2008 Top Bods - Jake Handschke - Faith & Fitness Magazine

Read time: 6 minutes

Updated: April 15th, 2018

Jake Handschke
Age: 22
University: Wheaton College
Year: Senior
Degree you are pursuing: Kinesiology
Height: 6’1” Weight: 205 lbs.
Faith & Fitness Magazine: Do you eat any junk food? If so, when and why?
Jake: Very rarely do I eat that stuff. Sometimes on weekends when it’s the only thing open I will eat some junk food. College is a time in which you have to juggle some many aspects of life, school, friends, health, and other things. Snack foods and quick foods are an easy fix for students to eat because of the price or convenience.
F&F: But otherwise you eat healthy? What are your health foods, where do you get them and do your friends eat the same things?
Jake: I try to eat a diet rich in whole grains, fiber, Omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and a variety of fruits and vegetables. I eat at our campus food service, they provide an excellent source of healthy foods everyday that really don’t taste bad. Some of my friends think that my tray at the dinning hall looks just horrible. I like to mix foods together that I don’t really like because the food is easier to get down. The most disgusting combination probably is applesauce and lots of tuna. Looks horrible but tastes pretty good.
F&F: Looks like you’re in very good shape. What all have you done to get in that condition?
Jake: Well I’ve played sports my whole life starting at age five with soccer. In high school I participated in basketball, soccer, and track. My real favorite was running track. At Wheaton I ran for two years, but had to stop due to an injury. I started lifting in high school but didn’t become serious until college. After discovering how much I enjoy being a part of the fitness field I became an American Counsel of Exercise certified personal trainer in college. Working out and lifting weights probably is one of my favorite things in the world to do. Getting into a gym and lifting so intensely that you feel light headed is my idea of a good time. A healthy lifestyle has always been apart of my life so I really never view being inactive as an option.
F&F: Lets see though, you’re at college, around quite a few good-looking people, many from the opposite sex and you’re single right? All of that has to factor into the equation some doesn’t it?
Jake: I guess so. Though physical appearance is just a small portion of what makes people who they are. You really have to look at ever person and see what makes them unique and special. Community within college life is so important simply because you need friends around to help out. No one can handle all of the stress of college on their own; everyone needs to be plugged into a group for support.
F&F: So when you’re ready to go out with friends, how do you make your own fashion statement? How do you dress on the weekends?
Jake: The brands I wear depend on the season. For example in the winter I wear jeans either A&F, DKNY, Lucky or Calvin Kline. I tend to ‘dress to impress’ on the weekends, so I’d have a nice shirt probably tucked in with a flashy belt. I really don’t wear cologne that often but if I were it during the winter I’ll wear Kenneth Cole Black or Polo.

F&F: Does your overall physique make a difference in how you feel about yourself and in how others relate to you? Do you ever face the challenge of balancing fitness with your faith?
Jake: I guess it would make some difference. I think that people get too bent-up on appearance in American society today. Often people are judged in a second because of how they look. Each person is made in the image of Christ and therefore we all resemble greatness. It is very difficult to not let your fitness and body become an idol in your life.
F&F: What are the benefits of living a healthy life during your college years? Also, what does it take to live healthy on campus?
Jake: There are countless benefits of a healthy lifestyle: increased muscle mass, basal metabolic rate, improved body composition, more energy, decreased chances of Heart Disease, reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity, certain cancers, and numerous other reasons. It takes a lot of work to live healthy in college. The hardest aspect probably is getting adequate sleep each night. I’m a firm believer that if you don’t sleep enough your workouts and body will suffer.
F&F: Describe your basic workout. A body in top shape like that doesn’t just happen. What all do you do each week? Give us your workout routine. Have your fitness goals stayed the same all through college?
Jake: Currently I lift weights 5 days a week and perform 3 cardio workouts in addition. I really focus on the larger muscle groups of the body for lifting. So I lift legs, chest, back, shoulders twice a week and everything else just once. During my freshman year of college I was training to become a bodybuilder, I reached about 235 pounds then realized that I didn’t want to become a bodybuilder and dropped most of the excess weight.
F&F: Many college students get good grades, exercise their body regularly and mature socially. Having a relationship with God may not be on their priority list. Is it for you? If so, what does it take to do that?
Jake: It can be hard to balance college life and become closer to the Lord. Jesus is the reason that all of us have hope for our lives and therefore He must be the focus. I made a decision to follow Him and grow closer to Christ everyday. It just doesn’t happen without some effort.
F&F: Hey, you’ll be graduating soon. What’s next?
Jake: I’m really not certain what the calling on my life is in the coming year. I need to continue praying and looking for guidance from the Lord. Some of my current options are to become a CSCS and then get my masters in exercise physiology. I would also like to work with athletes or in a corporate health setting because there in that kind of work there is a lot of interaction that takes place. Although I’m not sure exactly what I want to do, I am sure that it will deal with fitness.