Macfadden led an illustrious life. A lifelong believer in exercise and healthy eating, he was a personal trainer and physical therapist, created exercise equipment, and authored more than 100 books, most dealing with strength and vitality. He founded the Coney Island Polar Bear Club, was the first to promote body-building competitions (Charles Atlas was a winner of his ""Most Perfectly Developed Man"" contest), and founded the monthly magazine Physical Culture. Personal letters from readers of Physical Culture led to the creation of more Macfadden Magazines - True Romance, True Detective, and Photoplay among them - making him one of the most successful magazine publishers in history.