Sketcher Shape Ups – Do they work?
Over the past several months I have seen lots of advertisement for the Sketcher Shape Ups. In a nutshell these shoes (and others like it) have an unstable sole that makes you work to keep your balance. This is supposed to help you tone up, lose weight, improve posture just by putting these shoes on! Sounds fantastic right?
It all seems ridiculous to me. How is increasing the caloric burn of walking going to help someone. Walking isn’t a great way to lose fat and get in shape. It’s walking for crying out loud.
Luckily the people at ACE (American Council of Exercise) have published a study (performed right here in La Crosse at UW-L) that shows otherwise.
Here’s a synopsis:
- No, they don’t help you get a better body
- They don’t show more muscle activation than regular shoes
- You are an idiot for spending that much money ($100-$245) for a pair
It amazes me the quick fixes people try to get in shape. It’s called exercise for a reason. If it’s easy then it’s not exericise.
If you want to lose fat and get in shape, then do full body and full range of motion exercises.
See this post for more info.
Have a wonderful day and be fit!
How long does it take to lose weight ? Been wearing them for a month
Hey Will – Sorry for the late reply, but thanks for the questions. The answer is Sketcher Shape Ups will not accelerate weight loss at all. The soles are soft and feel unstable so they feel like you are getting a workout, but realize that you are just walking. If you haven’t done a lot of walking and now are, then you will lose weight. However, you would lose the same amount no matter what shoes you have on. If you want to lose weight you need to kick up the intensity and start some resistance training. Walking and jogging are inefficient and should be your last resort.