Im currently away from home for a few months attending a super high stress and demanding school for the Air Force. We work really long days in a windowless building but get two hours for lunch which is a much needed reprieve.
The military gives us a stipend for food so going out for lunch together is our class social outlet. While working from home I started rolling 72s and lost 10 lbs in a couple of weeks that I’ve kept off for more than a month but now that I am in this course my classmates are my only friends and its lonely AF not being social for lunch.
I tried going and not eating but the unwanted attention of going to a restaurant as a group and drinking iced tea is awkward for everyone. I also work weekends.
How have you navigated the social aspect of a fasting lifestyle?
We’ve all been there buddy. Go to the restaurant and just order water with lemons. If anyone gives you attention just laugh about it and explain what you’ve been doing. Nothing can make you eat except for you. You need to be a man and stop worrying about what people think; I doubt they’re even reacting very negatively in the first place.
I don’t give a shit what people think of me, if you make people uncomfortable then it’s an advantage, isn’t the military all about the psychological edge? I wish I joined the military back when I was young but I wasn’t in the right mindset and would have gotten thrown out.
I agree with all the comments below. Its good advice. I avoid meeting friends for meals, and I just meet them for coffee (i drink water with lemon) or for some activity (yoga). If i had a bigger unavoidable celebration then i would break my fast but would ask friends to meet for brunch or lunch instead of having dinner.
I sit in my break room at work while everyone is having lunch and I’m there drinking salt water. Just tell them what you’re doing and some may find it admirable, like in my case. My lunch box literally has a jar of snake powder juice powder I ground up for me to scoop into my water all day.