What Emily said about losing weight being a full time job for women is no joke. It typically takes me a month of strict diet and exersize before I'll even drop my first pound, and I have to stick with it for weeks afterwards to achieve any noticeable difference.
Meanwhile, I've dated men who simply cut out soda or hit the gym twice a week without even altering their diet and presto - they've lost five pounds in a few days. If I could get those kind of results by being vigilant for a couple of weeks, then it would be so much easier for me to stick with a weight lost program. The problem for me (and for a lot of women out there) is that our results are so delayed and slow coming. If you want to lose weight healthily you have to commit yourself to this super long, boring, restrictive thing that could last months. And then, as soon as you start slacking off in the least, all the weight comes right back within a couple weeks. (and by slacking off, I do not mean pigging out or ignoring your workouts, I just mean easing up on everything a little.) It's truly horrible and frustrating.
The fact that we have to work so damn hard and fight so much to get to a certain size only lends credit to the fact that we aren't really supposed to be that tiny in the first place. I've sort of given up on looking like I did a few years ago.... it's way too much work for the limited, elusive rewards and I honestly don't think I look that much different without the 10 lbs. anyway. I'd rather just enjoy my life; I don't hear anyone complaining about the way I look.