FLIP-FLOP freaks, it?s time to get the most out of endless shopping, tiangge-hopping and bargain hunting.

Tone those bums and shape up your legs with one of Oprah?s top picks for summer?the Fitflops.

Introduced in 2007, Fitflop is a multitasking footwear that claims to be ?the flip-flops with the gym built in it.? It has allowed women in the US and Europe to work out while they walk.

?It?s a fashionable alternative if you don?t have time to work out,? said David Goulding, Fitflops LTD vice president for international sales. ?The result varies per individual, like any exercise.?

First-time users are advised not to use Fitflops daily to avoid soreness?pretty much like going to the gym?until their bodies have adjusted to them as everyday wear.

Fitflops were featured in Australian Vogue as a summer must-have. It has also graced the pages of Marie Claire UK, Harper?s Bazaar UK and Newsweek, and Julianne Moore and Jennifer Garner have been spotted sporting them.

Ergonomic chic

So what?s so special about these flip-flops? It has a study to back up its hype. A London Southbank University research says Fitflops, indeed, helps one stay in shape.

British creator Marcia Kilgore worked with universities, reflexologists and footwear manufacturers in the UK to come up with a fitness solution for busy women.

The one-time personal trainer and cosmetics tycoon wanted something that could take girls from the grocery to the beach and allow them to run errands, do carpools, shop, plan a party with precision?all these while combating cellulite. Plus, it had to look nice, of course.

Fitflops boasts patented multidensity micro-wobbleboard midsoles and three distinct shoe hardness of EVA foam in a single-fused underfoot piece. The entire design creates tension in the muscles, thus toning the butt, thigh and legs.

A pair requires 15 percent more energy to walk on, and the cushioned heel area absorbs 36 percent more shock than regular footwear.

Apart from being comfy, Fitflops are also said to help ease back pain and leg swelling, improve posture, absorb pressure and promote proper walking, said Dr. Victor Gaddi of St. Luke?s Hospital.

They are not for running, though. They?re an alternative to the usual flip-flops that we love to use for leisure and work.

The new sneakers?

With Fitflops costing as much as a pair of funky cross trainers, will Pinays buy them over trusty ?ol rubber shoes?

In fact, they?ve sold surprisingly well since first becoming available in July this year, said brand associate Melody Nubla: ?It may seem expensive at first, but it?s an investment with great benefits. It helps you burn calories. Some people even buy them in all colors.?

A pair is said to remain bouncy for a year or more, depending on how often you use it. Many on-the-go mommies are getting Fitflops, said Nubla, and with a new collection coming up twice a year, yuppies are expected to take up the trend, too.

Some models are completely washable. For the more kikay collection like the sequined and fringed ones, the straps can be wiped clean and the foot bed and soles washed to keep them fresh.

Hitting the malls may never be this rewarding for your hips, so go get a pedicure, try on Fitflops and get an endorphin high from walking. And, oh, the men?s line is coming this December?a thoughtful gift idea for the active guy in your life.

Fitflops are available in Res|Toe|Run in TriNoma, Ayala Cebu, Gateway and Robinsons Galleria; Shoe Salon; The Spa; ROX; and selected Bratpack stores.