Lifestyle gurus (also called lifestyle coaches, lifestyle trainers, lifestyle consultants) advise people how they can make themselves happier through changes in their lifestyle. Lifestyle gurus are a profession popularised by several celebrities, including Cherie Blair and Madonna in the 1990s and 2000s.
Prominent examples of lifestyle gurus include Carole Caplin, who worked as a lifestyle guru for the Blair family.
Lifestyle gurus have come under heavy criticism in recent years, with most criticisms concerning their utility. Other criticisms have centred on the perception that they are a symptom of the indecisiveness of today's society.
Frank Furedi, a professor of sociology at the University of Kent, has been a prominent critic of lifestyle gurus. Lifestyle gurus have received criticism for preaching unscientific ideas and thus influencing public opinion. One example was Andrew Lansley criticising Jamie Oliver for interfering too much in what British children eat, ultimately undermining efforts to persuade children to eat healthily.