"It's human nature to gravitate toward shortcuts," says Cedric Bryant, the president and CEO of the American Council on Exercise.

Those shortcuts sound nice, but the research on many of them is limited, and where it does exist, it's often conducted or paid for by the companies selling the products.

"The concern with all of these gadgets is that, similar to supplements for weight loss and health benefits, there is no, or at least very little, data and strong comprehensive studies that show, yes, this is going to be beneficial," says Jessica Bartfield, a clinical associate professor of weight management at Wake Forest University's School of Medicine.

ACE has commissioned research institutions to test the claims of many of these low-effort, heavily marketed products, Bryant says, and for the most part, they've found many offer marginal benefit at best. And none are a substitute for a comprehensive, regular program of physical activity. "The science behind most of these products is weak, often anecdotal, and almost always overhyped," he says.

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