Toya Wright Explains How Working Out Has Helped With Painful Fibroids

While fibroids are relatively common for women, with Medline saying one in five women are known to get them during childbearing years, that doesn’t make them any less painful or less of a bother in a woman’s life. For Toya Wright, she found out that she had fibroids after noticing excessive bleeding during her period and some severe cramps three years ago. The change was a pretty drastic one, so she saw her doctor about it. She was told that she had the uterine tumors.

“I was nervous because at the time I didn’t know anything about fibroids,” Wright told PEOPLE. “My uterus is the size of the five-months pregnant woman.” After starting with cramping and pain, the effects of her fibroids moved to weight gain and Wright realized she would have to make an effort to be more active and eat healthier.

She decided to remove red meats, caffeine and fatty foods from her diet and made sure to increase her water intake.

“I had to switch it up because I used to eat all types of stuff and I would just get bigger,” Wright shared with the publication. “I had to scale back and eat healthier things like fish and salads.”

And something that also helped with cramping pains and weight gain? Making workouts, at least four a week now, a priority.

“I found exercising has been more helpful in relieving the symptoms,” she said. “I do a lot of cardio, like walking and cycling. At that time of the month, the fibroids flare up, and when I exercise it helps me not feel so much pain.”

Check out a few images of Wright flexing in the gym and outdoors, not only toning up and burning calories, but dealing with the side effects of her fibroids: