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Finding Peace through Faith & Fitness Celebrity fitness trainer Alec Penix talks about connecting, his upcoming book, and religion Words by Briana Dodson Photo Credit: Rowan Daly It's just another ordinary morning for Alec Penix, who starts his day off with a gym session before relaxing and spending quality time with friends. When we talk, the celebrity fitness trainer is spending the holidays in Los Angeles, where he currently resides, for the seventh time. "It's good to spend quality time with people you love. Sometimes we forget about the little things. God is blessing me with a nice place to live and he's surrounding me with great people. He's taking me on a journey of internal healing and growth and I feel like that's the theme for 2018, for me." Growing up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Alec had a gift for sports. Years later he earned a degree in nutrition from the University of Kentucky, before moving out to California to pursue his passion for training athletes. "I knew I wanted to go to Hollywood. I really look up to Eric the Trainer, so one day I sent him an email. Then, I went to pay him a visit at the gym. He was so willing to share his knowledge with me, not just about the gym, but about life, too. And I knew that this was the place I was supposed to train, where the demand is so high." Seven years later, Alec is training some of the biggest celebrities in the business and is enjoying establishing super-meaningful relationships in the process. A few career highlights thus far include touring for two consecutive summers with Big Time Rush, playing against NFL all-stars in the pre-Super Bowl charity game, and fighting in the Olympia Sumo Open. "The power of relationship is so important and having someone there that my clients can turn to is key. When they leave me, I want them to be filled up spiritually as well physically. I love being there for someone and sharing my passion and knowledge. I like being a rock for people," says Alec.