Growing up in the 1970s in the Scottish city of Perth, Barry McCann never thought twice about what he ate.
To him, food was no more than fuel for long days working as a gardener, where he spent hours on his feet naturally burning calories while weeding and pruning.
For the first 35 years of his life, the green-fingered Scot could eat whatever he liked without worrying about his waistline.
But that changed in 2001, when a devastating motorbike crash left him with life-altering injuries – triggering a dramatic cycle of weight loss, gain and, today, recovery after following a retro diet.
Confined to a wheelchair and living with chronic pain after his accident, Mr McCann’s weight plummeted to a dangerously unhealthy five stone during his recovery in hospital, where he could barely eat due to sickness.
But within around two months of regaining his appetite, his lack of mobility led him to find comfort in sugary snacks like chocolate – something he’d never previously indulged in.
‘I was told to build myself back up – so I did,’ the now-60-year-old recalls. ‘But living with chronic pain every day takes its toll. Over time, eating became a comfort.
Barry McCann was wheelchair-bound for two decades after a motorbike accident in 2001
He has since embarked on a cycle of weight loss, gain and recovery after following a retro diet
‘I was less active, in pain most days and the weight just crept on. It became a habit more than anything.’
After years of spending his days outdoors chatting with clients while tending gardens, he suddenly found himself stuck at home in a wheelchair, reaching for quick sugar hits to break up the boredom.
But when his waistline began expanding, his mental health began to spiral.
He said: ‘Living with constant pain is one thing, but when you add weight gain and health issues on top, it really affects your mindset. There were times I just thought, ‘what’s the point?’.’
As the years passed, the weight continued to pile on – bringing with it a string of health problems.
First, he was diagnosed with sleep apnoea in 2019, before receiving a type 2 diabetes diagnosis in 2023.
At least 2.5million – but potentially as high as 4million – people in Britain are living with some form of sleep apnoea, which causes breathing to stop and start during sleep.
One method to treat sleep apnoea is by using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine during sleep. This delivers continuous air pressure through a mask overnight to keep airways open.
Despite Mr McCann using the machine, the condition became so severe that his wife once woke in panic, convinced he had stopped breathing entirely.
His condition also cost him his driving licence, as excessive daytime sleepiness linked to sleep apnoea must be reported to the the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).
Mr McCann’s sleep apnoea was so severe that his wife once woke in panic, convinced he had stopped breathing entirely
Not being able to take himself anywhere on his own accord only added to Mr McCann’s feelings of helplessness.
‘I didn’t realise how much that affected me until it was gone,’ he says. ‘No matter how much your family supports you, you still feel like you’re relying on them.’
That, Mr McCann recalls, was the moment he decided he’d had enough.
At 14st 11lbs and determined to take back control of his life, he turned to the 1:1 Diet – formerly known as the Cambridge Diet – where he was paired with a trained consultant named Susan.
The diet, developed by Dr Alan Howard at Cambridge University in the 1970s, became popular in the US and in Britain in the 1980s when it was launched commercially.
Those on the diet buy meal replacement products – such as low-calorie snack bars, soups, porridge and shakes – with daily calorie intake ranging from as little as 415 calories to around 1,500, depending on the plan.
Each programme is overseen by a consultant, who tailors the approach to the individual and provides ongoing support alongside the selected products.
Because some versions of the diet are extremely low in calories, they are generally intended for short-term use under supervision.
However, Mr McCann remained on the programme for eight months with supervision.
He said he knew he wanted to start the rapid weight loss plan ‘not just for myself, but for my family’ and warned Susan from the start that she’d need to be ‘strict’ with him – even when he would ‘moan and try to push back’.
He added: ‘I needed that accountability. She understood nutrition and behaviour. It wasn’t about cutting everything out – it was about making better choices.
‘That belief she had in me made a massive difference.’
The early days proved difficult, with Mr McCann repeatedly reaching in the cupboard for snacks before having to stop himself.
But as he built a routine, those cravings gave way.
‘I got into a rhythm,’ he said. ‘Porridge in the morning, soups and noodles later on. And if I wanted something sweet, I’d have a diet bar. It made it manageable.’
A major turning point came after just three months, when blood tests showed his previously high blood sugar levels had returned to a healthy range.
This gave him more energy and reduced his reliance on his wheelchair.
Now, after losing more than three stone and shrinking from a 42-inch waist to a 32-inch waist, Mr McCann says he feels like a different person.
He is more confident, more active, and says yes to things he would once have avoided.
But the biggest difference Mr McCann has noticed is in his sleep.
He no longer needs his CPAP machine and can go to bed at night without the fear that once haunted both him and his wife.
He said: ‘I feel lighter in every sense. Not just on my feet, but in my head. For years, I carried pain, medication and weight all together. Letting go of that has given me a new life.
‘I’ve learned about portion control and making better choices. I still use the products when I need to, as a bit of an anchor.
‘Most importantly, I feel like I’ve got my independence back. I’ve even applied to get my driving licence again, which is something I never thought would happen.’
