As midday approached, Lynsey Macfadyen would typically anticipate her favourite lunch: two packets of Super Noodles sandwiched between four thickly buttered slices of white bread. The 32-year-old Edinburgh resident was profoundly influenced by her appetite, often starting her day with a bacon roll or a full Scottish fry-up, washed down with two large cans of high-sugar energy drinks.
A Daily Routine Dominated by Calories and Cravings
Ms Macfadyen openly described her former dietary habits, stating: 'I would consume full sugar Monster energy drinks, two before lunch.' Her lunch consistently featured Super Noodle sandwiches, comprising two packs of noodles and four slices of bread, accompanied by two packs of crisps and an assortment of sweets. For snacks throughout the day, she would indulge in a share bag of crisps, a share block of chocolate, and an additional three or four cans of Monster energy drinks.
Her weight began to increase rapidly from the age of 19, coinciding with the start of hormonal contraception. At her heaviest, she ballooned to 21 stone and 4 pounds. Despite numerous attempts to adhere to healthier eating plans, none seemed to 'stick', and she regularly consumed five cans of Monster daily. A single 500ml can of Monster can contain up to 240 calories, meaning Ms Macfadyen was ingesting approximately 1,200 calories per day from energy drinks alone. This is particularly striking given that the NHS recommends women consume no more than 2,000 calories daily, and men no more than 2,500.
A Turning Point and Medical Intervention
Growing increasingly concerned about her weight, Ms Macfadyen contemplated re-joining Slimming World. However, after weighing herself and feeling 'shocked' by the result, she decided to pursue an alternative route to facilitate weight loss. After researching online, she purchased her first 2.5mg pen of Mounjaro from Cloud Pharmacy in June 2024, investing £120. This decision marked the beginning of a significant transformation.
Over the following 18 months, she lost an impressive 8 stone and 2 pounds, reducing her weight to a healthy 13 stone and 2 pounds. Her dress size shrunk from a 26 to a 12. Reflecting on her choice, she said: 'I thought it was now or never. I did it and enjoyed it and started losing weight. I didn't get any sort of bad side effects.' Initially, for three to four months, she continued eating the same foods as before but in smaller quantities, which contributed to her weight loss.
Underlying Health Challenges Exacerbating Weight Issues
Ms Macfadyen's weight struggles were intensified by a range of mental and physical health conditions. At age 26, her comfort eating spiralled out of control following a diagnosis of Functional Neurological Disorder (FND). This condition affects the nervous system and impairs the brain's ability to send and receive signals effectively.
FND also means she can 'go from being capable one minute' to experiencing seizures or paralysis the next. This posed significant risks in the kitchen, such as potential harm while chopping ingredients due to spasms, and dissociative episodes where she would frequently forget the oven was on. That same year, she was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), which further spurred her comfort eating habits.
In November 2024, Ms Macfadyen suffered a hip injury, necessitating the use of a mobility scooter for four months and leaving her unable to stand for more than four minutes at a time. She has since recovered but is awaiting double hip surgery due to a femoral anteversion present since birth. Additionally, she is awaiting a diagnosis for a hypermobility disorder. Currently unable to work, she explained: 'One of the biggest issues with my mental health was that I would go back to food whenever my mental health was bad, to a point where I would eat to feel better.'
Transforming Her Relationship with Food
Ms Macfadyen's life revolved around food, as she noted: 'I couldn't plan an event unless it was centred around food. If it was a birthday it was 'what are we doing meal wise?' or if we were having a movie weekend 'what food are we having?'.' Even when attempting to prepare healthier meals, her portion sizes were never normal. However, Mounjaro has fundamentally altered her relationship with food and nutrition.
She realised: 'I have never felt the ability to feel satisfied with food. I don't know how to describe it, before I was a bottomless pit. Now after normal portions I feel full and feel almost uncomfortably full.' Her dietary habits have undergone a complete overhaul:
- Breakfast: Swapped from two full-sugar Monster energy drinks and a fry-up to a sugar-free Monster energy drink, wholemeal seeded toast, scrambled egg and egg whites, cottage cheese and spinach, and green fruit like pear or kiwi.
- Lunch: Changed from Super Noodle sandwiches to flatbread protein pizzas or chicken Caesar salad.
- Dinner: Transitioned from bolognese from a jar or takeaways like kebabs and pakora to chilli lime ginger salmon with half a bag of Mediterranean veg mix from Sainsbury's.
- Snacks: Shifted from share bags of crisps and chocolate to three squares of chocolate, normal portion size crisps, and water in between meals.
Embracing a Balanced and Nutritious Lifestyle
Now, Ms Macfadyen has replaced her full-sugar Monster energy drinks with the sugar-free alternative, and her entire attitude towards nutrition has transformed. She said: 'As things went on I realised after Mounjaro I need to think about what I'm eating if I'm going to keep this off. I took a diet and nutrition course and passed that. Now I think what can I do to get my protein into it and fibre. I've been focusing a lot on how to get vitamins and nutrients.'
She emphasises the importance of balance, incorporating occasional treats like McDonald's, a chippy, Chinese, or Indian meals, but with healthier modifications such as choosing boiled rice with a side of vegetables instead of fried rice. By sharing her weight loss journey online, she has connected with a supportive community and finds adjusting to her new figure 'weird' but empowering.
She joyfully remarked: 'Now I could go into any shop and pick up my size. I had sized out of Primark clothes and the leggings weren't fitting me. Now I could rock into Primark and get a whole new wardrobe. The first time I went into Primark to fit into a medium I almost cried.' Her story serves as a powerful testament to overcoming addiction and embracing a healthier, more balanced lifestyle.
