Curvy. Or Bootylicious.

I can't help but think that this is no coincidence: Around the time I experienced a sudden, noticeable (and stubborn, impossible to take off) weight gain, my menstrual period started to go missing in action during some months, and then I ended up dealing with ovarian cysts (including a large, excruciatingly painful one that ruptured and bled).

This, folks, is one of the reasons why I was taken off of the Pill and put onto Nuva ring. The doctor said (and still says), "give it time". Time? Oh, OK. I'm patient. And I'll do whatever it takes, even if I have to wait for tangible results.

Well...now that spring/summer is here and it's time to pull out my favorite clothes for warm weather: every fucking thing is still fucking tight! Forget about the fact that I always have been a small eater (which may actually be sabotaging me now), and eat a leafy diet and drink mainly tea and water. Forget about the fact that I swim 1 to 2 miles 3-4 times a week, and go to the gym 4 or 5 times a week for 45 minutes of elliptical plus 20 minutes of rowing or some arm weight reps for a more taut, sculpted look.

It seems that if I had gotten pregnant, or gone back onto that awful drug Prednisone, the result would be exactly the same. I'd weigh about the same (maybe a little bit more, but essentially, all my old clothes would be tight like they are now, and my esteem would be about where it is). Let's not forget I'm sidelined from running due to my arch/ankle/tendon "injury".

OK. I'll say it: "Dear Internet, I am feeling bitchy and frustrated tonight". And it doesn't help matters that I'm feeling "fat" and have PMS right now. And remember the old salt craving I wrote about, (and how my fabulous acupuncturist was able to explain this craving from her professional perspective, and correct it)? It's back. It's a good thing I'm scheduled for acupuncture on Saturday.

**Popular poll question for you guys (like, all 3 or 4 of you): "At what age does your metabolism start noticeably dropping?". Is it 25, 30, 35, or 40? Or some other time?

I'll be back with a smile later on. Just give me a few days or weeks. Other things are going pretty well, overall and there's a lot to be happy about, seriously. It's just hard not to sulk and feel bitchy when, after a hard workout, you try on those snug jeans in the back of your closet that you've held on to and not donated to charity in the hopes that eating healthy and working out is working and they really will fit again. Only to find they're still as snug as ever in the ass.