SEVEN SUNDAYS
A Faith, Fitness, and Food Plan for Lasting Spiritual and Physical Change
By: Alec Penix and Myatt Murphy
Published: December 4, 2018
Publisher: Howard Books
Non-Fiction
January is the time of year when many of us think about making changes to our current lifestyle, either adding a fitness routine, eating more vegetables, or joining a gym. This book approaches this idea with the notion that in order to have lasting change you need to look at your whole well-being not just your fitness or eating. Alec Penix is a celebrity trainer and believes there is a connection to faith and fitness. He believes, and many of his famous clients can vouch for him, that when you combine fitness with life-changing habits and Biblical support, you are more likely to see long-term changes in all areas of your life. Olympian Gabby Douglas, singer Shawn Mendes, actress Roma Downey, and performer Derek Hough are just a few of the celebrities praising his program.
Through a six-week program including seven Sundays, Penix hopes that you will be transformed not only on the outside but more importantly, on the inside. Right away Penix tackles all the myths and things we tell ourselves that we can’t do or the stumbling blocks to success that we have likely experienced before. He believes by putting God at the center of your new routine will help everything else fall into place. Each week focuses on a theme within the “6 Pillars of Purpose”. Even though each week has a theme, each day is different so that you can’t get bored with the program. Sundays are a day of rest, recovery, and reflection, as well as preparing for the week ahead. The first week is mostly introspective and a slow introduction to exercise, getting adequate sleep, and watching for triggers related to your eating. By the third Sunday, your nutrition is more specific as well as the exercise. Each day’s reading is around 5-7 pages and offers a prayer, Bible verses, and then suggestions related to personal goals, nutrition, and physical exercise.
Since this book takes the reader day by day with specifics on what to do, I think that people who need things in a step-by-step format will really appreciate this program. If you also have a goal of connecting with your faith or reading the Bible more, then this will help you achieve that as well. Because this is a day-to-day plan, I do suggest you read ahead for each week so you are prepared with ingredients needed for meals and set aside the time needed for exercise. My schedule is much too erratic to start reading each day’s plan that morning. Plus I don’t live near a store so just running out to by raw nuts and fruit for a day’s snack wouldn’t work for me. I would have to know that a week ahead of time.
I do like that Penix gets at the emotional issues that may also be holding you back. He spends time talking about forgiveness, holding on to possessions, finding balance, and sharing your time and talents with others just to name a few. He is definitely looking at a whole body and mind transformation by the time you complete the seven Sundays.
I appreciated that the exercises offered a “forgiving option” and an “aspiring option”. For those of us who may need to start slow, we can make some exercises easier until we get into the program or feel more comfortable trying out the “aspiring option”. There are not any photos of how to specifically do each exercise, but he does give pretty clear explanations and thankfully, most of the exercises would be familiar to everyone.
The layout and plan for each day couldn’t be in a simpler format, but as with any program, there is planning involved both in your mind and in your kitchen. So, I suggest reading all the way through the book so you know what to expect (which could be done in a few hours) and then starting with Day 1 and making a trip to the store with supplies that you need. All the exercises are mostly done with body weight and only dumbbells are needed if you want to choose the “aspiring options”. So, this is definitely a manageable plan for those of us who don’t want to create a gym in our home or buy a bunch of exercise equipment.
Overall, I think this is a promising program for people who are looking for more than just changing their eating habits or adding exercise. If you are looking for more fulfillment in your life, getting better sleep, becoming a well-rounded person, or increasing your faith, then this might be the program for you. Even though it is a six-week course, you can continue to do that plan as long as you’d like, starting over again after some reflection on what worked best for you.
For more on Alec Penix, find him HERE or on:
For more on Myatt Murphy, find him HERE or on:
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Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. If you choose to purchase this book through the above link, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase.
Posted Under Alec Penix, Book Review, fitness, health, Myatt Murphy, non-fiction