My typical dinner- chicken and veggies 4 AP classes, 1 college composition class, countless hours spent on studying and sports, but surprisingly the most important thing that I’ve learned this year is that I have grown an affectionate passion for food. Yep, I love eating, and maybe even more so thinking about eating. As I have become deeply engaged in the sport of weightlifting, I spend countless hours studying the human body and what it needs to improve its aesthetics and overall health. The most important factor in improving your health and physique is the food you eat. I made many limitations to my diet once I started taking weightlifting seriously: no more fast food, sweets, white breads, sugary drinks, and fried foods. However, these foods are okay to eat every once in a while; I try to have one day a week where I can eat whatever I want (the cheat day baby). Some of you may be thinking how I can possibly enjoy cutting those foods out of my palate, but I can assure you that I LOVE eating healthy. Eating healthy doesn't necessarily mean having smaller portions, in fact; I eat more than almost everyone I know. In order to build muscle mass, you need to eat A LOT more food than you may think. I am just at the beginning of my journey, so eating bigger portions is something I've struggled with, but I've found the more I eat, the bigger my muscles get, which isn't too hard of a concept to grasp. Throughout the week I try to eat essentially perfect and I cut out sweets entirely. I stick to consuming proteins, fats, and carbohydrates while keeping a healthy balance of all three food groups. A typical breakfast will consist of 3 scrambled eggs with Canadian bacon, chopped bell peppers, cheese, and spinach. I usually like yogurt and fruit on the side, but sometimes I'll have a bowl of oatmeal. I usually stick to a meat such as chicken or steak for lunch as well as yogurt, fruits, and vegetables. After a long day at school and baseball, I tend to have ginormous dinners, which usually consist of meat or pasta, salad, rice, vegetables, and fruit. I've come to love healthy foods and the effects that they have on my body, but deep down my heart belongs to giant burgers, delicious pizza, and large milkshakes. That's why I love a cheat meal or two (or three) every week. My all-time favorite pizza is from Aggatucci’s in Peoria, IL, where I have no trouble smashing a large sausage pizza with their signature Tiger sauce and parmesan cheese to go with it. I'm also a huge fan of Chicago deep dish style pizza, especially from Giordano’s and Lu Malnati’s. And if I’m feeling a little tropical, I will go to Sugar in the Peoria Warehouse district for a wood-fired Hawaiian pizza. As for my favorite burger joints, I would have to say Five Guys, the Burger Barge, and Portillo’s all have my heart. Thankfully, they are building a Portillo’s in Champaign next year because I'll be attending school at the University of Illinois and studying mechanical engineering. Portillo’s is also home to the Chocolate Cake Shake, my favorite milkshake in Illinois. I am a very meticulous eater, and only like my food and desserts at the highest quality, so I am often disagreeing with my friends on where to eat (as some of them reading this will attest). It’s up to them whether they appreciate my personable opinion on food, but I’m definitely not ashamed of it. Because of my passion for good eats, I have started to cook some of my family meals so I can be well prepared to avoid the dull food at college. When I'm older, I hope that my wife is a fantastic cook so we can make some exquisite meals together. My love for food has grown tremendously this year, as well as my passion for weightlifting. As long as I eat well and workout hard, I’ll always be in a sensational mood. Next time you see me feasting at the dinner table just know that I’m on the #gaintrain. What types of foods do you like? Do you normally eat healthy or do you love smashing at Micky D’s? Leave your comments below! A Burger Barge burger
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Game cover Hello everyone! I am going to write a review in progress of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. I have currently played the game for about 20 hours, so my review will be based on the game as far as I’ve played it. The review will be graded based on three different categories: story, game play, and special effects. Each category will receive a score of up to 10 points. This has probably been the most anticipated game in the last 5 years, so let’s dive in. Zelda has been one of the most majestic and dominating franchises in the gaming world since 1986. Before the release of Breath of the Wild, people were skeptical that its brand new open-world concept would stray away from what we've all been accustomed to in the past games. Last summer, all we knew about the game was that we could go to any dungeon at any time or even go straight to the final boss. Zelda fanatics were worried that the game’s story would not be as empowering and straightforward like the masterpieces they’ve been used to. After around 20 of hours of game play into Breath of the Wild, I can assure you that you have NOTHING to worry about. The Legend of Zelda Breath: of the Wild has truly managed to take my breath away. Story The usual point A to point B structure of traditional Zelda games has been completely altered, and in Breath of the Wild you can literally go straight to the final boss from the opening scene of the game (although the fight would be near impossible). I am not going to spoil anything about the story, but to start out Link awakens in a vast post-apocalyptic land that we know as Hyrule. As the story progresses, Link is eventually told that he is the hero that fought to destroy Ganon and save Princess Zelda a hundred years ago, but Ganon won the fight and destroyed Hyrule. Ganon has been recovering his power ever since, waiting to strike Hyrule once he redeems his full power. Link was put into slumber after his epic battle and lost his memory, so the task of the game is to explore the vast land of Hyrule to discover the mysteries of Link’s past and to save Princess Zelda from Ganon. The story is captivating, and I have found that the characters Link encounters along the way have unique personalities that give the game its charm. As any traditional Zelda game, we are introduced to Kakariko Village, the Gorons, the Zoras, and the Sheikahs, so any Zelda fanatic will feel right at home. All of the supporting characters are given special personalities, so anyone who isn’t familiar with Zelda will have a blast just the same. Overall, the story and supporting characters have kept me craving to continue on with the game. The makers at Nintendo definitely created something special here. I give the story a 10. Game Play The game play in Breath of the Wild is what really sets it apart from all of the other Zelda games. Nintendo has made by far the biggest open world game we have ever seen, and the best part is that we have the freedom to roam it at our leisure. The world around Link is so realistic. The possibilities are endless. If you think you might be able to do something, Nintendo probably created the game to allow you to do it. For example, if there is a cliff that you can’t get across, chances are there is a tree nearby which you can chop down to act as a bridge to walk across it. There are hundreds of hours that can be spent exploring the vast land in this game. Link can climb mountains, start forest fires, hunt wild animals, gather special ingredients for meals and potions, search for treasures, and much, much more. Combat in this game is flawless. Each enemy has its certain weaknesses, so the strategy in figuring these weaknesses out is what makes the combat so special. As you progress through the game you'll find that Link gets much stronger as you find new weapons and armor. However, there are still enemies in throughout the game that can kill you in one hit, which always keeps you on your toes. And consistent with all Zelda masterpieces, the boss fights are brilliant. Breath of the Wild brings many new cards to the table. Link is given a Sheikah Slate (not going to spoil how he got it) that gives him special powers. He can move metal objects, stop time, freeze water, and make bombs. These powers provide for many new combat strategies and help solve some of the infamous puzzles Zelda is known for. The survival element of this game is also different. Link has to find all of his weapons (mostly dropped from defeated enemies), and find or cook food for health. I have find myself scrapping for health and weapons in mid-battle, which makes it all the more exhilarating. You can also cook the food you find to make meals that give you helpful boosts in your adventures. Overall, the game play of Breath of the Wild is the best I’ve ever seen it, so I give it a 10. Special Effects The vast open word of this game is beautiful. It runs at 720p resolution, and I haven’t encountered any glitches thus far. The game engulfs you into the world in many ways, but the sound is the most important. You can hear every footstep Link takes, every gust of wind, and every droplet of rain falling to the ground. Often times I find myself off the beaten path on the peaks of mountains looking at the beautiful world below me. Picture of Hyrule Zelda has always been known for its music, and the soundtrack to this game is nothing short of fantastic. The music takes subtlety when it needs to, like when Link is venturing in sunny pastures or scaling vast ruins. It also becomes very intense during boss fights and other moments of high activity. And to be honest, the theme song is the best it's ever been (my opinion). I give the special effects a 10. Verdict Breath of the Wild is the best Zelda game of the century. I have already logged 20 hours into the game and could easily play 100 more. For Zelda fanatics and first-timers, it will take them to another world that they won't want to leave. This game is a MASTERPIECE, and it scores a perfect 10. Here is the main theme song Eagles Basketball Logo D-D D-U-N, L-L L-A-P, D-U-N, L-A-P, DUUUUUUUNLAP! Man, I am going to miss that cheer. To say the least, this basketball season was quite the journey. With a new coaching staff led by Tony Thomason and his father Jim Thomason, nobody really knew how the season was going to turn out. Although people had their doubts about whether a new coaching staff and players with little varsity experience could turn things around this year, we fought, and we succeeded. Honestly, our record sucked. We finished with 5 wins and 27 losses. But, this record tells people NOTHING about what we went through every day in practice and how much we grew as a team. Coach Thomason preached that everyone on the team was going to be a family from the first open gyms all the way until our last regional game. This meant that we had each other’s backs on the court and off the court, no matter the situation. Losing as much as we did is obviously frustrating, so it took some major guts and dedication to keep battling to keep our season alive. Out of our 5 wins, 4 of them came from teams in the Mid-Illini conference. We beat Metamora, Limestone, Pekin, and East Peoria. The win against Pekin was the biggest win for us in my opinion. Every year, Dunlap hosts something called Pack the Place on a night of a home basketball game. Pack the Place brings in a TON of people from the community to watch the basketball program and they literally “pack the place,” filling up the whole gymnasium to where you can barely hear the ball bouncing on the court. To say the least, we definitely pleased the crowd with a 49-42 win. I remember coach Thomason telling us how the fans watching game and other coaches praised how hard we worked as a team, and that it is hard to get kids to play with the effort and grit that we played with. The next game I want to talk about is senior night. What a game. It was against Metamora, who was out for blood after we beat them in a close game at their place earlier in the season. This was the only game of the year that I started, even though I was one of the “fan-favorites.” Coach T. designed a play for me where I would take the first shot of the game from the top of the three-point line, and when the game started… Splash. I remember how the crowd went wild after I hit the shot, which really set the tone for the rest of the game. We played 4 outstanding quarters, keeping the game generally within one possession every time. It was a tie game with 20 seconds left to go, and we had the ball. What could go wrong? Well, due to mental mistake, a player called time out when we didn’t have any left, which constitutes as a technical foul. Therefore, Metamora got to shoot 2 free throws and then got possession of the ball. They in-bounded the ball and the clock ran out, and we lost 49-51. I think that the Metamora game defined our season to an extent. We played our hearts out, but always ended up just short. The other team always made a few more plays than we did. But in the end, that’s okay. The relationships that I formed with the dudes on the team will endure for the rest of my life. Nobody else sweat, bled, and gave up the time that we did. All of the adversity that we pushed through made us better men. So when the season came to a close, all the guys were ready to tackle whatever would come next for them, and we know how to prosper through tough situations. Our record was flat out bad, but in the end that didn't really matter. The way we approached the game of basketball and our lives outside of it served as a role that the underclassman can take in the coming years. We sparked the fire for the future years of Dunlap basketball, and I gladly ended the season knowing that good things are to come. So, while basically everyone else was asking why I went out for basketball and how I could possibly get through a season like that, I am extremely glad that I played. It taught me that when you’ve reached rock bottom, it is better to continue to improve yourself than give up. The bonds that I made with the players and coaches will never be broken. I’m in killer shape now too, which is always a plus. The team in a huddle before a game starts
Feeling tired in the morning? Need a better way to start your day than drinking a cup of joe? Recently I came across an online "challenge" that said to take cold showers for 31 days and see if you notice any improvements. Today is January 31, and also my last day of the cold shower challenge, although, I can tell you that I won't be stopping any time soon. Cold showers give you both physical and mental benefits which I will be explaining in the following paragraphs. First, I will talk about how they promote a healthier body. Ever wonder why athletes take ice baths after sporting events? It’s because cold contact causes swelling in muscles and tissues to go down which promotes a faster recovery. Cold showers work just the same, although they are a lot less painful. Now you can do leg day every day!..... Just kidding, I don’t think anyone would ever want to do that. Do you want to clear up that acne that’s been bothering you for the past month? Hot water generally dries up your skin because it expands your pores, creating a higher chance for dirt to get in your skin. Taking a cold shower actually closes up your pores as a bodily response to the cold water, so less dirt will accumulate in your skin. They can also make your hair much healthier (therefore making you much more attractive). The cuticles in your scalp will close on contact to cold water so it won’t be as dry or dirty anymore. This will allow for some natural, beautiful hair growth. Looking for a way to get the fat off of your belly? Taking cold showers can increase your fat burning abilities throughout the day. The body has 2 types of fat cells: brown cells and white cells. Brown cells are the good fats that burn the white fat cells. White fat cells make up the “fat” parts of your body and are created by calories that aren’t burned during the day. The body has an extreme response to try to warm you up when in contact with cold water, and part of this response is to activate the brown fat cells. The brown cells burn the white fat cells (calories) to try to keep you warm. This process can increase the rate of brown fat cells by 15%, which, in turn, can add up to losing 9 pounds a year! I know, way better than exercising, right? Let’s move on to the psychological effects of cold showers. Cold showers can increase your awareness and energy levels. I know you hate it when you step in the shower to find that someone else in the house has been using up all of the hot water. You probably stare at the water for a while before you are brave enough to feel the freezing droplets on your skin. When you finally step in, you should realize that your breathing turns into excessive slow breaths. This pattern of breathing causes your heart rate to rise, which then gets your blood flowing at a higher rate. With a higher heart rate and blood flow, your energy levels increase, which then means you are more ready to tackle your daily endeavors. Because of this, your alertness levels will rise too. I would recommend taking them before school/work if you want to get off to a good start. My last note about the showers is from personal experience. I have noticed that cold showers promote the states of well-being that I have mentioned, but I think that they affect you in a deeper sense as well. There is something about the moment when you are staring at the water, afraid to step in, and when you make the step. It is almost like a leap of faith. To me, it seems like they make me more confident in my ability to do things that I am unsure of. When you step out of your comfort zone, it opens the world up to many possibilities you’ve never experienced before. Getting in that shower every morning gives me confidence that I can do anything I desire if I am willing to take the leap out of my comfort zone. I challenge you guys to try cold showers out. I understand that they aren't for everybody, and I love relaxing in hot water, but cold showers are basically a physical and mental kick-start to the day. Trust me, if you can get through the freezing cold temperatures you'll be feeling great afterwards. So, are you going to try taking cold showers? Leave a comment below! ..........Even dogs know what's up! |
AuthorHey ladies and gents! My name is Nate Hinnen and I am a senior at a high school in central Illinois. My life is a busy one; I play 3 sports, do lots of homework, and I use whatever time I have left to enjoy other things/hobbies. My blog will consist of discussions about things that bring me happiness: weightlifting, television, movies, video games, books, nature, sports, and more! With college and making career decisions in my near future, it feels good to slow down and enjoy the little things every once in a while. ArchivesNo Archives Categories |