My Rant to the 'Proverbial' THEM!

**WARNING - The following post may be TMI!**
Don't Say I didn't warn you!

So THEY say that exercise is good for you. THEY tell you how wonderful and beneficial it is, and how happy you'll be with the results. THEY say 'You can do it' and 'No Pain, No Gain!' Well, I'm not here to dispute any of that. I'm here to tell you about a few things that the 'proverbial' THEY neglect to tell you when starting work out regimen at my size:

CHAFING: Yep. It's gonna happen. Those body parts that rub together on a normal day are amplified when you're exercising. Imagine rug burn in some not so nice places...and you don't even have a fun story to explain it. Sexy, I know! Right? Not. I quickly learned that body glide and blister block are going to become my best friends for a while.

ACNE: You're working up a sweat. It's opening your pores and releasing toxins and oils. It's only natural that you're gonna break out...and I don't mean just your face. Just remember to keep at it, and work through it. Your body is going to get used to this. Mine is already starting to get better. The trick is keeping clean, but not overpowering your body with a lot of perfumes and lotions. Good old fashioned soap and a nice shower are working well for me.

ABNORMAL CYCLES: That's right. If you're my size, chances are you already have most of the typical 'female' problems. Starting to exercise the way I am can be shocking to your body. Especially the running. Gravity is putting a lot of stress on your abdominal area, so expect your cycles to be wonky for a while. Always call your doctor if you have questions. Mine is practically on speed dial.

HEADACHES / BODY ACHES / CRAMPS: Part of combating these little joys is learning what nutrients your body needs to compensate for all of this shockingly healthy behavior. I'm learning (and sometimes the hard way) what foods are good or not good for before and after exercise. Drinking your water definitely helps!

So...to the 'THEY' that neglected to tell me these things, I say screw you!
Y'all need to do a better job at keeping a sista informed.

Luckily these are all things that I know will even out with time!

PATIENCE. UGH.