Registered dietician Morgan knows the effects food can have on our bodies. In fact, she teaches others about it for a living. As the weather starts to change and get dreary, she’s here to give tips about how food can properly fuel us to continue giving our all in workouts:

When the weather gets gloomy, it can seem nearly impossible to get active. In Texas, it feels like it has been raining for 40 days straight. I know when I wake up and see cloudy skies, I roll back over in bed and tell myself the workout can wait until tomorrow. What if we could push through the gloominess and knock out our workout regardless? I wonder how many workouts we would miss in a year if we cancelled our classes every time there was a chance of rain…

As a dietitian, I have a few food recommendations to help give you that burst of energy you need to motivate yourself and wake up your body (and just a few fun tips, too).

1. Don’t skip breakfast.

This may seem obvious, but fueling your body and starting up your metabolism first thing in the A.M. will improve your mood and energy levels later. Aim to have a protein such as eggs or turkey bacon, a grain like wheat toast or waffles, and a veggie such as spinach or avocado. I like to pack fruit for my mid-morning snack.

2. Pack a post-lunch snack that will give you a boost of energy before your class.

Pairing a protein (low fat cheese, peanut butter, cottage cheese, yogurt,) with a carb (whole grain crackers, fruit, granola bar, popcorn) is guaranteed to provide the fuel you need to exercise.

2. Listen to your go-to pump up song on the way to your class (my favorite go-to is always old school Beyoncé, but you do you). You’ll forget it’s cloudy, trust me.

3. Pack a gym bag to bring with you to work or school, and work out straight from there.

Don’t even tempt yourself with the possibility of pajamas and Netflix…until after the workout 😉

4. If you’re really letting the weather get you down, take a more soothing class such as Yoga, Barre, or Pilates.

Session Pilates, Uptown Yoga, and WeYogis in Dallas all have large windows so you can enjoy the soothing rain while you work out.

5. Feeling the 3:00 slump extra hard? Leave some green tea bags in your desk or car for some natural mid-afternoon caffeine all while getting some amazing antioxidants.

6. And the rule that seems to work best… schedule your classes ahead of time.

Write them in ink in your planner, schedule it with a friend you haven’t seen in awhile, and set reminders in your phone. Having a friend hold you accountable (along with late fees and permanent marker in your planner) increases motivation.

Get moving even when it’s tough, your body deserves it! You can find Morgan on instagram here.