Healthy diet and regular workouts may not be enough for your weight-loss goals

It takes more than just exercising regularly and eating mindfully to reach your desired body weight. Read to understand what is that you are missing out on.

You have been going by all the rules in the fitness book, eating according to your dietician's guidelines and have also managed to develop the endurance to train longer and harder. Yet you are finding it difficult to shed those obstinate extra kilos. Well, chances are, your body isn't experiencing calorie deficit despite your efforts. The Department of Internal Medicine IV, Division of Sports Medicine, Medical University Vienna, Austria, conducted a study to understand the effect of calorie deficit on fat reduction. The study found that independent of the weight loss methods, negative energy balance alone helps in taking the numbers down on your weighing scale. Here are some healthy ways to create a calorie deficit to speed up your weight-loss process successfully.

Reduce your portion size:

[caption id="attachment_644180" align="alignnone" width="655"] Clip your portion size in a healthy way to control your calorie intake. @shutterstock[/caption]

You will have to start taking smaller portions of food to see the change. But you need to cut down on your portions in a healthy way. Do not compromise on the three essential meals of the day, just reduce the quantity. Skipping meals will do more harm than any good. Consider consulting an experienced dietician or nutrition.

Consume negative calorie vegetables and fruits:

[caption id="attachment_644181" align="alignnone" width="655"] Negative calorie food like cucumber's low-calorie make-up helps in achieving a calorie deficit in a healthy manner. @shutterstock[/caption]

Foods that require more calorie expenditure for digestion than the calories they give your body are known as negative calorie foods. Include them in your diet. Their low-calorie make-up helps in achieving a calorie deficit in a healthy manner. Fruits such as tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, watermelons are some of the most preferred negative calorie foods that you can add to your diet.

Hydration is the key:

[caption id="attachment_644182" align="alignnone" width="655"] Drink water before eating as it helps to keep you full and eat less. @shutterstock[/caption]

If you want to decrease weight then make a mental note to increase your water intake significantly. It will tame your hunger pangs and enhance your metabolism more efficiently than ever. Irrespective of whether or not you are thirsty, just drink that glass of water every half an hour and before your meals. This will keep you from eating more than you need, ensuring a lesser number of calories.

Eat at a specific time period:

[caption id="attachment_644184" align="alignnone" width="655"] The 18/8 method is the most popular form of intermittent fasting where people skip breakfast and eat lunch at 12 noon, followed by dinner at 8 PM. @shutterstock[/caption]

Heard of intermittent fasting? Yes, that s right. It is all about Having all the three meals of the day at longer or extended gaps. The 18/8 method is the most popular form of intermittent fasting where people skip the breakfast and eat lunch at 12 noon, followed by dinner at 8 PM. You may end up feeling more energetic during the fasting period. You can drink water, coffee and other non-caloric beverages and low-calorie foods during the fast, and this can help reduce your hunger pangs. But before opting for this, consult your doctor.