Reebok to Pay Settlement
Over Health Claims
By ANDREW MARTIN
The Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday announced a $25 million settlement with Reebok International, arguing that the sportswear maker’s claims about the benefits of wearing EasyTone and RunTone shoes were not supported by scientific evidence.
The shoes were introduced in 2009 and used “balance ball inspired technology” that, according to Reebok advertising, strengthened hamstring and calf muscles 11 percent more than other walking shoes. Reebok also asserted that the shoes toned a user’s bottom 28 percent better than other shoes. The shoes cost about $100 a pair.
But in a news conference Wednesday morning, David Vladek, director of the F.T.C.’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said Reebok’s evidence to support those assertions was “wholly insufficient.”
“Consumers expected to get a workout, not to get worked over,” he said.
The market for toning shoes in the United States increased to close to $1 billion in 2010 from $17 million in 2008, the F.T.C. said.
Mr. Vladek would not say whether his agency was pursuing investigations against other makers of toning shoes.
Reebok stood by its shoes, saying that despite the settlement the company did not agree with the FTC’s allegations. “We have received overwhelmingly enthusiastic feedback from thousands of EasyTone customers, and we remain committed to the further development of our EasyTone line of products,” the company said in a statement.
Under the settlement, Reebok is barred from making fitness claims about its shoes unless it provides more substantial scientific evidence.
Thank God someone "stepped" up to the plate against these ridiculous claims. Next stop: Sketchers
But in a news conference Wednesday morning, David Vladek, director of the F.T.C.’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said Reebok’s evidence to support those assertions was “wholly insufficient.” 
I recently had the pleasure to review the P90X program created by Tony Horton. Many people ask me what is the background of Tony Horton. Well, he is from a small town in Rhode Island (Westerly) and after graduating from URI he moved to Hollywood to pursue a career in acting. From the best of my knowledge, his background in fitness and nutrition is based on personal experience. Keep in mind, I am not putting him down for not having a formal education in the health and fitness arena. The P90X, as of November of 2010, has sold 3 million copies and sold for an estimated $420 million, quite a successful [home based] program.
Recently, Dr. Oz (my mentor) did a show on the best time to exercise to burn fat. He recommended to exercise in the morning before breakfast, which will encourage fat burning. He is not alone in regards to this recommendation. However, Heidi Skolnik, MS, CDN, FACSM and Andrea Chernus, MS, RD, CDE, authors of the book, "Nutrient Timing for Peak Performance" (2010) disagree. Listen to what they say about this controversial topic.
"Although exercising without eating might seem advantageous, the intensity of your work-out will most likely suffer. Remember that if you train in the morning, you'll have low liver glycogen (stored carbohydrates), and you can quickly deplete muscle glycogen. A number of studies have shown that training without preexercise fuel leads to decreased performance and early fatigue. In Tokmakidis' (2008) trial, athletes were able to run 12.8 percent longer with pre-exercise fuel as opposed to in a fasted state. What you might gain in fat burning, you lose in increasing your fitenss and your ability to burn fat at higher intensity levels all the time. Additionally, working out a lower intensity to burn more fat actually means you will most likely burn fewer calories, a short-sighted plan at best." 
