You keep telling yourself, "I need to start exercising." But you don't. The answer to your procrastination could be a little motivation. It can be found in room 103 of the Student Recreation and Fitness Center, home of the Personal Training and Assessment Center, offering a variety of services to benefit those seeking fitness advice and assistance. Personal training could be the answer for novice exercisers who simply don't know where to begin. The personalized program and one-on-one coaching that personal training provides makes it an extremely effective way to work out, according to the American Council on Exercise. Brittany Davis, a freshman at UF, has reaped the benefits of personal training. "It's definitely more hands on. They tell you exactly what to do to get your body the way you want it," she said. "I wanted to tone my body and improve my strength, and they helped me reach my goals." With the United States in the middle of a health crisis, being active and exercising has become increasingly important. "We need to start moving and start exercising," said Monica O'Reilly, owner and manager of Fit for Life Fitness Center during an in-lecture interview. "We need to take control of our own individual health." "Right now 66 percent of the adult population is obese or overweight," O'Reilly said. This number includes the one in three college students who are obese or overweight. "College students are notorious for late night snacking," O'Reilly said. She also noted that lack of sleep and an overall increase in caloric intake are also factors that make college students susceptible to weight gain. O'Reilly stressed the importance of assessing where you stand physically before you begin an exercise program. "You don't want to just jump into weightlifting," said Michael Haynes, a UF senior and personal trainer at the Student Recreation Center. "You could seriously hurt yourself." The Student Recreation and Fitness Center offers free fitness assessments that include measuring resting heart hate, blood pressure and body composition, and includes four to five core assessments. It also offers personal training sessions. "A lot of times people need that extra encouragement," Haynes said. "They need someone to push them. That's where the trainer comes in." Haynes recommends the training services at the Student Recreation and Fitness Center to anyone needing someone to work out with, or just needing a little extra encouragement. "Every client has different goals," Haynes said. "I try to be flexible and adjust to the client's needs." Personal training can help improve quality of life, increase metabolism and improve overall health, Haynes said. "I try to write [my clients] really good programs," he said. He encourages students interested in getting involved in an exercise program to come in to the assessment center and ask questions. "I would recommend [a personal fitness program] to anyone looking to improve their overall fitness or just strengthen certain muscle groups." | 
