Clockwise from left: 'The F-Plan' book and food packet, 1983 [Library shelfmark: P.med.659/347], 'Jane Fonda's workout book', 1982 [Library shelfmark: S8.82.71], 'The road less travelled', 1983 [Library shelfmark: HP1.83.1184], 'The official Sloane Ranger handbook', 1982 [Library shelfmark: HP3.82.1328].
Self-improvement was big business in the 1980s, with many new trends promising to improve health, fitness, style and wellbeing. These trends can be revisited through a wide array of publications and items in the Library collections.
A recognisable figure of the decade, Jane Fonda achieved worldwide success with her fitness plan 'Jane Fonda's workout book'. The book became a bestseller and prompted a series of exercise videos to help people keep fit at home.
Diet and lifestyle advice
Audrey Eyton's 'F-plan diet' became a popular eating plan, with its basic principle of increasing dietary fibre as a way to lose weight and stay healthy. An accompanying range of foods helped dieters keep on track.
For those seeking more holistic fulfilment, American psychiatrist Morgan Scott Peck's 'The road less travelled' explained a number of key contributing attributes including discipline, love and grace.
Lady Diana Spencer was seen as the archetypal 'Sloane Ranger' of the 1980s and she featured on the cover of 'The official Sloane Ranger handbook', published in 1982. This was a guide was for those aspiring to the posher upper classes, and contained instructions for dressing and behaving in the manner of the 'Sloane set'.
To read more about 1980s self-improvement, see also:
Further 1980s essays and videos are available in our 1980s retrospective 'Back to the future: 1979-1989' website.