Former male model Dowdell runs Peak Performance, the private gym where he whips Victoria's Secret models and A-list actors into shape.

Dowdell says his modeling career began when a scout stopped him as he walked to class at the University of Richmond. He moved to Europe after graduation and pursued modeling full-time for a decade before turning to fitness, he says, after meeting his then-girlfriend's personal trainer. In the mid-'90s, Dowdell opened up a 10,000 square-foot Flatiron district gym with business partner Jay Wright. His runway experience helped him become the go-to guy for models looking to get in shape, and over the years he's trained Molly Sims, Adriana Lima, and Karen Elson, as well as actors like John Leguizamo, Jimmy Fallon, Claire Danes, and Anne Hathaway. In addition to overseeing his fitness business, Dowdell makes frequent appearances in the press. He dispenses fitness advice in women's mags like Allure and InStyle, and he's a contributor to Muscle & Fitness magazine. [Image via Getty, with Alexandra Vanenkovova]