Most of us make a pact with ourselves to get more active and to eat healthier ahead of summer. Exercise and healthy eating is the key ingredient to shedding those unwanted pounds and here are a few foods that you can enjoy while dieting that also help your body to burn away fat faster.

An apple and skim milk

Pretty much any type of fruit is going to make a great snack, but you usually want to pair it with a bit of protein to make it more satisfying.  The reason for this is that unlike carbohydrates, which get used up relatively quickly, protein will help sustain your energy and hunger for a few hours. An ideal pairing in this regard would be one large apple and a glass of skim milk. This combination will give you 10 grams of protein and 5 grams of fibre and contains a mere 200 calories.

Cottage cheese stuffed avocado

This delicious combination is ideal for when you’re craving something rich, creamy, and a bit savoury. Remove the pit from one half of an avocado and fill the space with 2 ounces cottage cheese. At just 200 calories, you’ll get 9 grams of protein and 7 grams of fibre.

Tuna on whole wheat crackers

 Having a small can of tuna is a great source of protein and offers you very healthy Omega-3s. At around 200 calories, you can enjoy 3 ounces of light tuna and 6 whole-wheat crackers—complete with 3 grams of fibre and 20 grams of protein.

Warm pear with cinnamon ricotta cheese

Ricotta cheese is high in protein, and pears are a fantastic source of fibre. When you pair the two together with a sprinkling of cinnamon, they make a delicious snack for any time of day. Each serving contains 8 g protein, 5 g fibre, and contain only 170 calories.

Chicken pita bread sandwich

It is important to remember when dieting that there is absolutely no reason that you can’t enjoy smaller portions of “real” food for your snacks. A great example of this is a chicken pita bread sandwich. You can prepare it in the morning, and split it in half for two snacks throughout the day. Each half of the sandwich contains 200 calories, 3 grams of fibre, and more than 20 grams of protein. It also tastes delicious which can help when dieting.