Not Jane Fonda, Not Suzanne Somers: This Celeb Was The Ultimate Health Icon Of The '80s

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

When reminiscing on 1980s workouts, it's hard to not think of the Jane Fonda and Suzanne Somers tapes. However, if you were to travel back in time, many would argue the most iconic '80s fitness legend was actually none other than Raquel Welch. The former model and showgirl got her start in the entertainment business. But for her second act, the triple threat contorted herself into a bona fide yogi and author with the release of her 1984 book "Raquel: The Raquel Welch Total Beauty and Fitness Program," while simultaneously pioneering a whole new fitness movement. Unlike Fonda, who popularized aerobics, and Somers, who had folks reaching for fancy equipment (Whatever happened to the ThighMaster, anyway?!), Welch's approach involved a gentler form of exercise: Hatha yoga.

Beyond popularizing gentle forms of fitness, what made Welch a particular standout was her practical approach to wellness overall. In addition to workouts, her book offered daily diet tips, such as removing refined sugars and oils. Welch herself seemed to understand how documenting her health and wellness secrets would be easily marketable. "Every time I left the theater, there would be a crowd of women waiting to ask me questions, such as: 'What do you eat?' 'What kind of exercises do you do?' and 'How do you look like that?' Well, I wasn't about to stand there and explain my daily hour-and-a-half exercise routine or what I had for breakfast," she recalled to the Los Angeles Times about the loyal fitness following she had amassed. Spoiler alert: Welch's book was an instant best-seller, selling more than 200,000 copies just after its release.

Ironically, Raquel Welch's famous step-by-step program, which she described to the Los Angeles Times as "when East meets Welch," reads more like a coffee table book complete with 250 photographs of the scantily clad author in various poses — some yoga, some not. "I'm looking for some photos here that are truly amazing," David Letterman once gushed during an interview with Welch, while leafing through the book. "Oh, look at this one. My gosh, look at that. Good Lord. You do this, you can look like that!" he joked as he held up a centerfold shot of Welch (via YouTube). Suffice it to say, many readers weren't just there to learn about the yoga poses that reduce bloating or the best yoga moves for strengthening arms. 

Following the publication of her popular book, she went on to release a fitness workout video the same year, aptly titled "Raquel: Total Beauty and Fitness." Think: just like the book, but in a televised format. "I've devised a 7-Day plan, 15 minutes every morning, because a little bit every day is a lot better than a whole bunch every once in a while. And it's easy," she declared in a teaser for the workout video. "Every morning when you wake up, just turn on your VCR, make sure that you're on the right day, and follow right along with the routines," she explained. "When you're finished, you'll be reminded to stop the tape, so just turn off your VCR and you're all set for the next day" (via YouTube). What's not to love, right? 

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Welch was estimated to be worth a whopping $40 million at the time of her death on February 15, 2023. A health and fitness icon, indeed.