1. See it as an opportunity – Work on your weaknesses.
2. Stay active – Talk to your doctor about recommendations for safe cross-training activities.
3. Seek out other stress relievers – Pick up some magazines, books, or a crossword puzzle.
4. Don’t abandon running altogether – Get involved in other ways, such as volunteering at a race or cheering on your friends.
5. But find other outlets, too – Doing something that isn’t part of your regular routine will help you appreciate the time off from running
6. Think positive – An optimistic outlook will help speed up your recovery.
7. Look toward the future – you’ll appreciate being healthy and running comfortably much more when you come back.

While an injury may take the wind out of your sails, it doesn’t mean the end of the world. The recovery process will end and you will eventually get back to exercising at your normal level.