Well, I have a bottle of pills in my purse that may help me hit that first goal, but they definitely don't taste like cookies.

Several months ago, my doctor diagnosed me with polycystic ovarian syndrome - sounds cool huh?

Here is what it means: My body doesn't respond correctly to sugar. The condition diminishes fertility and can lead to hormonal imbalances and obesity.

See, it's not all because of my lack of control. Booyah!

I'm taking a medication - called glucophage - that should counteract the insulin resistance.

I've avoided taking the medication for two reasons: First, I felt like it was cheating. Secondly, I really like sugar.

I'll let you decide which one meant more to me.

I've been proffered dozens of supplements, injections and extreme workout sessions, but I've never caved because I'm trying to lose a total of 130 pounds on my own.

The pills feel like an easy way out that will diminish the pride I feel every time the scale drops another pound.

My workout buddy Matt (the hairy one with the bad knees) tells me it's not cheating. I'm simply fixing a medical condition that will make me healthier overall.

Gordon Park, an OB/GYN at the University of Utah's Greenwood clinic, agrees.

He says glucophage is not cheating, because the medication is not a weight-loss pill, and for many women does nothing to help them drop pounds. It's mainly used to balance hormones and regulate ovulation, and has only sporadically helped women lose weight.

"It's pretty inconsistent," he said.

The syndrome affects my baby-making ability and floods my system with too much testosterone, which leads to bigger bones and muscles (no wonder I can nearly squat a house). But that means more weight, too.

The glucophage helps to control those hormones, and hopefully tells my cells to let go of the fat, but several other hormones regulate that, too, Park said, so it's a bit of a crapshoot (my word, not his).

I'll keep taking the pills (even though that means cutting out nearly all sugar from my diet or suffer severe stomach woes) with the hope that it gets my overall health in line.

If it helps me lose weight, great.

But my attitude isn't changing: I'll still eat right and exercise hard to get this weight off.

Cheating isn't really my style anyway, but let me know if anyone out there creates that magic weight-loss pill that tastes like cookies.

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* SHEENA MCFARLAND can be reached at at smcfarland@sltrib.com or 801-257-8619. Send comments about this story to livingeditor@sltrib.com.

Sheena's Stats

Starting weight on May 29: 290

Weight last week: 262

Weight this week: 259

Total weight lost: 31

Weekly milestone: I dragged myself out of bed and went to the gym every day I was supposed to, even though the little voice in my head kept telling me to go back to sleep.