1. CHRIS HEMSWORTH – Discover how Chris landed the top spot in our full interview with the Avengers Endgame star here.

2. FEARNE COTTON – With her charity work, best-selling wellness books, hugely popular wellbeing podcast Happy Place (which you can catch live on 4 May, see page 54) and sheer openness about therapy and indeed life itself, the broadcaster and author feels like she’s at the forefront of the wellness movement right now. We chatted with Fearne for the Balance podcast (visit balance.media, guys!) and found her to be wonderfully candid company. What’s more, this is someone who walked away from both Radio 1 and, more recently, Celebrity Juice because her gut told her to. More power to Fearne!

3. DAVID ATTENBOROUGH – In October 2018 the broadcaster and natural historian was awarded the Maritime Fellowship Award for his lifetime work raising public awareness of the fragility of the environment, and how life on this planet depends on the health of our oceans

4. JAMEELA JAMIL – Jameela’s no-shame, anti-comparison movement, I Weigh, has taken Instagram by storm, encouraging men and women to “feel valuable and see how amazing we are”. The campaign’s dedicated account is full of selfies from people of all shapes, sizes and backgrounds, celebrating what’s on the inside, not the outside

10. ARIANNA HUFFINGTON – After selling The Huffington Post in 2011 for $315million and leaving the business in 2016, Arianna launched her new venture, Thrive Global, which provides expertly written content to help people maintain a better work-life balance

11. MEGHAN, DUCHESS OF SUSSEX – Having stolen the heart of the nation, Meghan Markle has vowed to advocate on behalf of the Royal Family for four organisations: Mayhew, Smart Works, The ACU and National Theatre

12. DEEPAK CHOPRA – Fresh-faced Deepak is 72 and a fine advocate for wellness. He’s not looked back since an appearance on Oprah in 1993 and still collaborates with her via a series of online courses

13. BARACK OBAMA – Even though he’s no longer President, Barack still proves a huge presence on the global stage, often tied into My Brother’s Keeper, an initiative that supports males from minority backgrounds

14. ELLEN PAGE – It is a crying shame that more Hollywood A-listers are not as brave as the Juno star, who has inspired millions since she came out. One day, coming out will be the norm and Ellen will be regarded as a vital trailblazer

15. DWAYNE JOHNSON – The Rock’s Instagram posts are an endless source of positive thinking. Try them! He’s inspiring, exciting and, immensely likeable

16. PRINCE HARRY – HRH spearheads the Invictus Games while also working closely with the charity Heads Together, speaking openly about his own struggles with mental health

17. BODY POSI PANDA – Founder of the Instagram community, bodyposipanda, Megan Jayne Crabbe is on a mission to help us make peace with our bodies, which she does through inspirational quotes, selfies and a little bit of booty-shaking on her 1.1 million-follower platform

18. JESSICA ALBA – The Fantastic Four star has dialled down the acting to launch The Honest Company, selling “honestly safe” baby and beauty products

19. JK ROWLING – Most famous for Harry Potter, her own real-life story takes some beating. From unemployed single mum to best-selling author, she’s donated so much to charity she’s no longer a billionaire

20. MARIANNE WILLIAMSON – Beyond her best-selling books, Marianne founded Project Angel Food, which delivers food to home-bound people suffering from serious illness. And now she’s announced she’s running for President in 2020…

21. JOE WICKS – With his massive online following on Instagram and YouTube, Joe has made exercise and healthy eating easy and enjoyable with his daily posts, recipe books and workout plans

22. PRINCE WILLIAM – The Duke of Cambridge supports many good causes including mental health charity Heads Together and conservation organisation, Tusk Trust

23. ANTHONY JOSHUA – A positive role model, boxer Anthony continues to give back with anti-gang and anti-knife crime charities

24. TONY ROBBINS – Tony is the guru of self-help who can put a spring into any tired step. The exuberant 59-year-old’s books are essential listening for anyone with an Audible account

25. RUBY WAX – Comedian, campaigner and author of A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled, Ruby works tirelessly to erase the stigma surrounding mental health

26. LAUREN MAHON – Also known as Girl vs Cancer, Laura is a 32-year-old breast cancer survivor who shares the experiences of her treatment online with an authentic voice

27. ADWOA ABOAH – Adwoa is an activist, model (Vogue cover star) and co-founder of Gurls Talk, an online safe space for girls to share a variety of taboo and hard-to-talk-about topics

28. DR RUPY AUJLA – Rupy is a “straight-talking NHS doctor”, who’s also a force for change with his Doctor’s Kitchen cookbooks, which help people adjust their diet and enjoy healthier lives

29. GWYNETH PALTROW – You either love it or loathe it, but Gwyneth’s online platform Goop is putting wellness in the news, providing an enormous boost for the industry’s profile

30. PROFESSOR GREEN –The award-winning rapper has become a much-needed voice on male mental health, breaking down the taboos surrounding depression, suicide and masculinity

31. DOLLY ALDERTON – Dolly is an award-winning journalist, author, culture commentator and – alongside Pandora Sykes – the taller half of The High Low, a weekly pop culture podcast

32. JAZZ JENNINGS – Aged four, Jazz received a gender identity disorder diagnosis. Now 18, she is living life as a woman and was the youngest person in America to become a transgender activist

33. ELLA MILLS – Starting with a blog, Ella has written a collection of hit cookbooks and launched her natural food range, Deliciously Ella. She promotes healthy living and a plant-based diet

34. EMMA GANNON – Emma has shed light on the world of self-employment with her latest book, The Multi-Hyphen Method. Her podcast, Ctrl, Alt Delete, is inspiring Millennials to take control of their careers

35. GABBY BERNSTEIN – The Universe Has Your Back isn’t just the name of Gabby’s 2016 best-seller; it’s become a catchphrase among Balance staff whenever something goes someone’s way!

36. DAVINA McCALL – Her book, Lessons I’ve Learned, charts Davina’s journey from hedonism to health. She went on a journey of the self, and we were with her every step of the way

37. BRENÉ BROWN – Brené’s latest book, Dare to Lead, pulls together 20 years of research and knowledge of courage, vulnerability and empathy to teach us how to lead from the front

38. SERENA WILLIAMS – Inspirational to other mums, Serena returned to pro tennis in 2018, just 10 months after giving birth by C-section which left her bedridden for six weeks

39. MELINDA GATES – In partnership with her husband Bill, Melinda has overseen more than $50billion of charitable donations to tackle a range of the planet’s most pressing issues

40. COLIN KAEPERNICK – By “taking a knee” during the US national anthem to make a widely-showcased political point, the American footballer might have incurred the wrath of President Donald Trump and been “blackballed” by the NFL, but he put racial inequality and social injustice firmly at the top of the news agenda

41. POORNA BELL – Poorna speaks openly about her husband’s suicide, to encourage conversation surrounding men’s mental health issues

42. BOYAN SLAT – Boyan is the man behind The Ocean Cleanup, a non-profit organisation developing tech to eradicate plastic from the world’s oceans

43. TIM FERRIS – Podcaster, entrepreneur and author of the New York Times bestseller, The 4-Hour Work Week, Tim inspires people to take control of their careers and be more time-efficient

44. MICHAEL ACTON SMITH – Co-founder of Calm, Michael champions the idea that smartphones can be a force for good. His app helps so many of us de-stress, daily

45. JADEN SMITH – Supported by his father Will, 2018 was the year Jaden brought his sustainable water brand, Just Water, to the UK to help reduce plastic consumption

46. JASMINE HEMSLEY – Wellness is what it is today – accessible, welcoming and, dare we say it, cool – thanks in part to Jasmine and Hemsley + Hemsley, which she runs with sister Melissa 

47. BRYONY GORDON – Sharing her experiences of alcoholism, drug abuse, and mental illness, Bryony has raised awareness for mental health issues and inspired a wider conversation

48. STELLA MCCARTNEY – For almost two decades, Stella has been creating sustainable luxury fashion, encouraging a conscious consumption culture

49. JESSAMYN STANLEY – A body positive advocate, yoga teacher and writer Jessamyn uses vinyasa to move past mental health and emotional barriers, celebrating all bodies by asking “How do I feel?” not “how do I look?”

50. STACEY DOOLEY – Much loved for her skilled reporting and documentary making focusing on social issues, Stacey has brought attention to many neglected topics, encouraging social and political change

51. MELISSA HEMSLEY – Co-founder of Hemsley + Hemsley, Melissa is a large part of the reason we associate good food with wellness. Her book, Eat Happy: 30-Minute Feelgood Food, offers brilliant, quick, healthy recipes

52. LAURA THOMAS PHD – Registered nutritionist and wellness advocate Laura aims to help people iron out food issues. Her latest book, Just Eat It, is an anti-diet guide encouraging people to ditch fads and enjoy food on their own terms

53. CALLIE THORPE – Self-proclaimed “sassy Welsh gal”, Callie is a body confidence advocate and founder of community Instagram page, ‘Wellness Our Way’ that aims to “redefine wellbeing and wellness with inclusivity, support and kindness”

54. HANNAH DEACON – Hannah is a cannabis oil campaigner who worked tirelessly to have the treatment legalised in the UK and made available on the NHS after she witnessed the dramatic, positive effect that it has had on the seizures of her young epileptic son, Alfie

55. VIVIENNE WESTWOOD – Dame Vivienne, icon and activist, uses her substantial influence to champion environmental and charitable causes and, even at 78, can be found at politically-charged rallies and protests

56. JACK MONROE – Campaigner and activist against hunger and poverty, Jack has made nutritious meals accessible to those on even the tightest of budgets with her 2018 best-seller, Cooking on a Bootstrap

57. ESTHER PEREL – Belgian psychotherapist Esther is an expert on relationships and sexuality. She believes that the quality of our relationships decides the quality of our lives

58. RIO FERDINAND – The former Manchester United defender opened up about his struggles following the passing of his wife, touching the lives of millions in the process. He has also embarked on a partnership with DNAFit in the hope of shaping government policy on fitness in schools

59. RICHIE BOSTOCK – Helping people to reduce stress while improving energy levels, sleep and athletic performance just through breathing, Richie, aka ‘The Breath Guy’, is one of the world’s leading breathwork teachers

60. DEBORAH JAMES – BBC presenter Deborah is currently living with bowel cancer and doing all she can to raise awareness through the BBC Radio 5 Live podcast You, Me and the Big C and her Instagram page @bowelbabe

61. ROSS EDGLEY – Sunday Times bestseller, and the first person to swim around Great Britain, Ross is a remarkable figure. Challenging the fitness and health industry, he works tirelessly to push physical human boundaries and raise money for a number of worthy charities

62. SOPHIE POWER – It’s all in the name when it comes to Sophie, British Ultra Runner and defiant breastfeeding mother. Expressing en route and breastfeeding her son 16 hours into the 166km, 43- hour, 33-minute race, Sophie proved that she really has got the power

63. CHRIS ANDERSON – The curator of TED, Chris ensures the much-admired platform has a healthy turnover of new talks every day, from the leading experts on a variety of different topics

64. ZANNA VAN DIJK – Following on from her sustainable water bottle collaboration with Chilly’s, Zanna, blogger and eco-warrior, has now co-founded her own ethical swimwear brand, Stay Wild Swim

65. MARIE KONDO – The queen of clean, Marie’s hit Netflix series Tidying Up with Marie Kondo has inspired us all to clean up our act for the benefit of our mental wellbeing

66. MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY – The voice of Calm’s Bedtime Sleep Story, Matthew has taken a deep dive into the world of wellness with his soothing voice offering comfort to insomniacs

67. GRETCHEN RUBIN – Author, blogger and speaker, Gretchen focuses on habits, happiness and human nature. Her brand new book, Outer Order, Inner Calm, looks at how clutter hampers clear thought processes

68. RYAN CHETIYAWARDANA – Ryan, aka Mr Lyan, is the owner of White Lyan, the first cocktail bar in the world to use non-perishables. No ice and no slice here 

69. SCARLETT CURTIS – Feminist, activist, writer, curator of Feminists Don’t Wear Pink And Other Lies and co-founder of the online campaign Pink Protest (home to #girlswanktoo), Scarlett is a truly inspirational figure

70. ALICE LIVEING – Influencer, author, personal trainer and Women’s Aid ambassador, Alice is best known for her down-to-earth attitude towards food and fitness

71. MICHAEL JAMES WONG – Founder of The Boys of Yoga movement, Michael works to break down stereotypical views of the practice with the aim of getting more men on the mat. His Just Breathe community aims to bring mindfulness and meditation into the real world

72. KATRINA LARKIN – Co-founder of Fora “pro-working” spaces, Katrina has created wellness-nourishing environments across London, bringing together like-minded people and businesses

73. LAUREN ARMES – The founder of Welltodo, Lauren is the UK’s leading business coach for female entrepreneurs in the wellness industry, helping them break through barriers 

74. CAROLINE CRIADO-PEREZ – A journalist, feminist activist and founder of the Women’s Room Project, her book Invisible Women is a huge dossier of facts and figures illustrating gender inequality in society and bringing them to the fore

75. ELLEN DEGENERES – Using her ever-popular TV show as a platform, Ellen supports a variety of worthy causes including LGBT rights, gun-control and conservation and regularly fundraises millions for charity

76. GRETA THUNBERG – At just 16, Greta is a Swedish political activist campaigning to put a stop to global warming and climate change. Her voice became heard in August 2018 when she initiated a school strike outside the Swedish parliament building

77. SOPHIE SCOTT – We’ve all had a good idea. But we’ve not always turned it into a reality. Balance’s founder and editor did, giving birth (metaphorically speaking) to this title and everything it spawned. She wants to make a difference. And, no, this isn’t her writing this particular entry…

78. ECKHART TOLLE – If you’ve listened to his audiobooks as we have, you’ll know the temptation to talk like him can be overwhelming. It is no exaggeration to think of Eckhart as the godfather of mindfulness; the man who has helped to teach us the importance of existing in the here and now 

79. DAVE ASPREY – Best known as the founder of Bulletproof Nutrition, biohacker Dave is continuously researching and investigating into how we can live longer, healthier lives

80. JAY SHETTY – Jay’s YouTube channel now has over two million followers. The former monk’s content includes interviews with celebrities, short stories and talks that inspire millions. He’s also an online entrepreneur of growing influence

81. KATE HUDSON – Founder of online activewear brand Fabletics, Kate encourages healthy living through an active lifestyle and balanced diet for a strong body and mind

82. ADRIENE MISHLER – Now with over 4.7 million followers, YouTube channel Yoga with Adriene appeals to all levels, bodies and genders, and encourages all to “find what feels good”

83. RUSSELL BRAND – An award-winning comedian, actor and writer, Russell regularly uses his social media platforms to encourage conversations around addiction and mental health. His new book Mentors: How to Help and be Helped explores relationships and how they impact us throughout our lives

84. SHARAN SALZBERG – Teacher of Buddhism and meditation, Sharan has influenced people across the globe to adopt the practice of “lovingkindness”