Executive Lost 21kg in 9 Months and Reversed Knee Injury Doctors Said Was Permanent

Three-day rally continues as software rebounds and markets await Nvidia earnings.

The quick scan: Wednesday extended the recovery as the S&P 500 notched its third consecutive gain. Software stocks led the advance after Anthropic's enterprise AI integrations positioned Claude as complementary rather than competitive to existing platforms. Nvidia climbed ahead of its highly anticipated earnings report after the bell. Oracle jumped on a bullish upgrade. Consumer confidence beat expectations, rising to 91.2 in February.

S&P 500: +0.81% to 6,946.13 – Building momentum after Monday's selloff. Nine of eleven sectors finished positive. Software sector rebounded strongly after being hammered earlier in the week
Dow Jones: +0.63% to 49,482.15 – UnitedHealth +3.7%, IBM +3.7%, Salesforce +3.1% led gains. Home Depot -2.4%, Sherwin-Williams -2.1% were biggest losers. 26 of 30 components finished positive
NASDAQ: +1.26% to 23,152.08 – Led all three indices. Nvidia +1.4% ahead of after-hours earnings. Microsoft +3%, Palantir +4.2%, Oracle +1.2%. AMD gave back 1.4% after Tuesday's 9% surge on Meta deal. Axon Enterprise surged 20% on earnings beat, software business up 40%.

What's driving it: AI displacement fears continued fading. Anthropic's enterprise integrations (partnerships with LSEG, FactSet) positioned Claude as "orchestration layer" for existing platforms, not replacement. Software sector bounced hard – iShares Expanded Tech-Software ETF up 1%+ after Monday's 5% plunge. Consumer confidence rose to 91.2 (vs 88.4 expected), up from 89 in January. Private employers added 12,750 jobs weekly (four consecutive weeks of increases). Nvidia earnings after bell were the market's main focus – analysts expected beat but guidance will determine AI trade's sustainability. Trump's State of the Union prioritized domestic retirement/housing proposals over immediate new tariffs. VIX still hovering near 20 suggests investor weariness remains. Bitcoin up 2.5% to recover some losses.

Bottom line: Three consecutive days of gains have erased Monday's "AI-pocalypse" selloff, but market remains range-bound between 6,800 and 7,000. Nvidia's results and guidance will determine whether this rally continues or software fears resume. For L-Plate Retirees watching their joint pain (see today's article), markets show similar pattern – sometimes "permanent" problems reverse when you address the underlying cause. Ben Payet lost 21kg and his knee pain vanished. Markets reduced AI panic and software stocks bounced. The body adapts when given the right conditions.

The Knee Pain Doctors Said Was Forever? Gone in Nine Months

The scoop: Ben Payet stood on the scales in October 2024 and saw 93kg. The 35-year-old finance executive had gained 16kg since 2019. His knee pain had become debilitating. An MRI suggested a meniscus tear. Physiotherapy provided no relief.

The diagnosis: manage this pain indefinitely, and potentially give up running forever.

Nine months later, he weighed 72kg with body fat dropped from 30% to 12%. The knee pain – the "permanent" condition – had vanished completely.

He now runs 35km weekly, pain-free. He's completed three Hyrox races and ran a half-marathon in January 2026.

For L-Plate Retirees told "this is just part of aging," Payet's story demolishes that narrative. The knee healed because of the weight loss.

The Wake-Up Call

Payet moved from London to Singapore three years ago. In 2019, he weighed 77kg and was active – attending F45 training five days weekly, running regularly, practicing indoor bouldering.

Then COVID hit. "The only thing left to do was eat."

Weight crept up. Knee pain worsened. The MRI showed a potential meniscus tear, but physiotherapy failed to help. The verdict: you might never run again.

"I was in my mid-thirties. It felt like the last chance without long-term consequences. I did not want to enter my forties overweight."

The Training Protocol

Payet committed to three strength training sessions weekly with personal trainer Hendrick Phua.

Phua's approach contradicted conventional wisdom: "A meniscus injury does not mean you must stop training."

They used progressive loading – split squats, modified leg curls, modified hack squats – gradually increasing intensity, volume, and range of motion. Pain guided their adjustments, not fear.

"When biomechanics, load management and mindset align, the body adapts," Phua explains.

Payet added 12,000 steps daily with thirty-minute walks after lunch and longer walks after work. He gradually resumed running.

The persistent knee ache faded. Then vanished.

Current goal: break 20 minutes for 5km. Personal best: 21:17.

The Diet Overhaul

Before the transformation, Payet ate cereal for breakfast, grabbed street food or sandwiches for lunch, and ordered pasta, rice dishes, or delivery for dinner. He had a chocolate bar daily and snacked constantly.

After: Greek yogurt with protein powder and fruit for breakfast, salad with lean protein for lunch, sweet potatoes or rice with ham, steak or chicken for dinner. He ate a banana and protein powder before workouts.

He maintained high-protein, low-fat intake during fat loss, increased carbs during maintenance and before races, and allowed himself occasional cheat days.

"I went from uncontrolled food delivery and constant snacking to tracking calories and macros for every meal."

The hardest part? "Being able to control hunger and cravings is very hard. It changes how you interact with people, as they don't understand the new choices."

He uses Ventrickle – an app that estimates macros of Singapore restaurant food by analyzing photos.

His Instagram feed became a curated tool: 50% Hyrox and fitness content, 50% healthy recipes. He also turns to AI for meal planning suggestions.

The Accountability System

Phua held Payet accountable with measurements and photos every fortnight, explaining what to expect. "As I saw my body become leaner, it pushed me to keep going."

The formula was simple: build healthy habits, find an accountability partner, show up consistently to work out, and build discipline with food intake.

The Results

Since losing 21kg, Payet has completed three Hyrox races (Singapore in June and November 2025, Osaka in January 2026). He ran 10km under 46 minutes at the Singapore Marathon in December 2025, followed by a half-marathon in January 2026.

"I feel fitter than ever. I look younger than most people my age. I sleep better. My knee pain is gone."

He's inspired corporate relay teams and motivated colleagues toward healthier lunches. His 70-year-old father has even started strength training.

The Lesson Doctors Missed

Payet was told he'd manage knee pain indefinitely and potentially never run again.

But the injury was just a symptom. The real problem was carrying 93kg on a joint designed for 72kg.

Reducing that load by 21kg eliminated the pain entirely. The body adapted when given the right conditions: reduced weight, progressive loading, and proper biomechanics.

For L-Plate Retirees told "this knee/hip/back pain is just aging" – sometimes the pain is reversible. Sometimes losing the weight and building the strength fixes what doctors said was unfixable.

His advice: "Build a support system. Surround yourself with like-minded people. Consider a gym and a trainer not as expenses, but as an investment in your health."

Actionable Takeaways for L-Plate Retirees:

• Question the "permanent" pain diagnosis – weight might be the variable: Payet was told he'd manage knee pain indefinitely, possibly never run again. Losing 21kg eliminated pain doctors said was permanent. If you're carrying excess weight and dealing with joint pain, consider that reducing load on the joint might resolve what feels unfixable. Don't accept "this is forever" without addressing weight first.

• Progressive loading beats complete rest for joint injuries: Conventional wisdom says rest injured joints. Payet's trainer used split squats, modified leg curls, and hack squats with gradually increasing intensity. Pain guided adjustments, not fear. If you've been told to avoid exercise due to joint issues, work with a trainer who understands progressive loading – complete rest may not be the answer.

• Diet matters more than training for weight loss: Payet describes training as "the easy part – all I had to do was show up and push." Controlling hunger and cravings was the real challenge. Track calories and macros. Use apps like Ventrickle for eating out. Build a list of quick meal-prep options. Don't underestimate how hard diet discipline is compared to showing up to the gym.

• Accountability accelerates results: Phua took measurements and photos every fortnight, explained what to expect in coming weeks. Seeing visual progress pushed Payet to continue. Find an accountability partner or trainer who tracks progress regularly and provides realistic expectations. The feedback loop matters more than motivation alone.

• Social environment shapes food choices: Payet curated his Instagram to 50% fitness content and 50% healthy recipes. Built a support system of like-minded people. Eating habits changed how he interacted socially – people didn't understand his new choices. Surround yourself with people who support your health goals, or at minimum, curate your information environment to reinforce better choices.

Your Turn:
If a doctor told you joint pain was permanent and you'd have to "manage it indefinitely," would you accept that verdict – or would you try losing 20+ kg first to see if reducing load on the joint changes the equation?
Payet says controlling hunger and cravings was harder than showing up to train. Do you find the same thing – that diet discipline is actually more challenging than physical exercise, even though we tend to focus more on workout routines than food choices?
His trainer prepared him "mentally to tolerate high-intensity training" so his nervous system could withstand heavy loads. Have you considered that pain tolerance and mental preparation for discomfort might be trainable skills, not just fixed personality traits you either have or don't?

👉 Hit reply and share your story – your insights could inspire fellow readers in future issues.

If this newsletter helped you see that "permanent" joint pain might be reversible through weight loss and progressive loading, consider supporting L-Plate Retiree on Ko-fi. Your support helps me share stories of people who fixed what doctors said was unfixable.