How to manage what to eat in social situations during your intermittent fasting window

Joanna Kriehn, MS, RDN, CDCES - Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES)

Do you struggle with knowing how to navigate social situations while fasting? This diet plan–where you alternate between periods of eating and fasting–has shown promising results for weight loss and health improvement.

Read on to learn how to start intermittent fasting and what to eat during your "window" whenever you dine out or attend a social event.

What to eat during intermittent fasting window

Going out? Then, get familiar with your intermittent fasting plan to figure out what to eat in your "window"

While there are multiple intermittent fasting plans, finding the right one for you takes some trial and error. The 14/10 and the 16/8 are the most common and popular since you fast naturally while sleeping (between 7-9 hours a night). By delaying or skipping breakfast, you simply stretch out the nighttime fasting hours for a more condensed daytime eating schedule.*

Common intermittent fasting plans defined

14/10: Your eating window is from 10 am-8 pm
16/8: Your eating window is from 12 pm-8 pm

Intermittent fasting encourages you to become aware of when you eat and have a plan, making you more mindful of your eating habits. You may snack or munch without even realizing it, leading to blood sugar spikes and weight gain. Experts say it takes a few weeks to get comfortable with an intermittent fasting plan. Take your time and experiment with different ways to integrate your plan into social situations.

Once you are comfortable with your plan, you will gain a sense of your eating and fasting window. You may find yourself out with friends during your intermittent fasting window, unsure what to eat or drink. Read on for our top tips for this situation.

There's such a thing as flexible fasting/eating windows, just right for your social life

Here are some common scenarios where a flexible eating window may be helpful.

Early morning engagements

Move your eating window back a bit earlier when you want to enjoy breakfast with others to get in a longer eating window for the day. Then, get back on track quickly by returning to your regularly scheduled eating window the following morning.
You may find it easier to skip eating in social situations in the morning. Early morning meetings tend to attract less attention to skipping a meal. Need something in your hands? Choose black coffee or plain tea.

Evening engagements

Perhaps you have dinner plans at 8:00, and your eating window typically ends at 6 pm? Shift your standard eating window by a few hours that day by breaking your fast a bit later with a later dinner. Naturally, the next day, your fasting window will be shorter. Return to your regularly scheduled eating window the following day.

If you value the social aspect of sharing a meal with others, make an effort to consistently schedule your meals with friends and family during your eating window. This ensures you can maintain your intermittent fasting plan and reach your weight-loss and health goals.

Alternatives to eating when bored during long evenings

One way that intermittent fasting helps with weight loss is by eliminating evening snacking, which is often a slippery slope of food temptations. Try these tips to help you stick to your evening fast.

Brush, floss, and use mouthwash right after your meal. This habit shifts your mindset, making it easier to move on to non-food activities.
Consider which habits promote snacking. Do you find it harder to avoid snacking when streaming a show vs. internet shopping? Pay attention to your habits and strive to limit or avoid those that trigger mindless munching.
When you are out with friends during your fasting window, skip eating and choose a calorie-free drink instead.
Many people get in the habit of using food or alcohol as a way to unwind after a stressful day. Stay on track by engaging in a healthier alternative such as yoga or gentle stretching.

Need more ideas? Check out this blog post from MyNetDiary.

Find ways to socialize without food

Your social life may center around food and drink simply out of habit. Get creative and find different ways to connect with friends and family instead of focusing on what to eat during your intermittent fasting window. For example:

Meet a friend at a park to walk and talk instead of a restaurant or bar.
Dust off the old yard games and enjoy active family time instead of gathering for a meal.
Tour the city and document the experience with a friend or relative, exploring a new neighborhood. Take your camera or phone and find new ways to capture the community where you live.
Join a book club. Whether virtual or in-person, a book club (sans the hors' de oeuvres) is a great way to get friends together, learn something new, and help your waistline!
Meet a friend or colleague for plain coffee or tea. Focus on the conversation and the person instead of obsessing over what to eat during the intermittent fasting window and what drinks are no longer on the plan.

When starting any new eating plan, don’t be afraid to ask for help

Do you find it awkward to ask for help? Know that you are not alone. Many people find it challenging to ask for help. And yet, none of us nourish our bodies alone in a vacuum. Food has a place in all aspects of our lives. We share the responsibility of meal planning, grocery shopping, food prep, and often eating with other people.

You may find intermittent fasting more rewarding if you set yourself up for success and talk to your partner or family ahead of time about your plan. For example:

Set aside time to explain your new eating plan to your partner. Share why it is important, what you hope to accomplish, and how it will impact family meals.
Guide your partner on how they can help you remain accountable. The conversation usually evolves as it is difficult to predict everything when you are just starting and making adjustments.
Address shifts in family meals ahead of time. If you don't eat breakfast with the family on the weekends, for example, reassure them that you will join them with a beverage instead.
Think about your priorities and adjust as needed. Suppose you and your family value dining together every Sunday after church, and it's outside your eating window. Consider taking Sundays off from your fasting routine, starting back up each Monday.

At the end of the day, if you have to let your intermittent fasting schedule slide occasionally to share a meal with friends or family, so be it. Just get back to the program as soon as possible, and don’t let this blip cause too much worry. Remember, it is all about progress, not perfection!

* Disclaimer: Intermittent fasting or time-restricted eating is not advised for individuals who are underweight, have an eating disorder, are under the age of 18, or for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.