Perusing monthly health and fitness magazines is a great way to stay motivated when it comes to taking care of yourself. The pages are full of nutritious recipes, fitness tips, challenging strength training exercises, details about new fitness gear, and answers to burning health questions.

I love that there are dozens of health mags geared toward everyone from runners, to health nuts, to yogis, to gym rats. Recently, I asked which magazine was your favorite, and the one with the most votes was Women's Health. Tied for second and third place were Self and Shape.

Women's Health is one of my favorites too, because it satisfies my need for tidbits about the nutritional benefits of certain foods, tips on proper form when exercising, and ways to intensify my workouts so I get more effective results. Month after month, it's jam-packed with valuable info and I always come away feeling motivated to cook up a new veggie dish or try out something new at the gym. If you're looking for a last-minute gift idea, a subscription to any health magazine will be appreciated all year long.