Carmelo Anthony Fasted for 15 Days

Following a win over the visiting New Orleans Hornets yesterday, New York Knicks stars Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire focused on their diets. Melo ended a difficult 15-day fast, and STAT revealed that he turned into a vegan three months ago. Per the NY Times: “Stoudemire said he began talking with the team’s medical staff at the beginning of training camp to try to find a better solution to staying healthy. He decided to become a vegan shortly after he had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in October, the third procedure on his knees in his career. In 2005, Stoudemire had microfracture surgery on his left knee. He had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in 2006. The last time he played a full N.B.A. season was in 2009-10. ‘I wanted to really give myself the best opportunity to remain healthy,’ said Stoudemire, who now excludes meat, dairy and sugar from his diet. ‘And if something did happen and an injury did occur, I could say that I gave 100 percent from nutrition to cardio to lifting weights.’ Stoudemire made his season debut against the Portland Trail Blazers on Jan. 1, eight months after his surgery, and has averaged 9.4 points. He has performed better at times on defense and played in both games of a back-to-back last week, a move that had caused concern for the medical staff. Stoudemire said that he thought his nutritional regimen had helped his recovery. ‘It’s so rewarding to be healthy,’ he said. ‘I gave myself the best opportunity to remain healthy. It feels great to feel great.’ Anthony, meanwhile, said he chose to fast for spiritual reasons. In the past 15 days, Anthony said he has not had meat or carbohydrates. ‘I usually do it sometimes to get some clarity in my life,’ he said. The Knicks were 3-4 during Anthony’s fast. Anthony, who served a one-game suspension during that stretch, has averaged 32.3 points and shot 42.3 percent in the six games he has played, right just around his season average as the second-leading scorer in the league. But after four of those games Anthony mentioned that he found it difficult at times to find strength in his legs. […] Before he left the Knicks’ locker room Sunday, Anthony told reporters, and presumably reassured fans, that his fast was over. His reason was simple: his body had finally surrendered. ‘I’m going to get some food right now,’ Anthony shouted as he walked out. ‘I’m going to get the biggest steak I can find.'”