If you’re like most people and have a day job that’s constantly interrupting your fitness lifestyle, you know how difficult it can be to uphold a healthy diet plan on a daily basis…

Between all the stress of your hectic schedule and the fact that there are just too many breakfast options so close to the office, it can be way easier to just buy something from the store instead of “wasting” time prepping your breakfast at the last minute.

Well, that may be, but it’s no way to reach your fat loss goals, or run a successful bulking phase if your goal is to add size to your frame. Luckily, prepping your breakfast for work doesn’t have to be a daunting or a time-consuming task.

In fact, bringing breakfast with you can be an excellent way to kick-start your day feeling energised and satiated. So, don’t make it more complicated than it needs to be, instead use the following breakfast ideas to be the fittest and healthiest person in the office.

Tuna-salmon salad sandwich

Leave the scrambled eggs for the weekend and stick to the simplest of recipes for the work days – meals you can easily pop in a plastic container and bring to work with you. One of these is a delicious tuna-salmon-salad combo, all neatly stacked between two bread slices. This one shouldn’t take you more than 10 minutes to prepare.

Check out the ingredients:

• One 150-gram can of tuna
• One 150-gram can of wild salmon
• 3 stalks of diced celery
• 2 tablespoons capers, lightly chopped
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice 
• 3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
• 8 slices 100% whole wheat bread

How to prep:

First, mush all of the ingredients together in a bowl to make a salad. Next, simply spread the salad onto the bread and you’re done!

Calorie-dense turkey burger

The next high-protein, muscle-building recipe is the turkey-parmesan burger. Well, four burgers if you follow the recipe. This one shouldn’t take you more than 30 minutes to prep, after which you can store them in a glass container to keep them warm until you reach the office.

Ingredients:

• 500g of lean ground turkey
• 6 tablespoons marinara sauce
• 1 clove of minced garlic
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
• Dried oregano to taste
• 2 teaspoons of olive oil
• 50g shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 4 whole-grain hamburger buns
• Fresh basil leaves

How to prep:

Make four patties by mixing the turkey, marinara sauce, garlic, oregano, and salt. Heat the oil in a pan and drop the patties in. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes on each side. Add shredded cheese while the patties are still warm and wait for the cheese to melt. Put in patties and seal in a glass container.

Gainer banana and cinnamon smoothie

Sometimes, you just want to switch up the routine, and that’s perfectly fine – not every meal needs to be savoury. There are many ways you can make your breakfast taste sweet, all without using any unhealthy ingredients. One such recipe is the breakfast gainer smoothie that’s jam-packed with calories and protein to help you gain muscle faster.

But before we get into the recipe, why the shake? Why not make yourself another hearty meal with the same macronutrients and caloric density? Because downing down a meal replacement shake instead is not only easier, but more sustainable over the long term.

Remember, drinking your calories is one of the best ways to establish a caloric surplus needed to build muscle. What’s more, you won’t feel as bloated or sluggish, because your digestive system will have an easier time processing everything – so you can get right down to work feeling positive and energized.

Here’s the recipe:

• 2 sliced bananas
• 2 servings of whey protein
• 500ml of milk (use almond milk if you’re lactose intolerant)
• 1 tablespoon of nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 tsp of maple syrup

How to prep:

Blend the ingredients together and down it like a champ. Yum!

Salmon and chickpea salad

Back to savoury delights and we find ourselves with some healthy salmon again. This time, though, we’ll be adding some chickpeas to add a healthy dose of carbs. This protein-and-carb-packed meal will keep you sated for hours, and should take you no more than 30 minutes to prep.

Ingredients:

• One 150-gram can of salmon (or more, your choice)
• 1 can of dried chickpeas, firm
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• Plenty of salt, pepper, and paprika
• 250g mixed lettuce
• 1 cucumber
• 50g of feta cheese

How to prep:

Cook the chickpeas in salty water for 25 minutes, add pepper and paprika at the end. Mix the chickpeas with the salmon in a glass container. Add in the lettuce and crumbled feta, mix well, and cover with chopped cucumber. Sprinkle with olive oil.

Toast with avocado and eggs

And finally, if you can’t imagine starting your day without some eggs on your plate, then this recipe is for you. The combination of eggs and avocado is not only tasty and filling, but it also provides plenty of nutritious goodness in terms of protein and healthy fats.

Ingredients:

• 4 slices of whole-grain bread, toasted
• 4 hardboiled eggs, sliced
• 1 avocado, mashed
• 12 cucumber slices
• A bit of lime zest to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste

How to prep:

Spread the avocado on the toast. Put egg slices and cucumber on top. Drizzle some lime zest. Add salt and pepper to taste. This will give you four nutritious, muscle-building toasts you’re going to love!

Final thoughts

Breakfast is the easiest meal to skip, but skipping breakfast is no way to achieve your fitness goals, or maintain a healthy lifestyle. Use these recipes to prep your breakfast quickly, and then take it with you to the office in order to give your body the nutrients it needs to make you feel energised throughout the day.