Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. If you can, take time out to really enjoy it — it’s a great way to start the day. If you need an incentive to get out of bed that bit earlier, remember that people who eat breakfast tend to be slimmer than those who don’t. Investing some time for breakfast in the morning will kick-start your metabolism and stop you snacking mid-morning. Set the table the night before and make it look appealing if that helps — and most of the ideas below will only take 10 minutes to prepare, so lack of time is no excuse.

• Scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, chopped tomato and basil
• Boiled egg and wholemeal toast
• Wholemeal toast and peanut butter or marmite/vegemite
• Hot or cold fruit with low-fat yogurt
• Porridge with stewed fruit (for example, apple and raisin or rhubarb)
• Kedgeree (make the night before)
• Cereal with skimmed milk
• Fruit juice, fruit smoothies, herbal or black tea, one cup of coffee