Runsalone,
First, Welcome to TFL
Second. Dude, you are now starting a long, long journey. You can take one of two roads:
1. Down size the caliber and/or gun that you wish to carry because it's "too hard" to CCW (dress around it, you can't get it "just right" on the first, second, etc.. try so you give up) and then you give up without finding out what fits and what doesn't.
2. You pick the gun you wish to CCW and you find your way of carrying it. I carry a full size Kimber Pro-Carry (well, it's 4.5" barrel instead of the normal 5" but my carry rig will carry both) and I have carried a full sized USP .45. All with comfort. I couldn't find the right "rig" at first but instead of giving up on the gun and myself, I kept trying.
Many people may say for you to give up and go with something smaller, lighter, easier to carry. Yet, it's up to you to decide what YOU wish to carry and then work out how to carry it. I love my Kimber and the USP and I trust them to no end and, IMHO, I'm a dang good shot with each. I have many smaller guns that are easier to carry but I'm not as good a shot and I have practiced with them. To me, the little guns just don't give me the room for error (as in, when TSHTF and your body defenses really kick in) that I have with the full sized guns (as in, you aim COM and hit about .5" from POA).
I'm also a "shaker"(sp). I tremble (losing nerve control) and with the full size I can hit and hit well. With the smaller guns, unless the BG is right up on me, my hits are good but not what I want. You have to take in your physical factors into mind also, there is no "one size fits all" answer to your question.
Good luck to you. If you like the 226 and you shoot well with it, then learn how to make it work for you.
I will give you some (to me) very important advice:
1. Don't buy cheap belts. Buy a good stiff belt. This will take up most of the weight where even a full metal pistol that weighs +++ozs doesn't feel as if it does.
2. Buy a good holster. Uncle Mikes (even though I like that company) isn't going to cut it. I actually use a cheap holster, a Galco, and I am looking at another that is more $$ but it doesn't have the cant. You may like a cant, I don't, I do better with a straight pull, some do better with a cant or even crossdraw.
The gun may cost you $500++ but it isn't going to do you proud if your carry rig cost you $49.95 out the door. You will need to spend the money on a good rig.
Honestly (and anyone here is free to steal this idea, become rich, and then please have pity on me and give me 10% of the profit) I wished that we had a shop where the person would do a fit and then build a carry rig, like one of them Tailors(sp) or something.
Wayne