Warning!

mistybear4 said:First piece of advice: find a new doctor immediately.

Coming from the unlicensed quack, I suppose. Honestly, I can't even take you seriously anymore. If I have to stop reading medical journals just because of your nonsense, then I might as well give up entirely.🙄

Let me clarify things a bit.......I eat all dairy, eggs maybe rarely—like 3 times a
month if I'm lucky—and fish or calamari is about the same...
My diet is mostly just mixing veggies, legumes, and soy...
with carbs, fruit, etc.
I know going overboard on carbs isn't great either...
So, yeah, I started drinking this Vega Fuel right before I went in for my knee scans.
Why? Because I wanted to build up some muscle—make them denser and tougher—and obviously increase my strength. I noticed that when I was lifting weights, I’d get tired way too fast and lack power
because I felt like some weak little thing with zero muscle in my arms. Then, my nutritionist over on Instagram told me
that using soy protein should help solve that. Of course, I can't see results yet since I've only been on it for 2 weeks. In the meantime, I went to get my knees checked out (I used to do a lot of skiing and tennis)
Basically, my workouts were always on hard surfaces—gym floors and stuff. I haven't been super active for about 7 years now, but issues started popping up; whenever I did something active like biking, rollerblading, or aerobics, I'd feel this dull ache
in my right knee!!! Yeah, basically worn down the cartilage... and then everything just connected. My doctor told me that while I *do* have muscle... IT DOESN'T SERVE ITS PURPOSE. He said it would be smart to put meat back on my menu, and I also know I need to look into other supplements because soy alone isn't cutting it. As for meat, we'll see... I'm not rushing out to grab a burger immediately. But regarding the Vega Fuel, my nutritionist recommended
taking it three times a week given my workout load, about half an hour after... okay, I'm rambling now.
Height 5'8", weight 145lbs
So, that's the deal.....

alexxx said:A buddy of my brother had to get knee surgery because her cartilage was basically worn down—layman's terms, I don't know the exact medical jargon—she's an athlete, though, and she eats meat like it's her job. Also, this girl I went to elementary school with couldn't even handle regular PE class because her knees were shot and "unlubricated" or whatever. She ate meat too.

And honestly, I’m not saying vegetarianism or veganism is inherently a superior way to eat compared to meat. Whatever—people drop dead from fish and dairy all the time, just like they get liver failure from eating greasy burgers. If we started pouring soda over everything instead of beer, you'd see some real issues.. 🙄

Thank God someone finally gets it. Like you said, your friend ate meat... and there you go—surgery.
That's what I'm trying to explain to my family and friends back home... everyone has been coming at me since that day, using lines like, "SEE, THIS IS WHAT YOUR DIET DID TO YOU."😠
Look, I'm not claiming meat is unnecessary for the body, but it definitely isn't the only option.
In my specific case... my cartilage was just worn out and spent!!!
😁Obviously, if I don't see any actual results in about three months, I'll have to force myself to go back to eating meat, regardless of my principles.

Luđakinja said:p.p.s. don't try to play me.

😵 🙂

Forget about him.
Honestly, why not just head over to another doctor to get a second opinion?
There are plenty of specialists in New York City who focus specifically on what you need—I’d call them sports orthopedists, if I’m being blunt.
A coworker of mine actually had to deal with a knee issue about four years ago, and thanks to the right rehab, she managed to avoid surgery altogether! It was a long road and definitely wasn't cheap, but it worked. She’s a guy in his 40s who actually had to be resuscitated three times during a previous surgery, so you can imagine how terrified he was when his doctor gave him the ultimatum: surgery or a wheelchair.

And thanks to mistybear4 for starting this thread. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have learned so many helpful, smart things here.
I'm talking about the insights from the experts and highly educated members of this forum.

jadesailor14 said:Anyway, moving on.
Seriously though, why not just hit up another doctor for a second opinion?
There are tons of specialists in New York City who focus specifically on—I don't know, how do I put this—sports orthopedics.
A coworker of mine actually had to deal with knee issues a few years back, and thanks to getting the right treatment, she totally avoided surgery. It was a long road and definitely pricey, but it worked. She’s a guy in his 40s who actually had to be resuscitated three times during a previous procedure, so you can imagine the sheer panic he felt when the doctor gave him an ultimatum: surgery or a wheelchair.

And thanks, mistybear4, for bringing this to the forum. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have picked up on so much useful, smart info.
I'm talking about those comments from the members here who actually know their stuff.

yeah, mistybear4 is the best 👍
and I'm definitely gonna go grab a second opinion 🙄

I think you’ve pretty much figured it out yourself. A second opinion from another doctor usually clears things up... and honestly, regarding the diet thing? If you don't want meat, just don't eat it. From what I can tell, your diet is plenty diverse, so that shouldn't be the issue. You're likely getting everything you need from other sources anyway.
Maybe dig into some actual sports nutrition literature specifically for vegetarians (I don't know, maybe check out some stuff by Michael Phelps—that guy's an icon in my book).
Besides, you aren't strictly vegan; you're still eating dairy, eggs, and even fish. The issues the doctor mentioned are way more common with strict vegans who don't know how to balance their macros properly.
I haven't touched meat in about 15 years, though I did start eating fish maybe 2 or 3 years ago. If I ever get a craving for a burger, I'll indulge, but for now, it's just not happening. I've been active my whole life—sometimes training hard, sometimes just staying fit—and I've never dealt with muscle loss, fatigue, or strength issues. In fact, my checkups are always perfect and I feel great. I actually stopped eating meat when I was basically a kid, around 12, and everyone told me I’d be a wreck by the time I hit 18. Well, here I am, still going strong.

Just make sure you don't fall into any kind of fanaticism ( 👋 don't be a total nutcase) and just mix things up in a way that works for you. You'll be fine. Athletes just burn through fuel faster; sometimes things have nothing to do with what's on your plate.

Hannah Barnes24 said:I think you’ve basically figured it out yourself—getting a second opinion from another doctor is always smart. As for the diet part, if you aren't feeling meat, then just don't eat it. Honestly, your diet looks pretty varied to me, so I don't think that's where the issue lies—you seem to be getting everything you need from other sources anyway.
Maybe dig up some actual sports nutrition studies specifically for vegetarians (I don't know, maybe check out what some pro trainers at Gatorade would say—they're my go-to).
Besides, you aren't even vegan; you still have dairy, eggs, and fish in the mix. Most of those issues doctors bring up usually hit vegans harder when they aren't careful about how they balance their nutrients.
I haven't touched meat in about 15 years, though I did start eating fish a few years back. If the craving hits, I'll indulge, but right now, it's just not happening. I'm constantly active with sports—sometimes more intense than others—and I've never dealt with issues regarding muscle mass, fatigue, or strength levels. Actually, I get regular checkups and my health is great. I stopped eating meat way back when I was 12, and everyone kept telling me I'd be a wreck by the time I turned 18, but hey—here I am.

Just make sure you don't turn into any kind of fanatic ( 👋 total nutcase) and just do whatever works for your body. You'll be fine—athletes just burn through fuel way faster, and sometimes things have nothing to do with food alone.

Lol, well, thanks for making me feel so great... based on what you wrote, I definitely won't be turning into a fanatic, haha...🙂 👍

mistybear4 said:You get your omega-3 fatty acids from fish or flaxseed oil... and those omegas are great for your diet and joint lubrication and all that good stuff.

Good grief. You don't just get omega-3 fatty acids from fish; you can get them from walnuts, leafy greens, and more. It’s just this constant insistence that certain nutrients only come from one specific food source that gets under my skin. Honestly, does anyone really believe God made it so these alphas and omegas exist in only one single ingredient? Call me a fanatic if you want—which I'm not—but I can't stand misinformation.😎

I am not a fanatic. Not even close. It's not like I belong to some radical green movement or an animal rights group.😎