Shape (magazine)

{{Short description|Fitness magazine}}

{{More citations needed|date=November 2013}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}

{{Infobox magazine

| image_file = Shape Tisdale.jpg

| image_size = 210px

| image_alt =

| image_caption = A cover of Shape, featuring Ashley Tisdale, January 2009

| editor = Liz Vaccariello

| editor_title =

| previous_editor = Tara Kraft

| staff_writer =

| frequency = 10 issues per year

| total_circulation= 1,568,055{{cite web|url=http://abcas3.accessabc.com/ecirc/magtitlesearch.asp|title=eCirc for Consumer Magazines

|work=Audit Bureau of Circulations|access-date=April 28, 2012}}

| circulation_year= December 2011

| category =

| company = Dotdash Meredith

| publisher =

| founded = 1981

| country = United States

| based = Woodland Hills, California

| language = English

| website = {{URL|http://www.shape.com}}

| issn = 0744-5121

}}

Shape (stylized in all caps) is an American monthly fitness magazine started by Weider Publications in 1981,{{cite web|title=Magazines in Alphabetical Order|url=http://guides.library.harvard.edu/schlesinger_womens_magazines|work=Radcliffe Institute|access-date=October 19, 2015}}{{cite web|title=Top 100 U.S. Magazines by Circulation|url=http://www.psaresearch.com/images/TOPMAGAZINES.pdf|work=PSA Research Center|access-date=February 6, 2016|archive-date=November 15, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161115225953/http://www.psaresearch.com/images/TOPMAGAZINES.pdf|url-status=dead}} founded by Christine MacIntyre (a pioneer in women's free weight fitness) and became the number one women's fitness magazine. At that time, Weider Enterprises consisted primarily of the bodybuilding magazine Muscle & Fitness. Joe Weider and Christine MacIntyre had differing views of how to present Shape, Weider endorsing a less journalistic and more commercial approach to articles, MacIntyre endorsing a more academic, doctor-based magazine. Weider also endorsed a sexier approach to editorial while MacIntyre endorsed a healthier look for women, eschewing sexiness in the models and the copy. MacIntyre largely won that battle, editing a magazine that required that every byline have an advanced medical degree,{{clarify|date=May 2015}} that cover models should look healthy rather than sexy, and that sexist language be avoided.{{citation needed|date=May 2015}} Christine MacIntyre was the editor-in-chief until her death in 1987. Tara Kraft is the current editor-in-chief. Shape found a readership based on that formula.

Weider was purchased by American Media in 2002.{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-nov-28-fi-mags28-story.html|title=Enquirer Owner to Buy Weider Publications|date=2002-11-28|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-19}} A German version of Shape is available in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The magazine is also edited in Romania.

On January 28, 2015, it was reported that Shape would be acquired by Meredith Corp. and Fitness, published by the company, would cease publication in May 2015 and be combined with it.Tess Stynes, The Wall Street Journal. [https://www.wsj.com/articles/meredith-to-acquire-shape-magazine-brand-1422458384 "Meredith to Acquire Shape Magazine Brand"] January 28, 2015. Retrieved January 29, 2015.{{cite news|author1=Michael Sebastian|title=Meredith to Acquire Shape Magazine from American Media|url=http://adage.com/article/media/meredith-acquire-shape-magazine-american-media/296855/|access-date=February 6, 2016|work=AdAge|date=January 28, 2015}}