Get Your Energy Boosts

This past weekend was the free Air Show at the Naval Air Station here in town. We were lucky to have the famed Blue Angels come to town and bring their precise flying abilities for all of us to see. Fun times! I can hardly imagine what it takes for the pilots to keep up their strength. It must really zap them at times if they have not fueled up thier bodies the right way to take all the "g's" thrown their way as they are flying upside down, wing tip to wing tip. And those loop-the-loops? No wonder they all look so good in their uniforms! The Navy does it right!

One of the big, and I mean that literally as well as figuratively, draws in the show is the support carrier for the Blue Angels and their maintenance crew. The support personnel and equipment are toted around the country and the world in one of those big Hercules aircrafts, fondly referred to as "Fat Albert."

Fat Albert is a humongous piece of metal that makes you wonder if it could ever get off the ground high enough to be considered as "flying." Indeed, in order to get enough speed to lift its heavy load, the runways need to be as long as some of the test grounds in Desert Sands! Normal jet runways are not nearly long enough.

So how do they do it? They get an energy boost. They have, I think, four extra fuel boosters attached to the plane that when ignited, acts just like a dragster. They get going pretty fast and make a steep takeoff, allowing them to quickly get out of the area (in case of enemy fire) and back to safe air space.

As they were demonstrating their takeoffs, I thought about the energy boosts we all need, some of us more often than others. When you are overweight, you look for the quick fix of energy, mostly in all the wrong places. The Snickers bar to go with your Coke. The extra piece of pizza because you want just one more bite. These things may be good, but are definitely not good for you.

As you lose weight after your lap-band, it is especially important to opt for the right kind of energy boosters. At the beginning, it is critical that you drink your protein drinks, as it not only gives you energy but also helps to build lean muscles. As you progress and begin experimenting with what you can eat, you really need to watch your quick fixes. If it goes down easily the first time, it is very easy to reach for it a second time, heading you back into the same old habits you had before your surgery.

I know I need to look elsewhere for my energy boosts. Fresh fruits and vegetables and lean meat protein is best for me. I also sometimes forget the importance of plain water and how it helps fuel your entire body.

 But I have also noticed something else that gives me energy. Feeling useful.

As I get more active because it is easier to move, I am finding out that while I love the freedom of retirement, it makes me inactive without a goal. Going back to work part time has made me feel like I am being productive again, and that gives me mental energy. Mental energy fuels my physical energy, along with smart food choices, which makes me want to be more active. That connected circle thing again.

So, just like Fat Albert and the pilots flying those jets, I need my energy boosts. I may get it from the food I eat, the work that I am doing, or it may even come from just standing still and silent and taking in all of God's wonders around me. I think those are the best one!

Get your body boosts, stay busy. But don't forget to take time for yourself. Stop and smell the roses or the fresh sea air. It will invigorate your soul.