How to spice up your boring healthy lunches

You're working the nine to five, you're hitting the gym on a daily basis and you're even meal prepping lunches on a Sunday night – but there's only so many times you can stomach grilled chicken, steamed broccoli and brown rice.

Eating healthily during the work week is consistently touted as being the toughest challenge for any deskbound #fitspo enthusiast – mainly because anything they make gets real boring, real fast.

But eating healthy and carving out a rockin' bod can be both quick and delicious, says Katrina Mills, accredited practising dietitian at Body Fusion.

"I work with a lot of busy, stressed people and lunch is often a downfall if they aren't prepared," Mills tells ninemsn Coach.

"It helps if people know they don't have to eat a kale and quinoa salad to have a healthy lunch."

Rule one: Forget about "clean eating"

If you want a rippling six-pack, a bum with its own Instagram page or the kind of body that can capture attention from across the beach, you'll be told from personal trainers and friends that you'll have to eat "clean".

But what does "eating clean" actually mean?

"There is no specific definition of what clean eating means. When people refer to eating clean it normally involves eating fresh foods with a minimal degree of processing. This means foods without added sugars, salts and fats," says Mills.

So effectively, your lunches really need to be cooked by you, at home, primarily using whole foods that are more at home on a farm than they are in a factory.

But Mills is quick to warn people that in reality, it's not a great idea to think of yourself "eating clean" as opposed to simply "eating healthy", as it can create some psychological barriers.

"As a dietitian, I discourage placing any labels on food as it can create feelings of failure and poor self-worth when you don’t eat 'cleanly'," advises Mills.

"Food is neither clean nor dirty, unless it physically has dirt on it and needs to be washed."

Up your herb game and follow the #fitspo formula

If you find heating up Tupperware chicken a little sketchy on the tastebuds come Thursday, it's time to get your spice rack in order, because the best way to add flavour without the calories is with herbs, spices and dressings.

"Try cumin, paprika and chilli flakes in chilli con carne, add sumac and dried mint to roasted zucchini or throw in a handful of coriander right at the end of a stir fry," offers Mills.

"My favourite dressings include caramelised balsamic vinegar, wholegrain mustard with lemon juice and salt reduced soy and lime juice."

It’s all well and good to have a lunch so tasty that your colleagues crane their necks over and exclaim "ooh what are you having?" – but if it isn’t nutritionally balanced, you're not giving yourself the best chance at fuelling your training and dropping body fat.

"You need the right formula: one palm of protein with a fist of slow-release grainy carbohydrates and lots of bright vegetables," suggests Mills.

This way, your work lunches won’t just be delicious, they'll actively help your abs to pop come summer 2017.

The key to healthy lunch longevity, says Mills, is to choose foods that you know you love instead of copying the meals of that latest hot Instagram personality or fitness magazine cover model.

"Often people think that healthy food won’t taste good or fill them up," advises Mills.

 "There is such a range of healthy foods that there is something out there for everyone."

Have a plan, and stock some healthy rations

We all know how easy it is to meet up with your friends for a cheeky Sunday session, knock back a few cocktails and then wake on Monday morning with a sore head and an empty fridge.

But with a little forethought and some creative shopping, you can ensure that every meal is a healthy one – even if you're unprepared.

"A trap that many people fall in to is not having a plan for their work lunches," says Mills.

"What I advise is to write a plan for the week, do the shopping on the weekend or make an extra serve of dinner to pack as leftovers."

If that still falls into the too-hard basket, Mills says that it is possible to put together a nutritionally sound meal with carefully chosen desk rations, but it's probably not best to do that all the time.

"Have backups stored in your desk drawer like peanut butter, wholegrain crackers, tins of tuna or salmon, cans of corn and herbal teas," suggests Mills.

"You can make a perfectly balanced meal with a few staple items!"

Katrina's top three tasty lunch ideas

Mexican bowl:

½ 400g can of 4 bean mix

1 small tin of corn kernels

1 bag mixed salad leaves with ¼ avocado as the "guacamole"

Lemon juice and chilli sauce

Chicken and pesto salad:

1 wholegrain microwave rice cup

1 BBQ chicken breast

A handful of cherry tomatoes and rocket leaves

2 tsp of basil pesto

Mezze plate:

4 wholegrain Vitaweet crackers

½ cup cottage cheese

10 olives

2 cups chopped vegetable sticks, for example carrot, red capsicum, cherry tomatoes and cucumber