Students start CMO Fit group on campus

Members of the Southeast Missouri State University community have been given a variety of opportunities for physical fitness improvements and weight loss. There are free lunch express classes, such as yoga and cycling at the Student Recreation Center-North. There are fitness classes such as kickboxing and aerobics, and there are groups that focus on preparing the body for Spring Break. For Southeast student David Miller, that was not enough.

Miller, an exercise science and pre-physical therapy major, joined with six of his friends to create a new fitness group. Though they are all from different backgrounds and majors, they all love working out, staying healthy and staying fit. The group decided to put an organization together to help others with their fitness goals. They named their group "CMO Fit," which stands for Constantly Making Others Fit.

"The group stands for a healthy lifestyle and educating people who really aren't sure about how to go about exercising or how to diet properly or make it a lifestyle in general," Miller said. "We thought we could add a little bit more variety to it, a little bit more personality to it so that people could relate since it is a student organization."

David Miller, left, is the founder of CMO Fit, and Derrick Armstrong, is a manager of CMO Fit. Photo by Kristina Lautenbacher

The first CMO Fit meeting was held Feb. 19 at Glenn Auditorium in Dempster Hall. Derrick Armstrong, a senior communication studies major and one of the managers of CMO Fit, said that the first meeting had a great turnout.

"We had about 25 people, both male and female," Armstrong said. "It went very well because a lot of people had questions and were able to tell us what goals they wanted to accomplish and what they wanted to learn from future meetings. It was very encouraging for us being able to meet them and interact with them."

For now, the group plans to meet once or twice a month. Miller said that their goal is to have a meeting every other week. The second meeting was held March 11. Miller said that meeting focused on the effects of alcohol on the body and how it affects health and fitness.

Once the workouts start, Miller said meetings will be held in public places such as Capaha Park so that they can interact with those who attend and help them with equipment, such as dumbbells and bars, so that they can work with them off campus without the meetings being too far away.

Armstrong also said that they will help with up-close exercise instructions and demonstrations as well as having group activities and group exercises.

After Spring Break, Miller said that the third meeting will focus on nutrition as a whole.

"We will be covering what foods are good, when to eat them, how to make it a lifestyle, our personal experiences with trying to eat healthy and answering any questions," Miller said.

For more information about CMO Fit, students are encouraged to contact Miller at dtmiller3s@semo.edu or dmillstrength@gmail.com or visit the CMO Fit Facebook page.