MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – If your energy drops off during the day, we have three tips from an expert to keep those energy levels up all day long.

Nancy Clark is best known for her book Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook, now in its fourth edition. She’s a registered dietitian who specializes in nutrition and exercise. Here are her three tips to keep going:

1. Eat a balanced breakfast

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but a lot of people say they don’t have time,” said Clark.

To start the day off right, Clark suggests foods such as a whole wheat English muffin with peanut butter and low fat or skim milk. Having three different types of food balances any meal she says.

If people aren’t hungry for breakfast in the morning, Clark says that can be because they ate before they went to bed, and those meals tend to not be as nutritious.

2. Eat throughout the day

“People are nicer to their cars than their bodies,” said Clark. “You put fuel in your car, it goes. You put fuel in your body and it goes.”

Eating smaller meals more often throughout the day will help keep your energy going says Clark.

“Lunch can be an English muffin with tomato sauce and low fat cheese,” Clark said.

3. Fuel up before you work out

Nancy calls this a “second lunch,” which is what you would eat to get your energy up before you head to the gym.

After your workout when you’re feeling tired and exhausted, Clark suggests drinking a glass of chocolate milk to recover.