Singer Ne-Yo at 40: “It Was the Best Decision of My Life”

Singer-songwriter Ne-Yo, famous for songs like “So Sick,” “Miss Independent,” and “Let Me Love You,”  and who’s penned the mega-hit for Beyonce’ “Irreplaceable” has credited his incredible weight loss and newfound energy to the plant-based diet he has followed for almost two years.

After a friend suggested switching up his diet, Ne-Yo vowed to change his ways, adopting a fully vegan lifestyle that completely turned his life around.

As a matter of fact, the singer also revealed that switching to a vegan diet cured his tendinitis.

In an interview with Essence magazine, Ne-Yo explained that his condition had gotten so bad, he could no longer bend his legs after rehearsing. His friend, the publication states, convinced him to give plant-based eating a try. After 2 weeks, the musician was cured.

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Tendinitis (also called tendonitis) is an inflammation or irritation of a tendon, a thick cord that attaches bone to muscle.

Tendinitis is most often caused by repetitive, minor impact on the affected area, or from a sudden more serious injury.

Incorrect posture or poor conditioning before exercise or playing sports also increases a person’s risk. Other risk factors for tendinitis include:

• An abnormal or poorly placed bone or joint (such as length differences in your legs or arthritis in a joint) that stresses soft-tissue structures.
• Stresses from other conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout, psoriatic arthritis, thyroid disorders, or unusual medication reactions.
• Overuse or doing too much too soon when the tendons aren’t used to making a movement or doing the task taken on. Tendinitis is common in “weekend warriors,” people that play and exercise hard only on weekends.

It wasn’t just his friend’s advice that caused Ne-Yo to give up the animal products, though. Back in August, the musician revealed he had been…

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… watching the vegan documentary “What the Health.” “I wasn’t trying to make a major statement or anything. A friend was urging me to watch ‘What the Health’ on Netflix; I was running from it for a long time,” he told the Herald.

However, veganism hasn’t been an easy ride for Ne-Yo, a self-confessed meat-lover. “I think I might have been a T-Rex in another life,” he said. “I was a lover of meat. But the second I watched [What the Health] I instantly ran to [my] refrigerator and threw out all the deli meats. This was not something that was planned, it just happened.”

So now how does he feel about it?

“I am loving it. I genuinely am. It’s been about two years. More energy, my face clears up, weight falls off,” Ne-Yo said.