Managing social life and special occasions during maintenance

During the maintenance phase, when focus shifts from losing weight to keeping it off, many people worry about slipping back into old habits, especially when they have a social event or holiday coming up.

But there’s no need to feel anxiety about taking part in special occasions with loved ones. Maintenance is designed to fit around your life, so you can make the most of it.

Here, we’ll guide you through some advice so you can enjoy social occasions without offsetting your progress. We’ll cover how to manage food, alcohol, weight fluctuations after events, and returning to your routine re-energised and guilt-free.

Key Points

• Maintenance is about flexibility, which is one way to stay consistent.
• The true joy of social occasions comes from the sense of connection, community, and comfort we gain from sharing special moments together, not from food and drink.
• Short-term weight changes after events are usually temporary, and don’t require extra effort to correct beyond sticking to your usual routine.

Why your social life still matters in maintenance

You may have grown up hearing that certain foods are “bad” or that you always need to be watching your weight. Over time, that can make eating feel stressful instead of supportive. Food is there to nourish you, not to make you feel guilty.

If that’s been your experience, it’s understandable that maintenance might feel like it needs strict rules. But lasting weight loss is not built on restriction.

After a few months on treatment, with the right clinical support, many people realise something important. Sustainable weight loss is about simple, repeatable habits that fit real life.

It’s not about cutting everything out. It’s about making balanced choices most of the time and trusting the routines you’ve built. The habits that helped you lose weight are the same ones that help you maintain it.

Reaching maintenance does not mean putting your life on hold to protect your progress. You can protect your health and still enjoy your life. Meals out, celebrations and time with loved ones are part of a healthy, balanced lifestyle too.

Enjoying celebrations without losing control

Celebrating and enjoying special occasions and social events while taking weight loss medication is completely achievable – you just need the right mindset. The trick is to reframe how you define having a good time.

Instead of gauging how good a time you had by how much of your favourite foods and drinks you had, think about why you were really there: for the people.

The conversations, reunions, hugs, laughs, and smiles are what you came for, not the canapés (though no one can blame you for enjoying a few of these in moderation).

Try to eat mindfully, concentrate on what you’re eating, savour it, and allow yourself to feel satisfied by the flavour, texture, and mouthfeel of the food, rather than chasing a feeling of fullness from richer foods that are less nutritious.

Practical strategies for events and parties

If you’re worried about losing control and overindulging when the good times start rolling, try following these tips:

• Drink a glass of water between every course to help you feel full, or between every alcoholic drink. This will help reduce side effects like nausea and heartburn and stop you from overconsuming empty calories.
• Load your plate up with vegetables and protein first, if you’re eating at a buffet.
• If you’re going to a restaurant or somewhere with a catered set menu, look up the menu ahead of time so you can choose the healthiest option and then lock in that choice mentally before hunger gets a say on the night.
• If you’re not getting back too late, have a nutritious, healthy meal ready to eat when you get back home so you can confidently resist overeating, knowing you will not go to bed hungry.
• If you’re going somewhere straight from work, keep some protein powder in your desk and mix up a protein shake before arriving at the event. This will help you feel full and energised, so your loved ones get the best of you.

Navigating festive periods and holidays

It’s completely normal to feel a little anxious about overindulging during the holidays, even if you’re not taking weight loss medication. With traditional foods, family favourites, and a busy social calendar, it can feel like temptation is everywhere. But here’s the key thing:

Your weight loss journey does not mean missing out. It means being intentional.

Choose what matters

• If you could take or leave a food, leave it.
• Prioritise small portions of your true favourites.
• Eat the things that feel meaningful, not just available.

If grandma’s cranberry sauce or your dad’s famous mince pies bring back happy memories, have some. Enjoy it fully and without guilt.

Keep perspective

• One meal will not undo your progress.
• One day does not define your journey.
• Balance over time is what counts.

When treats sit within an overall balanced way of eating, they do not derail your progress.

After the event

Birthday dinner done? Christmas meal finished?

Return to your usual routine calmly and confidently. No panic. No punishment. Just consistency.

Remember what matters

You might feel pressure to try everything or clear your plate.

But:

• You know what works for you.
• Your body knows when it’s satisfied.
• The people around you care that you’re present, not how much you ate.

Enjoy the moment. Protect your progress. You can do both.

Alcohol and maintenance

"While we don’t recommend that people drink while taking weight loss medication, if you choose to, keeping it moderate and making sensible choices can help you stay on track."

Niya Mansuri, weight loss expert at myBMI

If you decide to treat yourself and drink alcohol while in maintenance, try to follow these tips:

• Stick to low-calorie, low-sugar options like spirits (vodka, gin, tequila or other low-sugar drinks like dry vermouth.
• For mixers, dodge fruit juices and sugary fizzy drinks and choose low-sugar options like Diet Coke or Slimline Tonic.
• Never drink on an empty stomach – this can increase side effects like nausea and may cause low blood sugar, especially if you’re taking medication that affects blood glucose levels.
• Try to alternate alcoholic drinks with water to prevent dehydration, nausea, and headaches.
• You might find that your weight loss medication changes the way your body processes the sugars in alcohol, so sip slowly, as your alcohol tolerance may have gone down.

Helpful recommendations for navigating social occasions

What helps?

• Eat protein first. Protein helps keep you fuller for longer and builds and preserves muscle, which helps you burn more calories even while at rest.
• Drinking lots of water helps reduce or prevent digestive side effects of weight loss medication, helps you feel full, and partly counteracts the effects of drinking alcohol.
• Choosing favourite foods intentionally and skipping foods you’re not bothered about allows you to really enjoy your festive favourite while staying within your calorie budget.
• Planning a gentle return to routine the day after an event, for example, by prepping a healthy breakfast like overnight oats with some protein to restart the routine right.

What to avoid

• Resist the temptation to restrict or skip meals before events. Fill up on healthy foods like veggies and protein instead, while saving room for a treat.
• Avoid labelling foods internally as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ in your mind. No food is bad if it fits within a balanced diet of nutritious, unprocessed, whole foods.
• Try not to weigh yourself immediately after social events – an extra kilo or a few pounds could just be water weight, but seeing the scales go up could affect your motivation. Try weighing yourself at the end of the week after your routine reset instead.

Getting back into routine the day after

Think of it this way: getting back into your routine is part of the routine.

Flexibility should be built into your maintenance mindset. You’ve already hit your goal weight – or close to it; this phase is about calm, consistency, and sustainability.

Follow these tips to get back on track gently:

• Drink lots of water: it’ll reduce digestive side effects like nausea, constipation, and fatigue. If you think you might be dehydrated (symptoms include dry lips and urinating less often than usual), you can use an electrolyte sachet or tablet with potassium, sodium, and magnesium to increase hydration.
• Do some gentle movement to support digestion, energy levels, and mood. This could be a short walk, gentle cycle or swim or playing in the garden with the kids.
• Eat regular, portion-controlled, nutritious meals. Restricting your food intake after indulging can be counterproductive, as your metabolism can slow down to preserve energy if you don’t eat enough, making it harder to lose weight.
• Try to have healthy snacks or batch-cooked prepped meals handy in your fridge, freezer, or cupboard, to help you avoid making impulsive food choices when you’re tired or dehydrated.

Frequently asked questions

Can I drink alcohol safely during maintenance?

Yes, you can drink alcohol safely while in maintenance. Just try to stick to low-calorie and low-sugar options, and be mindful that your tolerance may have changed since taking weight loss medication.

What if I gain a few pounds after an event?

Gaining a kilo a few pounds after an event could just be water weight. Daily weight fluctuations of a couple of pounds are normal for most people. Try to think of weight loss as a long-term goal with occasional minor fluctuations.

How do I reset after a big meal or weekend?

After a social occasion, big meal or weekend, just return to your usual routine gently, staying confident that you haven’t derailed your progress. Maintenance is about consistency, not perfection.

How often is it okay to have off-plan days?

There's no set number of off-plan days you are allowed to have. Just try to focus on genuine special occasions rather than scheduled ‘cheat days’.

Summary of social life during maintenance

Maintenance is all about consistency, stability, and confidence, not perfection.

At this stage of your weight loss treatment, you’ve worked on your healthy habits long enough to have confidently locked them in, and it’s okay to take a night off to celebrate special moments.

Maintenance is about the big picture; if you’re sticking to a treatment plan based around nutritious, balanced eating, good hydration, and regular movement, you can confidently resume your routine after some well-earned downtime without worrying about derailing your progress.