Hello, it's me.

It's been a while since my last confession blog post. I've been around blog-land, just reading and leaving a comment every now and then. I feel like I've fallen and I can't get up.

**Warning:  This section might be TMI for some (mostly guys, if you happen to read my blog)**
I've had menstral problems all my life and a few months ago, it appeared that all that was over. No periods for several months!! I was elated. Until about a month ago, when I started to feel the old familiar signs of PMS and then, yep, the respite was over. I felt depressed and tired and sad and angry and hungry and cranky and crappy and crampy and - okay, that's enough. I'm sure you get the picture. I've had terrible bouts of binge eating. Stopping by the store on the way home and cramming food into my mouth, throwing the evidence in the trash when I got home. Eating in hiding. Eating just to be eating, I think.

As a result, I've gained 20 lbs back from what my lowest weigh-in was back before Thanksgiving. I'm very disappointed in the way I let my hormones take control of my life. And I do blame the hormones. And just today, when it looks like the end of a 3 week long period might be ending soon, I feel like I am getting things under control.

But right this second, dieting still sounds like a four letter word. To me, a lifelong dieter, it means planning and measuring, and chopping, and cooking. In the past I've tried to just limit how much I eat, but eventually, I eat too much and then I don't lose. If I keep my menus simple and boring I seem to do better, but that is hard to stick to. I'm just going to have to get back to work and do what I know works. I know that summer will be here before I know it and I want this weight off.

So, planning it is. Simple, it is. Cook, yep. Chop, yep. I can do it. I just have to. I still want to respond to some of the awards some of you have given me. I couldn't seem to write anything positive before. It's hard to write about happy things when you can't feel happy.

Thanks for listening. I love you guys. I'll be posting more often and sharing a recipe or two. I made something last night that was really good and quick!