A positive influence, June 11, 2003

By	FrKurt Messick "FrKurt Messick" (Bloomington, IN USA) - See all my reviews

Alas, in each issue there is at least one article on 'how to drop five pounds this week' or 'how to lose 10 pounds by Easter' -- these look like they'll work and seem very reasonable, but I cannot comment on their effectiveness (would that I were able to!). I can comment on the effectiveness of time management, basic financial planning, and exercise routine advice -- these have worked for me. In fact, I credit many of the articles in this magazine with helping me to plan a graceful exit from my old job and into my new self-employment career and graduate school/seminary endeavour, by illustrating stories and giving useful advice.

There are also fun things, too, like a recent issue's back-page article on how to effectively tan, by the tan-master himself, George Hamilton. Do you know how to tie a bow-tie? This magazine had an article showing that, too.

This is not an 'in-depth' magazine, but then again, it doesn't pretend to be. Many of us work and live in a world that doesn't permit time-consuming research and consideration of essays on health and fitness, unless we are professional in that field. Thus, magazines like this fill a need. So far as health and fitness magazines are concerned, this one is a good one -- many magazines are veiled soft-core erotica. Men's Health does not avoid the topic of sex, but doesn't overplay it the way many do.

The magazine has a good graphic sense to it -- it illustrates the physical things discussed in photographs without as much embellishment as many other fitness magazines. Comparing this to several others on the magazine rack, it is understated, has less flash and more substance in the articles.

Definitely worth a look!