Some faces from the Human Health Report.

Jeff Rogers is a local personal trainer who has dedicated almost a decade of his life to helping people get more fit, become more active, and prioritize their personal health. Recently, Rogers launched Human Health Report, partly as a way to chase his photography passion, but also to share local people’s fitness stories and struggles to hopefully inspire readers to take more action in their own lives.

“Each story comes from a real person. Being able to relate to someone else’s story can have a big impact. Each story continues to prove that none of us are alone in the struggle with our own health.” -Jeff Rogers

The Facebook page takes a few notes from popular pages such as  “Humans of New York,” where striking portraits are paired with personal narratives that can be at times inspiring, at times funny, and at times heartbreaking. Rogers takes a back seat in the process and lets the stories speak for themselves. Though Human Health Report is a relatively new venture, it’s quickly gaining popularity locally and elsewhere.

We recently caught up with Rogers to chat about the page, the inspiring stories within, and why the messages seem to resonate with others who struggle with committing to a healthy lifestyle.

Local personal trainer Jeff Rogers has dedicated the last decade of his life to keeping locals both fit and active.

So you’ve been a personal trainer for a long time, right? How long exactly? And what have you learned?

I’ve been a personal trainer for nine years. I don't think I could sum up what I've learned in a few sentences, but I will say that with each person I have trained, comes a story about his/her own health that is pivotal to their individual success. Whether that story is something to overcome or something that drives their motivation, it's an ongoing book of ups and downs.

How does Human Health Report fit in to your goal of getting local people moving and staying healthy?

I think the Human Health Report directly correlates with my overall goal of creating a healthy lifestyle for everyone. By reading each story and having the realization that we all struggle with our health is what willed me to start documenting these stories. I think creating a broader awareness will motivate others to be proactive with their own health.

Hearing people’s fitness stories, it’s pretty easy to connect with some of their struggles as regular people. What do you hope people feel as they read them?

I hope that people feel inspired by these stories. Each story comes from a real person. Being able to relate to someone else’s story can have a big impact. Each story continues to prove that none of us are alone in the struggle with our own health. Having that understanding will hopefully lead others to generate self-motivation in creating a healthier lifestyle.

Are these all people you’ve personally worked with? How do you set out to find people? You take the photos yourself?

There is no rhyme or reason to who I interview. A lot of the stories come from people I’ve never met before. Others are from people I’ve met somewhere along the way. I’ve interviewed best friends who have shared things about themselves that I never knew about. Every interview comes with new information, new thoughts, and new stories. That’s the beauty of it. The art of photography doesn't come natural to me, so it’s been a humbling experience to learn how to become a photographer, but luckily, I have a great mentor.

Are there any particular stories that have moved you?

It's impossible for me to have one story that stood out the most because there have been so many incredible ones. Every story comes with a unique vulnerability that you can't find anywhere else. There was this one story I did earlier on when I first started doing interviews. This guy, Aaron, who I had known since grade school, was in a terrifying car accident his senior year of high school and is now paralyzed for life. For him to open up to me, 12 years later, and share so many details about that night and about his life now, shows pure strength and perseverance. Since that interview, we’ve stayed in contact and have developed a friendship. He’s actually writing music now, and I can’t wait to hear it. Every story has already moved me in so many ways, and I think they will continue to inspire others, which is the entire goal of the Human Health Report.

What does the future look like for Human Health Report? What are your long-term goals?

It’s important for it to evolve. The health and fitness industry continues to bombard people with the pressures of showing results, with showing success and with looking attractive. I want to continue to share stories proving that living a healthy life starts with feeling good first. Each story comes with new information, so it is my hope that by sharing these stories, readers will learn more about the overall health of humans and what people go through on a daily basis. For those struggling with his/her own health, I hope one story along the way will be relatable and serve as a catalyst to make the change to living a healthier life. Our decisions, our circumstances and our genetics are all factors in our own health. It's not just one thing that makes us unhealthy or healthy. It's an intricately woven combination of many things. The Human Health Report's objective is to shed light on all of it.

To read the testimonials, and learn more, check out Human Health Report on Facebook at www.facebook.com/humanhealthreport.