There's a new service in town that might help. Called FERN (Fitness and Exercise Referral Network), it's run by Patty Hencz, an R.N. and founder of the Northwest Senior Fitness Instructors Association, and Diane Sowinski, a trainer who specializes in seniors and exercising with arthritis. Besides matching individuals to trainers, it aims to support health-care professionals in their efforts to recommend exercise for patients. The service is free to those health-care providers. FERN interviews the fitness providers and charges them to be included in their listings. Clients pay $25 and fill out a detailed questionnaire on their fitness and exercise goals for a referral to a trainer, program, nutrition specialist, coach, etc. For information: 206-525-3475 (ext. 3305), 800-714-6765 or e-mail fern@blnw.com

You mentioned in one of your columns that you have a wooden balance board. I'm interested but can't find one in my area. Can you please give me the name of the manufacturer of your balance board? - I.H.

Our balance board is an old one from France with no markings. TheraTek (206-781-1776 or 800-858-0250) carries one for $50 (item number OPTP402) and the Flaghouse catalog (800-793-7900) has one for $58 (T7211). One like ours might not be too difficult to make; it's simply a 1/2-inch-thick wooden board (18 x 24 inches) with two more-or-less half-balls (3 1/4 x 3 3/4 inches) of wood glued onto the bottom.

My friends and I are trying to decide if a biscotti is a low-fat, low-cal treat or a deceptively high-fat one like muffins? Could you find out what the local coffee hot spots (Starbucks, Tully's, etc.) sell in terms of biscotti calorie counts? I am interested both in the plain almond types as well as the chocolate-covered types. - A.P.

One Vanilla Almond mini-biscotti (14 grams) at Starbucks has 50 calories, 20 of them from fat, which percentage-wise works out to 40 percent, not exactly low-fat. But in terms of total fat, it has just 2.5 grams, not at all out of line for a snack - if you can manage to eat just one. Similar stats for the Chocolate Hazelnut.

Tully's carries larger (50 gram) Dilettante biscotti. One undipped has 205 calories, 90 from fat (44 percent). The dipped has 240 calories, 117 from fat (49 percent).

Do you know where I can buy a Bullworker? I have an address for a store in Europe that sells them but not here in the States. I broke the one I bought in Canada in 1987. I really miss it. - J.F.

Several readers picked up on my passing reference to ours, looking for either a Bullworker or its instruction chart. Unfortunately its manufacturer, Diversified Products, has gone out of business, so finding a reliable supply of new ones in stores is unlikely. Second-hand sporting-goods shops might have one now and then, as well as thrift shops - a friend spotted one a while back on the way down the stairs at Shop & Save in Ballard for $5.99. If you have Internet access, try the eBay trading site (www.ebay.com); I saw three of them listed for bid, from $32 to $81, with case and/or wall chart.

Did you ever get any response on the request from a reader about info on Callanetics? - R.R.

Sorry, not a word about Callanetics available locally.

I'm in the market for a treadmill in the $300-$400 range. Any suggestions on what the best brand is for that price would be appreciated, as well as where to purchase it. - T.K.

I've been wary of low-cost and flip-up treadmills, fearing they simply aren't built well enough for a solid, safe workout either walking or running. I'm still doubtful of the possibilities in that range, but wonder if new models might be improved. I'll work on evaluating some of the options and review them here later, with the help of readers: If you've purchased a treadmill for $1,200 or less, please tell me the brand, price, where and when purchased, what you use it for, how you like it, pros and cons. E-mail me at mmartin@seattletimes.com or write Treadmills, On Fitness, Pacific Northwest magazine, The Seattle Times, P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98101.

Molly Martin is assistant editor of Pacific Northwest magazine. ------------------------------- NOTEBOOK

Trend trackers

The "Eight Major Trends of the '90s" as identified by the Fitness Products Council:

1. The huge increase in machine-based exercise (use of cardiovascular equipment is up 63 percent from 1987 to '97, and use of strength-training equipment is up 44 percent).

2. The free-weight boom (more than twice as many people use free weights now as in 1987).

3. The treadmill popularity run (a 720 percent growth in 10 years).

4. The increasing diversity of health-club members (more than double the number of users in the 35-to-54 age group).

5. The surge in home exercise equipment (it's owned and used in nearly one-third of U.S. households)

6. The continuing participation by baby boomers.

7. The blossoming of new exercise forms (stair climbers, ab trainers, riders, cross-country ski machines, gliders, elliptical motion machines).

8. The rise of the personal trainer (3,367 took the ACE personal-training exam in 1992; estimates were 15,000 would do so in 1998).

Shaping up Mom

"After the Baby" is a one-on-one personal training and nutrition program offered by Sound Weight Solutions in Bellevue (425-747-6000; www.soundweight.com). For postpartum mothers from 6 weeks to 12 months after delivery, the six-week individualized programs - designed by Drs. Teresa Girolami and Frances Gough - include a variety of exercise classes, body-composition assessments, computerized diet analysis and advice for healthful feeding of both baby and family. Cost is $675; deluxe packages include facials, massages and other spa services.