The short answer here is "no", it doesn't have to be difficult. In fact, as with most things in life, the simplest approach is usually the best and most effective way to go. The same rule applies when it comes to weight loss. The reason for this is simple: The easier something is, the more likely we are to stick with it.
So to rephrase, the keys to weight loss are SIMPLICITY and CONSISTENCY. If you are consistent with your efforts, you don't have to worry about how long something will take because you know that you will get there eventually.
Here are the 4 steps that I would like you to follow in order to achieve consistent weight loss:
1. Exercise Every Morning - When you exercise early in the morning (the moment that you wake up), you automatically turn on your metabolism. This doesn't have to be jogging. In fact, a walk will suffice. Just make sure that you do something. Also, don't eat anything before starting this exercise. The only thing that you will have will be a glass of water. This will force your body to use its own fat stores for energy, which is what you want.
2. Eat Every 3 Hours - Now that you have kick-started your metabolism by waking up early and exercising, it is necessary to keep it burning during the entire day by eating every 3 hours. Note, that these are not large meals that you will be consuming. The idea is to have small meals that will give you enough energy to keep on going, but not big enough to leave excess fat on your frame.
3. 40 Grams of Fibre - Without boring you with all of the details, the more fibre that you eat everyday, the more body fat you will get rid of. Fibre becomes especially important if you are eating a lot of meats, as the body finds these difficult to break down without the aid of fibre. If you are eating enough fruits and vegetables, your fibre needs should already be met. However, if they are not, you may want to consider purchasing a fibre supplement.
4. Absolutely No Processed Sugar - If you are serious about losing weight, you need to be prepared to kick the sugar habit that most of us have had at some point of our lives. You don't have to cut it out completely, but definitely reduce it considerably if you want to see results quickly. When sugar is consumed, it spikes a hormone in our bodies called Insulin. This causes our bodies to go into a sort of "fat storage" mode where more of what we eat will be stored as fat. I am sure you will agree that this is definitely going to be counterproductive.
I hope you can see now that weight loss doesn't have to be difficult. There are a million and one additional tips that I could give you, but what's the point? If you follow these steps, you will lose weight. It might not happen overnight, but if you are prepared to dedicate yourself and be consistent, the weight will come off: It is just a matter of time.