It’s that time of year when everyone is thinking about what they are going to do to achieve their new body in the New Year. There are a ton of options available but today let’s focus on just one.

The Rockered Shoes

You know the ones with the rounded soles for toning your legs and bottom. Companies like Skechers, New Balance, Reebok and others have celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Joe Montana singing their praises.  Of course, they are paid to do it and they were already in shape before using them.

The question is do these eye sores actually work?

Kim Kardashian says YES!

But what does the research say?

Four separate studies conducted at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, University of Nevada, the University of Puget Sound in Washington and the University of Calgary have reached the same conclusion…No.

The increased muscle recruitment and calorie burning from walking on rounded sole shoes does NOT significantly differ from that produced by ordinary walking or athletic footwear.

From my experience most people gauge whether something works or not by whether they “feel it the next day”.

If your goal is fat loss and muscle definition then measuring body composition (changes body fat and muscle), girth measurements and photos are the best methods for determining effectiveness.

If the goal is to get sore and “feel it the next day” then go by that. I’m betting thats not the goal though.