Whether you're hunting for fitness information or fitness inspiration, some fitness magazines are worth a closer look.

        In a one-day survey of store offerings, I found quite a selection. I also found that men and women generally don't mix in this genre. Fitness magazines are either for men or for women — there's no co-ed here. And the men's versions generally cost more, up to two dollars more on the newstand than their lady counterparts.

        Whatever your reading tastes, fitness magazines can offer useful information and can also keep you supplied with poster people you can post on your fridge to avert you from that second bowl of ice cream (or at least provide interesting reading while you're indulging.)

        Also, in the issues I saw, few minorities were included in the photographs and none on the covers. Here's a sample of what is generally available at most book, grocery or drug stores that have an aisle for magazines:

For women

        SHAPE (Weider Publications Inc.; $2.99; subscription, $14.97 for 12 issues) This magazine combines two worlds — style and fitness — together under one cover. Besides the fashion, makeup and product ads, there's a nice dose of healthy lifestyle choices including diet (and recipes), exercise (six articles in the November issue), and other topics such as relaxation techniques and massage. Fun reading and worth keeping for reference when you're done. www.shape.com

        Fitness (mind, body & spirit) (Gruner & Jahr USA Publishing; $2.99; subscription, $13.97 for 12 issues). More focused strictly on fitness, this magazine is big on healthy diet and the mental aspects of fitness, with spot exercises and fitness products coming in a close second. No fashions here, but plenty of skin cream ads and a few makeup articles. Inspiring bios tell of people who have conquered their fitness fate.

        Energy for Women (Muscle Media, Inc.; $4.99; subscription information not available) New to the newstands, this publication takes an arty approach, with longer articles and plenty of full-page photographs. Also, many of the articles (and nearly all of the ads) seem to be based around the personal successes of patrons of the EAS Body For Life program.The first issue features Cindy Crawford, who must be an EAS believer (or their spokeswoman). Exercise and nutrition is the emphasis here, with no eye-liner in sight. www.energyforwomen.com

For men

        Men's Health (tons of useful stuff) (Rodale Inc.; $3.79; subscription, $24.94 for 10 isues) A men's version of style and fitness, this magazine offers advice on women, fashion trends, food, and health issues, with exercise sprinkled in — including “The Cover-Model Workout” series and “Fitness Tip of the Month.” Generally interesting reading for the health conscious male. www.menshealth.com

        Men's Fitness (when performance counts) (Weider Publications Inc.; $3.99; subscription, $12 for 12 issues). Brought to you by the publishers of SHAPE, the emphasis here leans toward muscle toning (10 articles in the October issue) with cardiovascular features and healthy diet tips scattered throughout. Adding spice are articles such as “Sex on the Web.” Nutritional products dominate the ads (although there's a Budweiser ad on the back cover). www.mensfitness.com

        Exercise & Health (the complete fitness guide for men) (Harris Publications Inc.; $6.95). This magazine gets right to the point — the real reason for fitness is sex! While it may not be the admitted goal of all health enthusiasts, here are articles and photos that support the theory. Between “Erotic Massage” and “Hot Sexwear” in the fall issue, you'll find detailed articles on body building techniques and fitness products. Abs are key in every photo, and nutrition appears solely in pill form. For further guidance, “Ask Dr. Sex” who “answers questions men ponder the most” in every issue.

        Joe Weider's Muscle & Fitness (Weider Publications, Inc.; $5.99; subscription, $34.97 for 12 issues). This is fitness to the extreme, for the man who wants to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger in his prime. To the magazine's credit, it does occasionally feature women trainers and there is even a monthly column called “Body by Betty.” Minority trainers and models are also well represented. The general body-building emphasis of the articles appears to be not so much competition as body transformation. The ads, however, leave little doubt that if you want a little extra help in a bottle, there's plenty of bottles to choose from. www.muscle-fitness.com

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