While I’d love to demolish a fry up every morning and still maintain some semblance of my natural shape, unfortunately that’s just not going to happen.

Breakfast is, as they say, the most important meal of the day – but what are we supposed to eat first thing to ensure we’re setting ourselves up for the day and remaining healthy? Who better to ask than a group of nutritionists…

Take notes.

1. “Chia pudding”

Manal Chouchane, Clinical Nutritionist at BioCare:

“Chia pudding made with coconut milk, mashed banana and cocoa powder topped with some berries. You can prepare this the night before and leave it in the fridge overnight for the pudding to set which makes it ideal for busy individuals who don’t have time to prepare or cook breakfast in the morning. Chia seeds are high in protein, fibre and healthy fats which alongside the banana and coconut milk help to maintain energy levels during the morning.”

2. “Proats”

Faye Townsend, Nutritionist at Protein World:

“I tend to do fasted cardio/exercise in the morning, as when we wake up we have depleted energy and carbohydrate levels, so instead of relying on these you’re actually directly targeting your fat stores during your work out.

“After my morning gym session, I often have Proats (protein oats). This is a great refuel breakfast as it combines both carbohydrates and proteins. Oats are an excellent source of the soluble fibre known as Beta Glucan; which protects your heart health by lowering LDLs (our bad cholesterol). If I don’t have proats readily available, I add protein powder to normal oats. I rely on post-workout protein as it helps to refuel and replenish muscles.

“I normally keep it simple by having oats made with unsweetened almond milk and a scoop of protein powder (if needed) and top it with a dollop of peanut butter and raspberries. This keeps me full right up until lunch, keeping my energy levels balanced and stopping me from over eating.”

3. “Poached or scrambled egg”

Dr. Marilyn Glenville, Nutritionist specialising in women’s health:

“When I can I will have an egg for breakfast, either poached or scrambled with tomatoes and a piece of rye bread.”

4. “A bagel”

Alexis Poole, Registered Associate Nutritionist and Nutrition Manager at Spoon Guru:

“I usually workout before work at a weights class… Eating protein after a weight training session will help stimulate the muscle building process and the sooner you eat post workout, the better for your recovery.

“That being said, people often think that you need to consume huge amounts of protein, but this is not the case. The truth is, a palm sized portion of protein, which equates to around 20g of protein, should be enough for muscle growth and repair. To ensure I refuel properly post workout I tend to have a bagel when I get to the office, topped with either smoked salmon and avocado, or some cottage cheese and tomato. This is easy to make in the office and is big enough to refuel and keep me going throughout the morning.”

5. “Leftovers”

Cassandra Barns, in-house nutritionist:

“I tend to have eggs – either two or three eggs – usually scrambled. If it’s only two eggs then I’ll add some extra protein, such as half a leftover homemade burger, or a rasher or two of bacon. To go with them, I have leftover veggies – I always make extra for dinners so I have some left over for my breakfast – that might be broccoli and roasted carrots, for example. Then I drizzle over some of my homemade rocket dressing, which is made with rocket, lemon juice, garlic, chilli, sea salt and olive oil. I’ll have a matcha green tea with my breakfast too.”

6. “Pancakes (on the weekend)”

Katharina Kaiser, Nutrition Specialist working in partnership with fitness app Freeletics:

“I agree with Arnold Schwarzenegger when he said ‘breakfast is the most important meal of the day’. When I don’t fuel my body with energy in the morning, I feel slow and tired throughout the day.

“That’s why I normally start my day with a bowl of overnight oats. Before going to bed, I quickly combine oats with almond milk and a pinch of ground vanilla. This takes about 30 seconds. In the morning, I add seasonal fruits and walnuts, pecan nuts, almonds or flax seeds to it. Takes all in all 5 minutes, but is a delicious, healthy way to start the day. Plus, it’s awesome to eat on the go.

“This is a great breakfast, because it has a lot of fibre, which is good for your gut and keeps you satiated for a long time, vitamins and minerals through the fruits and the almond milk and healthy fats through the nuts and flax seeds.

“On the weekends, when I have more time, I really celebrate my breakfast. Often, I make scrambled eggs with veggies, or poached eggs with spinach. But banana pancakes are also high on my favourite ‘breakfast-weekend-list’ (These are incredibly delicious.)

7. “A smoothie”

Kim Pearson, Nutritionist working in partnership with BetterYou:

“Breakfast is normally a smoothie made from mixed berries, a chunk of cucumber, flax seeds, brown rice protein powder and almond milk.”

8. “Scrambled egg on toast”

Rhiannon Lambert, a Registered Nutritionist and founder of leading Harley Street clinic Rhitrition:

“After waking up to a glass of water to rehydrate, scrambled eggs and spinach on toasted rye bread typically follows. Cooked in olive oil, my breakfast is rich in protein, fibre, complex carbohydrates with some healthy fats. It always keeps me full and satisfied until lunchtime.

“I am the biggest breakfast fan and for good reason too with it widely accepted that people who eat breakfast tend to be healthier than those who give it a miss as they are less likely to be overweight and have a healthy relationship with food. Missed meals can result in nutrient deficiencies, which is linked to fatigue and poor mental function.”

9. “Yoghurt with fruit”

Dr Emma Derbyshire, registered Public Health Nutritionist:

“I normally enjoy natural yoghurt, with fruit such as fresh berries mixed in, with flaxseeds on top and a drizzle of honey – manuka is my favourite.”

10. “Porridge”

Steph Williams, Nutritionist at Weight Watchers:

“I switch between a few dishes during the week, but generally, in the summer I opt for something cold like overnight oats with fruit or fibre cereal. When the weather changes, I’m a fan of a big warming bowl of porridge. Just remember to keep an eye on the sugar content of pre-packaged flavoured porridges.”

H/T Cosmo UKÂ