Reebok EasyTone shoes

I'll put on my figure-toning shoes and walk to the nearest buffet.

That mentality is one of the biggest potential drawbacks surrounding the newest footwear obsession, Reebok EasyTone shoes.

The shoes promise to tone your legs and butt while you walk, thanks to a "slight instabililty" that "forces your muscles to work a little harder."

It's not the first time we've seen something like this -- Sketchers offers a similar model -- but EasyTone has attracted lots of attention with its sex-driven, quasi-controversial ad campaign.

I'm incredibly intrigued by the shoes, which cost about $100. Nonetheless, I can't help worrying they'll lead to an increase in this line: "I don't have to work out today, because I wore my special shoes."

Which is kind of scary, given the conclusion reached on exercise shoes in a recent Wall Street Journal article: "Short-term data show wearing the shoes makes some muscles work harder, but so far there's no rigorous evidence that they speed weight loss."

Even if these shoes really tone muscles, they can't be used as a substitute for exercise since they seem to only work a very concentrated part of your body.

So if mass public interest continues to follow EasyTone, we might end up with a country of women with really toned legs, but giant arms and guts.

Totally hot.