Congratulations, you made it through Day 1 of the 7 Day Beef and Butter Fast – and it was probably smooth sailing. But it’s Day 2 now, and the world looks very different this morning. So we need to talk about some strategies you can use to distract yourself from becoming so desperate for carbs that you’d gladly sell a kidney for a plate of nachos.
Let’s be honest—at some point during the 7 Day Beef & Butter Fast, you’re going to get a little food bored. Your brain will start whispering, “Hey, remember bread? That was nice.” You might even experience dreams and full-blown hallucinations of melted cheese cascading over a crispy French fry, or sticking your entire face under the Golden Corral dessert bar chocolate fountain.
When that moment (moments, let’s be real) comes, it’s crucial to have a game plan to stay distracted, entertained, and mentally stable enough to not rage-eat an entire loaf of sourdough.
Here’s how to get through Beef and Butter Fast Day 2 (and beyond:)
1. Stay Busy (It’s number 1 for a reason)
The absolute worst thing you can do is sit around scrolling food photos on Instagram – yes, even IBIH photos!
Instead:
✔ Go for a walk. Bonus points if you can make it brisk, but honestly if you can keep upright and in a forward motion these first few days – congratulate yourself. You are crushing it. 🙌🏻
✔ Deep clean something. You might not be able to eat that dark chocolate you’ve been hoarding in your secret hiding place nobody in the family knows about 👀, but at least your baseboards will be spotless.
✔ Tackle that project you’ve been avoiding. Declutter your closet. Organize the spice rack. Finally delete those 8,000 unread emails. 😭
2. Drink Something That’s Not Sad
Yes, black coffee is sad. But you know what’s even sadder? Giving up over a splash of cream.
Instead, try:
✔ Bone broth. It’s warm, salty, and you can almost feel that collagen making your skin tighter.
✔ Herbal tea. It’s like wine if you close your eyes and pretend really, really hard. (Just kidding. I miss you wine. 😭)
✔ Fancy sparkling water. Pour it in a wine glass and swirl it dramatically. It’s all about the illusion. (Again, no. But at least we’re trying over here. 😂)
3. Change Up the Eating Experience (Because Monotony is the Real Enemy)
If the same beef over and over is making you crazy, shake things up:
✔ Change textures. Crispy beef crumbles, shredded beef, burger patties, steak bites—variety is key.
For more suggestions on what to eat, check out this post about preparing for the beef and butter fast.
✔ Experiment with temperatures. Try hot, buttery broth or cold, leftover beef like charcuterie. (Fancy! ✨)
✔ Plate it like it’s a five-star meal. Sure, it’s just beef, but sprinkle it with the bougie salt, use your best plate, and pretend you’re at a steakhouse. 🥩
4. Get Competitive (with yourself)
If you’re just suffering through it, it’ll feel like…well…suffering.
Turn it into a personal competition instead:
✔ See how long you can go without thinking about bread. (Current record: 6 minutes.)
✔ Track your wins. Less bloating? No cravings? Jeans feeling looser? That’s a huge win – see how far you can take it! For more on setting and tracking goals, check out this post about Setting Goals on the Beef & Butter Fast.
✔ Smile and nod instead of biting someone’s head off for telling you that you’re going to die of a heart attack from all of the cholesterol. If you don’t succeed the first time, don’t worry – there will be plenty more opportunities this week. 😂
5. Take a Nap (Sleeping People Don’t Crave Snacks)
✔ If you’re exhausted, just take a nap. It’s basically a fast-forward button on cravings.
AND there is a distinct possibility that you’ll dream about eating delicious carbs without actually breaking your fast. 🙌🏻
6. Plan What You’ll Eat Post-Fast
✔ Start thinking about how you’ll reintroduce foods—not in a “give me all the cake” way, but in a smart and satisfying way.
✔ Make a list of what’s worth bringing back and what’s not. Spoiler: Bread is usually not as good as you remember. (Lies. It totally is.)
✔ Plan a dinner party for after the fast — put together an entire menu of your favorites in your head (or on paper) and get those invites out so it is firm in the calendar. It will be something tangible to look forward to, and can make the week go by faster. Plus your house is going to be super clean after the fast from all of that cleaning you’ll be doing! 😂
7. Laugh About It (Because If We Don’t Laugh, We’ll Cry)
✔ Text a friend and tell them you’d trade your firstborn for a baked potato. or better yet, post it in our Beef & Butter FB group with people who get you and can totally relate.
✔ Watch a comedy special or start a gripping crime drama instead of watching the Food Network or reruns of the Great British Baking Show (rookie mistake). If you’ve got a great show we should all start binge watching, let us know in the comments! 👇🏼
✔ Find humor in the insanity of eating only beef and butter for a week. (More on this tomorrow! 😆)
8. Unplug and Host a Game Night
If you’ve got family or roommates in the house, try a mid week game night.
We recently found our old Sequence game and taught Hungry Jr. how to play, and we’ve been having a blast the last few nights with it.
Will there be snacks? Not for you. But at least you are interacting with real people and having fun, instead of endlessly scrolling food reels on your phone in the dark.
One word of caution – you’ll probably have a short fuse. So if you’re losing, or someone is trash talking you and you are one bad card away from a felony charge, calmly excuse yourself and go scream into a pillow instead of taking out your frustration on them. Otherwise, no more game nights for you. 😂
Is this week going to test you? Yes.
Are you going to survive it? Also yes.
Will you come out on the other side leaner, more in control, and possibly with a deep aversion to steak? 100%.
Stay busy, stay focused, laugh at the absurdity of it all, and remember: potatoes will always be there. But right now? You’re doing something amazing for your body.
So carry on, you butter-fueled legend. 🥩🔥 Only 5 more days to go! 🙌🏻
What’s your plan to distract yourself this week? Let us know in the comments!👇🏼
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