Thread: Am i being unrealistic?

I have been exercising for 3-4 yrs now. I take about 2 or 3 cardio combo classes and 1-2 strenghth classes a week. I Really didnt do much before with the exception of sit ups and leg lifts. I am a very healthy eater. I have been for 16 yrs now. Mostly I eat smoothies in the morning with 3 cups of packed greens, 2 Tb chia seeds, 1/2 beet, about 3/4 c berries, half banana, water, stevia and ice. This makes about a liter of green smoothie. I drink 3 cups in the morning after my wkout with about 10 cashews or almonds. Before my wkout i usually have an orange or grapefruit. Then at lunch I have a big salad. Usually with 1 cup arugula, 1 cup spinach, onion, bell pepper, 3-4 strawberries, 10-12 blueberries, cilantro, tomato, 1-2 tb raw pumpkin seeds, 1/4 avacado, sprouts, 2 tb candied pecans. I make all my own dressings with flax oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, vinegar. I have the rest of my smoothie in afternoon with either raw nuts again or plain yogurt. Then for dinner some kind of meat (chicken, fish, or red meat) with more veggies. In the evening i will have either a pc of dark chocolate or another pc of fruit. This is on most days. I do go out for dinner every Tuesday and have a free night. Then on Sunday morning I fix a big bfast and eat whole grain pancakes with bacon eggs and the like. Im not comepletely strict all the time but for the most part that is how I like to eat. I have 3 kids and am 38 yrs old. Im 5'4" at 112 and I just cant seem to get that flat belly again. It just sorta sticks out. Am i being unrealistic to think I can acheive that? Is there something I need to change? Thanks for any input.
Jennifer

Hi Jennifer. I notice you put a lot of effort into it, not having results is the worst thing that can happen. I find it very amazing that you're so motivated, you must have a really good drive!

What helped for me was to stop exercising and just focus on my food, as this was a perfect way to boost my metabolism. Exercising worked against it, as my body couldn't invest energy into fat burn (it had to power up my muscles). Instead I focused on a 3 hourly meal and this really helped me a lot (I lost 25 lbs very easy), and many of my friends too: my best friend lost 50 lbs!