TRYING TO SQUEEZE in some training during the Christmas can be hard and it takes considerable motivation to be able to stick to a fitness programme.

The same can be said for diet because in many offices around the country, with the boxes of Roses and Quality Street are just too hard to resist. But before you dig your claws in, fill up on some healthy stuff first.

Here we’ve given you a few ideas that might just help you reduce your intake of that bad stuff. These are to be made the night before or in the morning and stored in a lunch box. Pure old school.

Mackerel and potato salad

Ingredients

Sweet potato, spring onions, half an avocado, some sliced beetroot, rocket leaves, two tins of mackerel, some crème fraiche to drizzle on top.

Method

• Oven cook the sweet potatoes by chopping them into slices 1cm thick. Coat them in a light mix of butter and honey and cook for 25-30 minutes or so. Make enough to last 2-3 days.
• Chop the spring onions, avocado and place in the lunchbox on a bed of lettuce with the mackerel.
• Add the beetroot and the potatoes when they’re done.
• Drizzle the crème fraiche – but go handy!

Tuna salad with a Mexican twist

Ingredients

Wholegrain rice, copped avocado, chopped red pepper, chopped tomato, chilli, olive oil, two tins of tuna, kidney beans, garlic.

Method

• Cook the rice either in the microwave or boil it.
• Mix together the tomato, kidney beans, the pepper, chilli, garlic and avocado.
• Place the rice in the lunch box and add the mixture on top.
• Add the tuna.
• Drizzle with olive oil.

Thai prawns

Ingredients

Soy sauce, cooked prawns, grated carrot, green beans, sunflower seeds, grilled courgettes, lime juice.

Method

• Mix the soy sauce and the lime juice to form your dressing, Set aside.
• Cook the prawns by either boiling or shallow frying them and when done mix with the grilled courgettes, carrot, green beans and sunflower seeds.
• Add the dressing and you’re good to go.

Chicken with noodles

Ingredients

Wholegrain noodles, coconut oil, peanut butter, soy sauce, 2 grilled chicken breasts, red pepper, sesame seeds.

Method

• Cook the noodles by boiling them in a pot for five minutes max.
• Mix the soy sauce, peanut butter and coconut oil and place in the microwave for a minute to make a nice creamy sauce.
• Mix the sauce and the noodles and place in the lunch box.
• Dice the pepper and slice the chicken breasts.
• Sprinkle with the seeds and you’re done.

Chickpea salad

Shutterstock / Robyn Mackenzie Shutterstock / Robyn Mackenzie / Robyn Mackenzie

Ingredients

Chickpeas, green beans, sliced green pepper, grilled courgettes and aubergines, balsamic vinegar, olive oil.

Method

• Boil the beans and set aside.
• Cook the courgettes and aubergine by roasting them in an oven for 15 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste. Stir after 7-8 minutes.
• Mix the chickpeas and sliced pepper in a separate bowl.
• Place the beans on top.
• Drizzle the olive oil and vinegar over this mixture.

Try this 20-minute abs blasting core routine

5 things every workout you do should include