Joints Aching

daxm

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I've been vegan for just over 2.5 months. I've also started exercising by getting about 10k steps in each day at the same time. However, I have to say that my knees and lower back ache. (Where I walk there are a lot of stairs and "rough" terrain.)

I don't know if it is related to this but I find myself yearning for some meat (my inside voice telling me it will help with my joint aches).

So, what am I missing (or doing wrong) that is causing my joints to ache? Is this just "normal" for someone new to exercise (I haven't done anything seriously related to exercise for almost 2 decades)? Am I missing some essential nutrient that I used to get from meat? Am I just doing too much too soon?
 
I've been vegan for just over 2.5 months. I've also started exercising by getting about 10k steps in each day at the same time. However, I have to say that my knees and lower back ache. (Where I walk there are a lot of stairs and "rough" terrain.)

I don't know if it is related to this but I find myself yearning for some meat (my inside voice telling me it will help with my joint aches).

So, what am I missing (or doing wrong) that is causing my joints to ache? Is this just "normal" for someone new to exercise (I haven't done anything seriously related to exercise for almost 2 decades)? Am I missing some essential nutrient that I used to get from meat? Am I just doing too much too soon?
Try some other exercises, maybe get in some yoga. Meat is quite inflammatory so that would make your joints feel worse.
Try adding more spices to your diet, things like tumeric, to help with inflammation. Lots of dark leafies and other produce
 
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I've been vegan for just over 2.5 months. I've also started exercising by getting about 10k steps in each day at the same time. However, I have to say that my knees and lower back ache. (Where I walk there are a lot of stairs and "rough" terrain.)

I don't know if it is related to this but I find myself yearning for some meat (my inside voice telling me it will help with my joint aches).

So, what am I missing (or doing wrong) that is causing my joints to ache? Is this just "normal" for someone new to exercise (I haven't done anything seriously related to exercise for almost 2 decades)? Am I missing some essential nutrient that I used to get from meat? Am I just doing too much too soon?

10k steps is 4 to 5 miles of walking. The American Heart Association recommends a more gradual start to a walking regimen: https://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heart-public/@wcm/@fc/documents/downloadable/ucm_449261.pdf .

Also, you should not be exercising every single day - rest is needed for your muscles to recover and build themselves (see the AHA link). Overdoing it can cause aches, and even injury. The American Council on Exercise has published this article about the risks of overtraining: Overtraining | 9 Signs of Overtraining to Look Out For.

You can increase your protein intake if you'd like. The American Council on Exercise recommends that endurance athletes consume 1.2 to 1.4 grams of protein per kg of lean body weight: How Much Protein Do We Actually Need? . For a 55 kg woman, this would be 66 to 77 grams of protein per day.

Meat is not necessary for healthy muscles and joints - there are several world class athletes who are vegan. Good sources of plant protein are beans, lentils, tofu, and vegan protein powders.
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I have to say, the ache isn't debilitating. It just isn't encouraging to go "do it again" when the next day comes and I need to get my 10k steps. :)

That said, as winter approaches, I'll be relegated to a treadmill anyway. I was mostly just wondering if I'm missing some nutrient/element.
 
I've been vegan for just over 2.5 months. I've also started exercising by getting about 10k steps in each day at the same time. However, I have to say that my knees and lower back ache. (Where I walk there are a lot of stairs and "rough" terrain.)

I don't know if it is related to this but I find myself yearning for some meat (my inside voice telling me it will help with my joint aches).

So, what am I missing (or doing wrong) that is causing my joints to ache? Is this just "normal" for someone new to exercise (I haven't done anything seriously related to exercise for almost 2 decades)? Am I missing some essential nutrient that I used to get from meat? Am I just doing too much too soon?

I hope you get this sorted out soon.
To try and determine if the exercise is the cause, discontinue exercising for a period of time while still eating the same diet and doing everything else the same. If the pain continues or gets worse, then likely the exercise was not the cause of it. If it goes away, then maybe it was the exercise.
When I say discontinue exercising, I mean just do the normal walking around in your day but don't do any trying to get steps and stay away from the stairs and rough terrain.
After a few days or a week of no exercise at all, start doing a little more and build up gradually.

It does seem very unlikely that an essential nutrient from meat would cause you pain especially so quickly. It's more likely psychological.

If you find yourself missing meat more generally, not just as a possible imagined solution for the pains, then you can probably get Beyond Burgers in the US that taste quite similar to meat, and see if it works for you.

Best of luck.
 
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B12 and D vitimins. Go get that. That is recomended for all vegans (for a lot of meat eaters too, all healty people I know that lack B12 is meat eaters...).

Shoes. Go get some good shoes if you haven't. And not some cheap one on sales from the store that also sells you milk, cheese, a fryingpan, socks and a shovel. But good shoes that fits you and your body. Special when you are aiming for a thread mill during the winter.

Rest. Remember to rest. If you have started to walk your 10k daily now, depending on how much you walked before, it can just be that it's a bit too much every day atm. Nobody have anyways been best in anything without rest, it's a part of getting fit even for top athletes (what rest is, depend also on how fit you are. Are rest day during Tour de France is quite different than for normal people).

Vary where you go. If you have the ability to walk in parks or even better, the nature, try to change a bit from day to day, and not just walk on flat, hard surfaces (I know you can't run around everywhere you want in the US, like we can in Norway, but perhaps you have some places you can walk?).

Strength training is also good for you body. It's a lot of things you can do at home and outside without any equipment than your own body.

Body weight. The not so nice thing to talk about. But if you are to heavy, that can also cause pains in joints. If you are in a healty weight, just ignore this. :)
 
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Oh yes! If you haven't had your vitamin D levels checked that could be important!
People and most doctors will simply ask if you get unprotected sunlight--that is not adequate for many people.
I had horrible pain in my joints, mostly my feet and ankles, and doctors prescribed tests and specialists. I demanded my d checked even though they said it wasn't an issue--it was. I was severely low and need a high dose which reversed almost all pain.

But yeah, maybe go easier on the amount of walking and do other exercise
 
I have to say, the ache isn't debilitating. It just isn't encouraging to go "do it again" when the next day comes and I need to get my 10k steps. :)

That said, as winter approaches, I'll be relegated to a treadmill anyway. I was mostly just wondering if I'm missing some nutrient/element.

You could be missing some important micronutrients. but even if you are, 2.5 months is probably too short a time to feel the effects. unless you were already missing it before going vegan.

you have heard this before but you should see your doctor before starting an exercise regime. Also, some blood work is also a good idea. A nice thing about blood work is that it gives you a baseline. You can really tell if the vegan diet is making a difference. If you have had a blood test in the past than that can be your baseline.

but normally when the doctor draws blood and has it tested - it isn't tested for ALL the things a dietician is interested in. B12 and D might not be tested.

I am a big proponent of using a nutrient tracker. I recommend either CronOmeter or SparkPeople. I like CronOmeter better because IMHO its easier to use. but Spark does more things.

The amount of nutrients you take in is not perfect. The absorption and utilization of those nutrients vary.

I'm trying to come up with a good analogy and I'm coming up blank. But let's say for now Cronometer is like the idiot lights in your car. It doesn't give you the complete picture. You have to see the mechanic for that. but it does warn you if things are about to go bad.
 
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I would guess it's the exercise. Maybe walk on a smoother terrain or stay away from the staircases at least. Even hiking up an uneven hill is easier on your joints than a lot of stairs.

While I think it's possible for people with excessively low-fat plant-based diets to get joint pain, I'm pretty sure it takes a while and your fat intake has to be extremely low. Like, not a normal varied vegan diet, but people who eat fully raw or go overboard with the HCLF.
 
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Thank you all for your advice and support!

I think I'm going to try continuing my 10k... BUT I'm going to just walk nearby my house (aka, flat surface roads). If that isn't enough pulling back then I'll reduce my distances.

I'm really enjoying seeing the pounds melt off of me so I'm hesitant to cut exercise out completely.

I've had my "general" blood work done and all my levels are good! The next time I do blood work I'll ask for a nutritional one too.

I *think* I have good, comfortable hiking shoes. They are Keen and not the mesh kind. They are made of leather best I can tell. That said, they are old/worn and I plan on replacing them by next Summer (for some REAL hiking I plan on doing!).
 
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Thank you all for your advice and support!

I think I'm going to try continuing my 10k... BUT I'm going to just walk nearby my house (aka, flat surface roads). If that isn't enough pulling back then I'll reduce my distances.

I'm really enjoying seeing the pounds melt off of me so I'm hesitant to cut exercise out completely.

I've had my "general" blood work done and all my levels are good! The next time I do blood work I'll ask for a nutritional one too.

I *think* I have good, comfortable hiking shoes. They are Keen and not the mesh kind. They are made of leather best I can tell. That said, they are old/worn and I plan on replacing them by next Summer (for some REAL hiking I plan on doing!).

Oh. good thinking about the shoes.

You know the Number One cause of shin splints is bad or worn shoes .

If you have any running stores open go and get an evaluation. The one near me puts you on a treadmill and can determine if you need to get something for pronation. they also determine how much cushioning and support you need. and then you get to try them all out on the treadmill.

New Balance is the closest to a vegan running shoe. Brooks, Asics, and a few others are pretty close. I like New Balance best because they are made in America. You can never be sure about the ones made in China or Vietnam. Child labor issues. But NB is almost twice the cost. Lately, I have been buying Brooks. Once i find a model I like I just keep buying it online till it gets discontinued.

Unless you are hiking in the forest you really don't need hiking shoes. and even if you are - trail runners are probably all you need. The extra cushioning and support are really helpful to protect your shins, ankles, and knees.

i never thought to ask you Which joints were hurting you. if it's your ankles or knees it very well could be your shoes. the other thing that I forgot to consider is arthritis.

 
When I started to learn Tai Chi Chuan we spend hours a day practicing, mentioned to the teacher that my knees were very sore and he sez that goes away, and it did. Are you only walking ? you should be working your whole body to keep it balanced, doing one thing over and over creates an imbalance. I do 13 flights of stairs to my apartment 2 at a time and my knees are good. I do a variety of leg training and back and spine exercise which give good posture.

as winter approaches, I'll be relegated to a treadmill

Why ? we still walk or hike in the winter.

I find myself yearning for some meat

You probably need to know more about really delicious vegan meals.
 
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I get knee pain once in a while, it stopped when I did yoga, started again because I stopped yoga. The reason for that is how I like to sit, I like to bend my knees.
It can be hard to transition, but it does get easier once you find meals you enjoy eating.
 
I get knee pain once in a while, it stopped when I did yoga, started again because I stopped yoga. The reason for that is how I like to sit, I like to bend my knees.
It can be hard to transition, but it does get easier once you find meals you enjoy eating.

I think I hurt my knee jump roping and it still isn't better. I'm thinking it might be arthritis. I'm seeing a doctor about it next month.