December 31, 2007 — Rejoice. It’s time to fatten up your bank account and slim down your body. Any forthcoming New Year’s resolutions toward those ends will find handy boosts from a host of titles.

If you’re dreading those wannabe makeover crowds that jam health clubs during in January and February only to drop out in March, get your own head start from Women’s Health. A cover package touts a six-month training program to get fit from head to abs to toes, along with a diet focusing on your unique body chemistry. For kicks, there’s a quick workout plan for instant results, as well as a checklist analyzing your body’s unusual habits, urges and peculiarities. And don’t forget the the most important organ - your brain. Use it or lose it with some great workouts to whip your neurons back into shape.

Skip Self’s cover story on Faith Hill, unless you’re into country singers and how they live their lives. Flip through the piles of ad pages and useless fashion tips and start with the story on how to drop a size in a month. The diet is tailored to your personal eating style - big snacker or three hearty meals a day - and asks you to tweak one little habit each day. We also enjoyed the diet plan that boosts your libido and the article on how to burn 100 calories in 10 minutes.

Fitness magazine promises to help you get thin, but the book itself is pretty slim on advice. The cover girl for the most recent issue is tiny Kelly Ripa, who shares her three top fitness tips. The best part of the issue are the features and how-to pictures for various exercise programs and eating plans. We especially liked the story on how to achieve a flat belly. It’s all about the calories, folks.

Unlike fat, money sheds pretty easily. As the economy’s turbulent new year arrives - and options grow slimmer for making money - Forbes offers a menu of likely winners. Its cover package suggests assembling a portfolio that includes outfits that make booze (always a seller in bad times). Prudence underscores all the strategies in the magazine’s annual investment guide, such as trolling for stocks that offer a dividend. The issue also provides some cautionary tales on seemingly attractive bets, such as investing in Poland or India.

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This entry was posted on Monday, December 31st, 2007 at 1:31 pm While Dave was in Money. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.