20 Things That Make Experience Life Different

People sometimes ask me what makes Experience Life so special, particularly in a field of health, fitness and lifestyle magazines that tend to look and feel a lot a like. It’s hard to know where to start, because frankly, it’s a bunch of things.

I talk about some of them in the video above (from my May, 2014 cover shoot and profile), and I recently stumbled across this mighty list I wrote up a while back, titled “20 Things That Makes Experience Life Different,” that offers even more reasons:

1. We are a thinking person’s health and fitness magazine. Smart, inquisitive, well-researched, practical, in-depth. We know our three million readers are well-educated, successful, busy women and men (65/35; median age 41), so we never waste their time or insult their intelligence with fluff and dumbed-down nonsense.

2. We’re for real. No gimmicks, no hype. We’re the most authentic, practical, relevant magazine in our category. We’re also the most unique — totally unlike any other health-focused publication on newsstands today.

3. We see health in a whole-person, whole-life context. Not just diet and exercise, but emotional, mental, social and spiritual wellbeing. If it affects health, happiness and quality of life, we cover it.

4. We are on the leading edge. We strongly appeal to the trend-setting Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) market segment, a $200+ billion U.S. marketplace for goods and services focused on health and fitness, sustainable living, personal development, and social justice. Our audience actually skews more health-dedicated, better educated and more affluent that the typical LOHAS consumer.

5. We understand the challenges people face in getting and staying healthy. We known they are struggling with time limitations, stress, misinformation, missing skills, lack of consistent motivation and support, and the influences of an unhealthy culture — and we address all those obstacles head-on.

6. We go deep. We push beyond the typical blurbs, superficial tips and sound bites to cover complex health issues, emerging research, sensitive topics and the finer points of important stories that many other magazines ignore or gloss over.

7. We believe in whole, clean, natural foods. We help our readers understand their value, and discover the best ways to enjoy them. We tell the truth about ingredients and chemical additives we think are bad news, and we don’t pander to processed-food advertisers. We’re less focused on fat, carbs, grams and calories than on optimal nutrition and wellbeing.

8. We meet our readers where they are. Whether they are just starting out on their healthy-living journey or deeply invested in hardcore fitness pursuits, we evolve with them as they develop their healthy passions and practices.

9. Our readers don’t just “just flip through” our pages — they read.

• A third of our readers spend more than an hour with each issue (average time: 48 minutes), and many say they devour each issue cover-to-cover.
• More than half say Experience Life is among their favorite magazines. Almost 70 percent share each issue with others.
• 83 percent say they took some action in the past year as a result of reading the magazine.

10. We have earned our readers’ trust and engagement. Since 2001, our discerning readers have counted on us for their health wisdom, and appreciated our points of difference. Here’s a sample of some recent comments:

“With all the so-called health magazines out there, I believe that your magazine is one of the few truly authentic ones.”

“This magazine is absolutely phenomenal. In fact, it may be the single best publication I have ever read. Each element of wellbeing, from meditation to exercise, is addressed in a thoughtful, balanced way.”

“Thank you for being a unique publication that provides many ideas to improve one’s wellbeing. It’s not just a magazine, it’s a guide to living a good life!”

11. We’ve got a serious commitment to quality, accuracy and scientific rigor. We read whole studies (not just headlines and abstracts), we question conclusions, and go directly to the scientific experts for insight. The country’s most forward thinking and best-respected doctors think we are getting it right:

“Experience Life magazine offers practical insights into the major health challenges that all Americans face. The writing is compelling and the message has impact. Reading the magazine is time well spent.”
—Mehmet Oz, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon, host of the Dr. Oz show, best-selling author of the YOU series and Oprah regular.

“Experience Life delivers practical knowledge at the leading edge of health, nutrition and medicine in ways that inform and delight. If you want to read the best magazine in health and wellness today, read Experience Life.”
—Mark Hyman, MD, functional medicine pioneer and New York Times bestselling author of UltraMetabolism and The UltraMind Solution

“I am continually impressed with the quality of Experience Life’s integrative health coverage, and their authentic passion for changing their readers’ lives. There is no smarter, better health and fitness magazine out there today.”
—Frank Lipman, MD, sustainable wellness advocate and author of Revive: Stop Feeling Spent and Start Living Again.

12. We’ve got our feet on the ground. We don’t idolize supermodels or obsess about uber-celebrities who are living lifestyles of the rich and famous. We prefer to focus on accomplished, admirable, interesting people with whom we and our readers have more in common — folks who share our values and inspire our readers to think bigger about what a healthy way of life is all about.

13. We’re not afraid to be out ahead. We regularly (and accurately) cover important health issues years before our competitive set, and break important stories before they hit conventional news outlets. We were 10 years ahead of most media in reporting the scientific reality of saturated fats and the non-danger of dietary cholesterol. We covered the microbiome before Michael Pollan did. Positive psychology, mindfulness, detox, interval training, Paleo? We’ve been all over that for many, many years.

14. We’re well-researched. Our writers and editors go in search of solid studies and informed experts to make sure they understand (and can stand behind) every angle and assertion in our articles. We hire actual fact-checkers to double-fact-check every article.

15. We’re out to change lives for the better. Our intent is clear and focused, and its something you can feel the moment you pick up the magazine. Readers often write us love letters on the basis of our mission-driven difference.

16. We’re a feel-good experience. We don’t preach at our readers, shame them or “should” them. We don’t cultivate their insecurities. We invite them to think about their highest choices, their most positive vision, and we support them in achieving the goals that matter to them.

17. We’re tireless. We’ve been making this magazine for more than 14 years, and we feel like we’re just getting started. No broken-record messages or same-old stories here. Every issue is a fresh discovery, and part of an ongoing, dynamic conversation with our readers.

18. We won’t ever sell out. Our readers’ wellbeing and success is what matters most to us. Our editorial pages are not for sale — which is why our ad pages get the serious consideration, attention and respect they do. We don’t take ads for pharmaceuticals, plastic surgery, diet aids or sodas. But we love championing the brands and products we feel deserve real kudos.

19. We’re the only healthy-living title most of our busy audience ever reads. Our reader research demonstrates that our busy audience is almost entirely non-duplicated. They read virtually no other magazines on a regular basis. They get everything in one place — healthy-eating and cooking, exercise and active adventure, plus advice on stress management, life balance, happiness and more — so, why look elsewhere? If you want to reach our audience, you’re probably not going to reach them via another publication.

20. We’re more than a magazine. We’re a multimedia, multiplatform phenomenon. We leave millions of positive impressions and create community through our dynamic, mobile-friendly Web content and app-based digital edition, plus blogs, audio, video, social media, e-newsletters (with an enviable 24% open rate!), mobile apps, learning programs and destination experiences. We even have our own manifesto (authored by yours truly). You can get the downloadable PDF booklet of that manifesto in exchange for your email at my home page).

So, there you go! Visit ExperienceLife.com and RevolutionaryAct.com to learn more. And please let me know if you’ve got any reasons I missed!