It IS hard. But it's not as hard as counting calories and all that stuff, at least for me. I feel so much better when I cut out certain foods that call my name, particularly fried potatoes and bread. Sometimes I buy gluten-free bread which is of course full of carbs and it always messes me up and I start picking at the cakes that people bring into the office and so it goes on. Once I decide to go "clean" again so many things improve, especially my digestion. It is a while since I lost any weight but I've been holding back the gains more or less. The health benefits are what keeps me going. If it were just a reducing diet, I don't think I could keep going back to it.