Spending £200 every month on fast food deliveries, Somers Arrowsmith initially believed she could never afford weight loss medication. The 27-year-old GP receptionist from Leicestershire has completely transformed her situation by exchanging her regular McDonald's orders for Mounjaro injections, a decision that has reshaped both her body and her budget.
From Takeaways to Transformation
At her heaviest, Ms Arrowsmith tipped the scales at seventeen and a half stone, routinely spending £50 weekly on pizzas, burgers, and Indian cuisine. This regular indulgence amounted to approximately £200 monthly, a sum she realised matched the cost of GLP-1 medication pens. 'Stopping the takeaways has funded my medication,' she explained. 'I've saved money cutting down on my food portions, but if it were based solely on takeaways – Mounjaro has basically funded itself throughout my weight loss journey.'
A Financial and Physical Rebalancing Act
While Mounjaro prices can range from £120 to £350 monthly, creating significant expense concerns for many, Ms Arrowsmith found the cost completely balanced out against her previous food spending. 'I'd usually have spent £200 a month on takeaway food, and I was paying the same amount per month for the higher doses,' she noted. 'I feel amazing in myself and so much healthier for stopping the rubbish foods – and now I'm reaching the end of my medication journey, I can start saving that £200 and putting it towards other things.'
The Journey to Mounjaro
Ms Arrowsmith began using Mounjaro in October 2024 through weight loss medication provider Voy, motivated by health concerns including pain from two slipped discs. She had previously attempted dieting programmes like Slimming World without success and had seriously considered gastric bypass surgery despite the risks. A friend's positive experience with Mounjaro convinced her to explore this alternative.
'Before starting, I thought there was no way it was going to work for me – I enjoyed takeaways and binge eating too much,' she admitted. 'I would always opt for the easy option, meaning takeaways were always a win in my household, and we would usually order a minimum of one or two times a week, which cost us a fortune.'
How GLP-1 Medications Work
Mounjaro belongs to a class of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists, originally developed for type 2 diabetes treatment. These medications mimic the GLP-1 hormone to regulate blood sugar and insulin levels while effectively reducing 'food noise' and hunger sensations. This mechanism helps users achieve weight loss through controlled calorie deficits. Several such drugs, including semaglutide (Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro), are now recommended on the NHS for weight management support.
Remarkable Physical Changes
Fortunately, Ms Arrowsmith experienced none of the documented side effects sometimes associated with these medications, which can include diarrhoea, nausea, and potentially serious conditions like pancreatitis. Instead, she noticed consistent weight loss with each weighing session, soon finding her size 24 clothes becoming loose and billowy around her shrinking frame.
'The first thing I noticed was my clothes getting bigger,' she recalled. 'Other people would comment and had started to really notice a big difference, and this gave me the confidence I needed to keep going. Many people would comment on the obvious changes, such as around my face or my collar bones that had now started showing.'
Lifestyle Overhaul and New Habits
Beyond the medication, Ms Arrowsmith made significant lifestyle changes to enhance her results. She purchased a walking pad to increase daily activity and found her palate transforming completely. 'I've found my palate has completely changed, too – I no longer crave junk food,' she reported. As her weight loss progressed, she gradually reduced her medication dosage strength, moving toward complete independence from the treatment.
Sustaining Success Beyond Medication
Now weighing ten stone and wearing size 10 clothing, Ms Arrowsmith is preparing to discontinue Mounjaro entirely, having established sustainable healthy habits. 'I've found the process completely life changing,' she reflected. 'Some mornings I wake up and feel no different. It's not until I catch myself in the mirror that I really can see how far I've come. I'm still shocked myself at my results, but I'm completely over the moon and can now focus on using my new habits to maintain a happy and healthy life.'
Her story demonstrates that weight loss medications represent just one approach among many for health transformation. Alternative methods include dietary adjustments, like eliminating specific food groups, and discovering enjoyable physical activities such as regular walking. Regardless of the path chosen, Ms Arrowsmith's experience highlights how financial reallocation from unhealthy habits to health investments can yield remarkable physical and financial returns.
