Review of Women’s Fitness – 9/10

The March and April copies of Women’s Fitness were being given away for free in my gym earlier this week. All the copies were taken within a couple of days, and having browsed through the magazine, I can see why – it’s a great, value-packed read.

The sections cover

• Features (such as “Saving graces – Style on a budget”, “Hills and thrills – Our guide to outdoor pursuits” and “Catch your breath – Are you breathing correctly?”)
• Regulars (such as a Letters page, and fillers: the latest food news and must-have items)
• Exercise (practical “how-to”s, and motivational articles)
• Health (mental and physical)
• Nutrition (with solid science-packed articles such as “Too good to be true? – All about low-fat foods” as well as the regular “Healthy bites” and “Diet dilemmas”)

Overall, the magazine is a great mix of practical advice, quick ideas, latest news and interviews with real women. I was especially pleased to see an emphasis on a healthy lifestyle over simply losing weight – the article writers were clear about the need to consume enough calories, especially when exercising.

The magazine is probably suited to the intermediate to advanced exerciser – beginners who are at a low fitness level might find “Get triathlon fit – Be prepared for the ultimate challenge” a bit daunting!

The only things I disliked was a slight over-emphasis on advertising and products, and a rather busy visual layout with small text, sometimes with a poor contrast between text and background colour. I probably wouldn’t buy this every month, but only because one issue has enough content to keep me going a good while. And if you’re keen on escaping the office life, track down a copy of the March issue, which has a guide to careers in fitness… (just don’t stop reading The Office Diet if you do find a new job!)