Contestants walk across a stage in evening gowns and are judged on their style and flair -- but it's not a traditional beauty contest.

They also appear in swimsuits and are rated on their bodies' symmetry and muscle definition, though it's by no means a body-building competition.

In the decade or so since the fitness craze first swept across this particular part of the world, the idea of total physical wellness as an attainable goal for people has become an ingrained part of the culture, and it was only a matter of time before some shrewd marketer seized on the ideal and put it on stage for display.

One of the results -- the proliferation of "fitness competitions'' in the United States and Canada -- has filtered down to Bermuda, which last year saw the first-ever Ms Fitness Bermuda contest take place, at the Sonesta Beach Hotel.

That contest, which was put on by International Fitness Pros, a local personal training and fitness retailing firm, was won by Police Officer Georgia Belboda, who, in an attempt to retain her title, joins seven other contestants next month for the second annual showdown.

Unlike either traditional beauty pageants or standard body-building competitions, the Ms Fitness Bermuda contest, which will this year be held at Hamilton City Hall on August 13, is a sober, even wholesome affair, stressing moderation over excess, strength and endurance over showiness and size.

"We do not want,'' this year's directive to contestants says in a typical show of the fitness contest philosophy, "the muscle mass, ripped-to-the-bone striated look or vascularity of a body-builder. Contestants should appear to have constructed their physiques through proper diet and fitness training.'' Adds Mr. Deverae Noel-Simmons, an employee at International Fitness Pros: "The purpose of these competitions is to show that athletic women can be beautiful, that they have a presence and strength about them. Contrary to what people may think, they are not no-brains. Many have degrees and some even compete while they're in school.'' Indeed, one would generally need a degree in some field like exercise physiology, which Mr. Noel-Simmons does, to sort through the various food and exercise requirements that confront the average competitor.

In addition to following, for example, a regular training schedule that includes exercises in the building of strength, flexibility and endurance -- a contestant may combine, say, martial arts and weight training to achieve the desired results -- competitors in the Ms Fitness Bermuda contest must also keep a watchful eye on their food intake to realise the "reasonable levels of body fat'' and "clean, tight lines'' of muscle that usually determines a winner.

"Nutrition,'' Mr. Noel-Simmons said, "is 75 percent of the battle. As the saying goes, you are what you eat, and diet is going to determine how they look.'' In most instances a contestant's diet, which is usually modified a few months before competition, will incorporate proteins to help build muscle, carbohydrates to furnish energy and invariably little fat.

Needless to say, the regimens that are followed before such shows will inevitably depend on the particular needs and objectives of the contestants, who come in a wide range of body types, ages and sizes.

(Generally, fitness competitions, including the Ms Fitness Bermuda contest, are open to women aged 17 to 40. Fitness contests for men, common enough in other parts of North America and Europe, have yet to be seen on these shores.) "Fitness competitors stem from everywhere,'' said Mr. Noel-Simmons, whose firm is providing guidance to some of next month's hopefuls. "Track and field, ice skating, ballet. Some of the top fitness competitors are ex-gymnasts, others are police officers. They can come from anywhere.'' Indeed, this year's field of eight Ms Fitness Bermuda contestants does constitute an eclectic bunch, including as it does an ex-gymnast, a nail technician, a local athletic club owner and a former Bermuda Follies dancer.

Consequently, the contest is more or less in keeping with other fitness competitions in that it allows for all kinds of women to participate in the proceedings, the idea being that athleticism and beauty are not the exclusive domain of the statuesque Nordic beauties who traditionally populate such events.

"We try to make the competition very rounded,'' Mr. Noel-Simmons said, pointing out that contestants, many of whom are petite in stature, will nonetheless be required to give a 30-second discourse on their pasts and fitness philosophies in the traditional evening gowns.

"In this round,'' next month's competitors have been directed, "be individual. We urge style, flair and overall beauty.'' Following that, contestants will be required to show off their physiques -- hopefully tightly muscled and appropriately symmetrical -- while appearing onstage in a swimsuit.

During the third and last phase of the contest, competitors must perform a 90-second fitness routine, incorporating any talent or interest they may have and demonstrating flexibility, endurance and strength.

"If they don't demonstrate any of these,'' Mr. Noel-Simmons said, "they are deducted some major points.'' In the position to deduct those points this year will be a five-person panel of judges that includes former Ms Fitness USA Ms Marla Duncan, Chicago fitness competitor Ms Ranita Harris and Bermudian bodybuilder Mr. Ian Bronson.

Amateur judges, meanwhile, can choose their own favourites by buying tickets for the contest at the Olympic Club, one of five sponsors of the event, or by calling 295-9556.

Tickets cost $35 if purchased in advance or $40 at the door. Reserved seating in the first three rows of City Hall Theatre can also be obtained for $40 to $50.