Can I drink alcohol during the maintenance phase?

Written by:

Thomas Kolbe-Booysen,
03 Sep 2026 • 7 min read

Reviewed and fact-checked:

Ayesha Bashir, Prescribing Pharmacist, 03 Sep 2026

Reaching the maintenance phase of weight loss can bring more flexibility back into everyday life, particularly when it comes to socialising, eating out, and drinking alcohol. If you’re still taking weight loss medication, however, you may be wondering whether alcohol can affect your treatment or make it harder to maintain your weight.

For most people, drinking alcohol in moderation may still have a place in a healthy lifestyle during maintenance. However, alcohol contains calories and can affect your appetite and food choices, and may worsen some side effects of certain weight loss medications.

In this guide, we’ll look at how alcohol and weight loss maintenance fit together, including what to consider if you’re taking medication and practical ways to enjoy social occasions while protecting the progress you’ve made.

For more support as you move into the maintenance phase, read our guide on how to maintain weight loss for good.

Why alcohol can make weight maintenance harder

Whether it's a glass of wine with dinner or a few drinks celebrating with friends, for many, alcohol is part of everyday life. Maintaining your weight doesn’t mean you have to avoid alcohol completely. However, understanding how it fits into your overall diet can help you make choices that support your progress.

Alcohol is high in calories but provides little nutritional value. It can also affect your appetite and food choices, with some people feeling hungrier or finding less nutritious foods more appealing after drinking. After all, few of us can resist a post-drinks kebab or that plate of cheesy chips we wouldn’t even touch when sober. This combination of extra calories and changes to eating habits can make maintaining your weight more difficult over time.

Rather than seeing alcohol as something you need to cut out entirely, it can be more helpful to consider how much and how often you drink as part of your wider maintenance plan. Making informed choices can help you enjoy social occasions while continuing to build habits that support your health and weight long term.

Alcohol, appetite, and cravings during maintenance

Your appetite may feel different during maintenance than it did while you were actively losing weight. Weight loss itself can change the hormones that control hunger and fullness, and changes to your medication or dose may also affect how hungry you feel.

Alcohol can further complicate these signals. It can affect feelings of fullness and increase appetite, which may make it harder to recognise your usual hunger cues or lead to eating more during or after drinking.

Can you drink alcohol while taking weight loss medication?

Whether you can drink alcohol while taking weight loss medication depends on the treatment you use, your health, and how alcohol affects you personally. Some medicines have specific considerations around alcohol, so follow the advice you have been given by your clinician and check the patient information leaflet for your treatment.

Alcohol and GLP-1 medications such as Mounjaro and Wegovy

If you take a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) medication, alcohol may make some treatment side effects harder to manage. For example, the NHS advises that it’s best to avoid alcohol while using Mounjaro because it can increase side effects such as nausea and vomiting.

There is also a risk of acute pancreatitis with GLP-1 medications, although this is uncommon. Alcohol can increase this risk, particularly when drinking heavily. If you drink alcohol regularly or have previously had pancreatitis, speak to your clinician about what is appropriate for you.

And if you are approaching maintenance and want clinical support with your next steps, our IMC-registered doctors can help you consider your treatment options and what works for your individual circumstances.

View treatment plans

Other weight loss medications

Alcohol considerations vary with other treatments too. Mysimba contains naltrexone and bupropion, which can increase the risk of seizures when combined with high levels of alcohol. For more detailed guidance, read our guide on drinking while on Mysimba.

There is no specific alcohol warning in current HSE or NHS guidance for orlistat, but drinking still contributes to your overall diet and may affect your weight.

If you are unsure whether alcohol is suitable alongside any weight loss medication you take, speak to your clinician or pharmacist before drinking.

Practical ways to drink more mindfully during maintenance

A social occasion does not have to undo the habits you have built during weight loss. Thinking ahead about food, drinks, and how alcohol tends to affect you can make it easier to enjoy yourself without losing sight of your maintenance goals.

Eat before you start drinking. The HSE recommends eating before and while drinking alcohol. Rather than skipping a meal to account for the calories in your drinks, eat as you normally would and include a source of protein. Our guide to nutrition and diet for maintenance has more advice on building balanced meals during this phase.
Alternate alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
Having water or another non-alcoholic drink between alcoholic drinks can help you pace yourself. Drinking too much alcohol can also contribute to dehydration, so keep drinking water throughout the evening.
Plan for food later in the evening.
Alcohol can affect your appetite and food choices, making some people feel hungrier and less nutritious foods more appealing. If you know you tend to get hungry after drinking, deciding what you will eat in advance can help you avoid relying on whatever is easiest at the end of the night. Meal prepping can also be helpful in this case.
Pay attention to how you feel.
Notice whether drinking changes your appetite or makes any medication side effects more noticeable. Your own experience can help you decide whether drinking less, drinking less often, or choosing not to drink on some occasions works better for you.

And remember, the same habits that support maintenance day to day still apply when you are drinking alcohol.

When should you speak to a clinician?

Speak to your clinician if alcohol regularly makes your medication side effects worse, or if you are unsure whether it is safe to drink with your particular treatment.

The HSE recommends regular check-ups while taking weight loss medication so your doctor can review how well your treatment is working and whether you are experiencing any side effects.

It is particularly important to get individual advice if you have another health condition that alcohol could affect, such as diabetes or liver disease. For example, alcohol can increase the risk of low blood glucose for people taking insulin or certain diabetes medicines.

You should also speak to your clinician before changing your maintenance dose or stopping your medication. The HSE advises discussing changing your dose, switching medicines, or stopping treatment safely with your doctor.

Seek urgent medical attention if you experience severe or persistent abdominal pain, particularly if it is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, or fever. These can be symptoms of acute pancreatitis, which requires hospital treatment.

A balanced approach

Maintenance is about finding habits that work for your health and your life. If you choose to drink alcohol, being mindful of how much you drink, how it affects your appetite, and how you respond to your medication can help you find a balance that works for you.

If you’re continuing weight loss medication during maintenance, our IMC-registered doctors can support you in deciding what comes next for your treatment.