Dieting: more difficult than being overweight?

Yes. A resounding yes. Of course, if being overweight was difficult, far less people would be overweight, right? I realized many months ago that I was experiencing the "obesity creep," wherein you slowly gain weight over time, not realizing what's going on until you have to start buying all new clothes, and you just can't quite do all the things you used to be able to do.

I could blame the situation on anti-depressants (and have), but that's kind of a copout. So I finally decided to do something about it. Not being one to try things timidly, I jumped in with both feet--went to a weight-loss clinic and everything. I learned quite a bit, and the first five days were the "detox" phase. I lost six pounds, but it about killed me. Now that things have leveled off, I'm still gradually losing, but maintaining my sanity. :) I'd tell you how much I've lost, but we don't have a scale at home, so I'll have to keep you posted monthly, as I weigh in. Most people say, "But you look fine! Why are you trying to lose weight?" Well, when you're 2 sizes bigger than you were three years ago, it's time to evaluate where you want to be in another three years. Certainly not another 2 sizes bigger.

Some things I learned: soda is the biggest problem for most overweight people. I don't drink soda, so score one for me! One less thing to give up. The other big deal is not eating breakfast. Not a problem here, either. I always eat breakfast. What I did learn for me, is that carbs take way fewer calories to digest than protein, so I am now on a high-protein diet to kick in the metabolism, and it's working. I had worries about my kidneys and all that, but if I stay up with the required water and fresh veggies intake, I do fine. There have been, however, some other, unforeseen side effects. Once I lose the weight and reach my goal, I should be able to increase my carbs and revert to a "normal" diet. I.e., a more healthy one than before, which for me means leaving alone the sweets!

Here are the drawbacks I've experienced:
Drier skin. In fact, everything feels drier. Hair, nails, eyes, everything. Solution: increase the olive oil intake. Check. Doing better.

Destruction of good flora in the intestinal tract. Solution: start eating plain yogurt as my afternoon snack, instead of a cheese stick. Check. Doing better.

Cold sores. Solution: start taking L-lysine. Check. Doing better.

High metabolism means less sleep. The energy your body can generate is amazing. Still working on a solution to this one. :)

So, there are the cons to dieting. The pros? Still losing weight, and am actually able to wear a pair of pants today that I haven't worn in over a year. Plus, I don't crave sweets anymore. Not in the least. Give me an orange or grapefruit or apple or pear and I'm in heaven.

Is it worth it? I'll let you know when I'm back on a stable diet (I'm thinking South Beach. I ordered their cookbooks yesterday). Maintaining the weight loss will be key, and I certainly hope that I won't have endured all of this for naught. Wish me luck.