Many of the foods available to us when we are out and about and in a hurry are exactly the kinds of foods we should be avoiding if we want to lose fat and stay slim. Think sandwiches, baguettes/subs, wraps, pastries, cakes, biscuit, even soups. Highly modified, stripped of nutrients and packed with what we call the 'Deadly 3' (white sugar, white flour and 'white' salt), these foods are perfect for fat gain! We should all aim to avoid refined carbohydrates, but if you really want to be successful at losing weight (and keeping it off), you absolutely MUST avoid them.

The best way to avoid having to choose these foods (or go hungry) is to plan ahead and take your own food with you. There is a misconception that living this way requires extra time and work which is simply not true. All it takes is a little forethought and planning, and the end result - a slimmer, healthier, happier you - makes it so worth it. Here are our Top 10 Practical Planning Tips for healthy eating on the hoof:

Use tins of ready-cooked beans, lentils and chickpeas (with no added salt or sugar)

Stock up on the 'best carb' basics eg. brown rice (easy-cook), quinoa and oats

Keep a bag of unsalted raw nuts and/or seeds in your handbag/briefcase for emergencies

Invest in a thermos flask so you can take hearty and nutritious soups and stews to work

Buy a set of plastic containers for packed lunches like pre-cut vegetable crudits for hummus or mashed avocado dips

Get into the habit of cooking an extra portion to freeze for those evenings when you come home late

Choose easy-cook brown rice, available at most mainstream supermarkets these days

Cook double the quantity of rice or quinoa, use half and put the rest in the fridge for a quick salad base

Keep your spice rack stocked with a wide range of dried herbs and spices to provide flavour and zing to the simplest salads and soups

Carry a teaspoon in your bag/briefcase for an emergency avocado snack

and one for luck...

With your cupboards stocked with staples, nip into the greengrocers as often as you can, buying smaller quantities for your immediate needs. This will mean less waste and the freshest veg!

Claire Raikes

Claire Raikes is a Health and Wellbeing Coach who 'cured' herself of a chronic, disabling and potentially life-threatening bowel condition without the use of steroids, surgery or any other traditional medical intervention. She now shares her passion for natural and vibrant health through coaching, speaking and writing about the importance and power of a truly healthy diet.

She publishes a free weekly eZine, In Essence and is compiling an eBook of Healthy Fast Food with 25% of the proceeds going to The Cancer Project, a charity set up by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) and nutritionists to educate the public on the benefits of a healthy diet for cancer prevention and survival. If you have a recipe you would like to submit, visit the Live In Essence website for further details. To book Claire to speak at your event, email her at hello@claireraikes.com.