Foods to Avoid When Taking Wegovy

If you’ve started taking Wegovy (semaglutide) to help with weight management, congratulations on taking a step toward improving your health.

Wegovy is a medication that belongs to a class of drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists. These work by mimicking a natural hormone in your body (glucagon-like peptide-1). This helps regulate appetite, slows down the emptying of your stomach and increases feelings of fullness.

While Wegovy can be a powerful tool to help with losing weight, it’s not a magic solution on its own. How you eat while on Wegovy makes a huge difference – not just for weight loss, but for how well you tolerate the medication.

Certain foods can reduce its effectiveness or worsen the side effects of Wegovy. Below, we’ll explore the types of foods best avoided and explain why a nutrient-dense, balanced diet is so important.

Why Your Diet Matters on Wegovy

One of the main effects of Wegovy is that it slows gastric emptying – meaning food stays in your stomach longer.

This helps you feel fuller for longer. But it also means rich, fatty, or heavy meals can sit in your stomach for too long causing common side effects like:

• Nausea
• Diarrhoea or constipation
• Acid reflux
• Bloating or gas

These symptoms are common, particularly in the early stages or when your dose increases. However, you can reduce them (or even avoid them) with the right dietary choices.

Foods to Avoid – and What to Choose Instead

High-Fat, Greasy or Fried Foods

Fried foods (think chips, fried chicken, battered fish) and other greasy meals can be particularly difficult to digest when you’re on Wegovy.

Because the medication slows down digestion, high-fat foods can linger in your stomach. This can trigger or worsen stomach-related (gastrointestinal) side effects like nausea, acid reflux, and indigestion.

What to Do Instead:

• Choose grilled, baked, steamed, or air-fried meals.
• Cook with minimal oil and focus on lean proteins such as chicken, fish or tofu.

Sugary Foods and Drinks

Sugary foods – such as sweets, chocolates, pastries, sugary cereals, and fizzy drinks – are high in empty calories with little nutritional value. On a medication like Wegovy, which reduces your appetite, it’s vital that you try to make every bite count nutritionally.

Foods high in sugar can also cause blood sugar spikes and crashes, which may lead to fatigue and increased hunger soon after eating. Excess sugar can also worsen nausea and bloating, especially if eaten on an empty stomach.

What to Do Instead:

• Swap sweets for fruit, like apples, bananas, or berries.
• For a more balanced sweet snack, try pairing fruit with Greek yoghurt and a spoonful of peanut butter. It satisfies cravings while also providing protein and healthy fats to keep you fuller for longer.
• Try homemade smoothies with fruit, oats, and milk or dairy-free alternatives.
• Replace fizzy drinks with sparkling water, sugar-free squash, or herbal teas. Staying hydrated is essential while on GLP-1 medications. Read more about hydration tips here.

Highly Processed Foods

Ultra-processed foods such as ready meals, processed meats (like sausages or bacon), instant noodles, crisps, and many takeaway options tend to be high in salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats.

Consuming these foods can not only hinder weight loss but may also contribute to fluid retention and digestive upset.

What to Do Instead:

• Prepare simple meals at home using whole foods (vegetables, legumes, wholegrains, lean meats).
• If you’re short on time, try batch cooking and freezing healthy portions. New to batch-cooking? Here is a beginner friendly guide to use.
• Keep easy options like pre-chopped salad, frozen veg, and tinned beans in the kitchen.
• Use a slow cooker or air fryer for quick, healthy cooking with minimal fuss.

Refined Carbohydrates

Foods like white bread, white rice, and white pasta are quickly digested and provide little fibre. Fibre is important for digestive health (especially when you’re on a medication that can cause constipation) and keeps you fuller for longer.

What to Do Instead:

• Choose wholegrain or wholemeal versions of bread, rice, and pasta.
• Include fibre-rich foods like oats, lentils, sweet potatoes, beans, fruit and veg.

Be careful not to add too much fibre to your diet all at once, as this can lead to bloating or discomfort. it’s best to increase it gradually over time ensuring you keep hydrated alongside. Learn about how to add fibre slowly.

Alcohol

While you can drink alcohol on Wegovy, it’s a good idea to avoid or at least limit your intake while taking the medication.

According to NHS guidelines, adults are advised to drink no more than 14 units of alcohol per week, and these should be spread over at least three days minimum.

Not only does alcohol provide empty calories that can slow your progress, but it may also exacerbate side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and indigestion. These are already common when using semaglutide, especially in the early stages or when your dose increases.

Wegovy slows stomach emptying, so alcohol may be absorbed more slowly – but its effects can feel stronger and hit more suddenly. You may become intoxicated more quickly, increasing your risk of dizziness, low blood sugar, and poor judgement around food choices, potentially undoing some of the benefits of your weight loss efforts.

Key Takeaways

• Avoid Greasy, Fried, and Fatty Foods: These can worsen nausea and slow digestion while you’re on Wegovy.
• Cut Back on Sugar and Processed Snacks: They offer little nutrition and may trigger blood sugar crashes or digestive discomfort.
• Choose Wholegrains and Add Fibre Gradually: Fibre supports gut health but increases it slowly to avoid bloating.
• Limit Alcohol Intake: Alcohol can intensify side effects and interfere with your weight loss progress.
• Focus on Nutrient-Dense, Balanced Meals: With a reduced appetite, every bite counts – make it nourishing.

References

Mushtaq, A. (2025). Understanding Hydration on GLP-1s: Why You Need to Drink Enough Water. [online] Simple Online Pharmacy. Available at: https://www.simpleonlinepharmacy.co.uk/health-advice/weight-loss/diet-advice/understanding-hydration-glp-1/ [Accessed 5 Aug. 2025].

NHS (2022). Calories in alcohol. [online] nhs.uk. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-advice/calories-in-alcohol/.

Perez, L. (2024). Meal Prep For Weight Loss: A Beginner’s Guide. [online] Simple Online Pharmacy. Available at: https://www.simpleonlinepharmacy.co.uk/health-advice/weight-loss/meal-prep-for-weight-loss-a-beginners-guide/ [Accessed 5 Aug. 2025]. 

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