Post-Holiday Gut Reset: 7 Gentle Steps to Ease Bloat, Cravings and Fatigue

The holiday season is a time of celebration, connection… and often a little extra indulgence. Rich meals, late nights, sugary treats and a few too many glasses of wine can leave you waking up after New Year's Day feeling bloated, tired, a bit "flat" and craving all the wrong things.

First, let's normalise it: these post-holiday symptoms are common. They don't mean you failed — they mean your body is still adjusting to a sudden shift in routine, diet and sleep. Most people notice at least some of the following:

• Bloating, gas, discomfort and belly distension
• Sugar cravings and appetite swings
• Low energy and foggy mood
• Irregular digestion
• Post-holiday mood swings

Why does this happen? Holiday eating tends to be higher in sugar, alcohol and fat, and lower in fibre and routine — all factors that can temporarily disrupt gut function, microbiome balance and blood-sugar stability.¹,² alcohol and sugar, in particular, can dehydrate you and slow gut motility, which can lead to constipation, bloating and discomfort. At the same time, blood glucose spikes and dips can drive cravings and energy crashes.¹,²,³

In my clinic, I see this every January: smart, health-aware people feeling frustrated with themselves when their physiology is simply adapting to a different input. Personally, if I have a few more late nights and festive desserts than usual, I notice my own cravings and sleep quality shift for a week or so — which is precisely when I go back to basics with a gentle gut reset rather than a harsh detox.

The good news is that with a gentle reset, your gut and energy can often rebound noticeably in around seven days. I much prefer this approach to an extreme January cleanse, especially for those in the northern hemisphere, because deep, aggressive detoxification is better suited to spring and autumn than the colder, restorative months of winter.

Instead of punishing resolutions, think about layering in good daily habits and easing out the inflammatory holiday patterns. Even just pausing alcohol and the main "white foods" — cow's milk, refined sugar and gluten-containing refined grains — for a week or two can have a powerful effect on bloating, cravings and mood.

Your 7-Day Gentle Reset Checklist

A reset doesn't have to be drastic — think supportive, balanced, restorative. Here's a simple plan. Start with week one, then repeat so you take it one week at a time rather than aiming for perfection.

1. Hydrate Smartly

• Start each day with a large glass of water and lemon to gently rehydrate after sleep and support digestion.
• Hydration supports regular bowel movements, bloating relief and more stable blood sugar by helping your body process carbohydrates and sodium more efficiently.¹
• Drink around 1.5–2L daily, including a homemade electrolyte such as our Rejuv Wellness Water for extra support if you've had more alcohol, caffeine or salty foods.

2. Prioritise Fibre (Slowly)

• Shift back towards prebiotic fibre from salads, vegetables, fruits, legumes, chia, psyllium and flaxseeds (or, if you want to fast-track, add 1 tsp of Rejuv Digestive Complex powder to your diet).
• Fibre feeds beneficial gut microbiota, supports regularity and can help calm bloating by improving stool consistency and fermentation balance.⁴,⁵
• Increase gradually so your system adjusts without excess gas, and don't forget to chew your food around 20 times per mouthful to support mechanical digestion and enzyme action.

3. Balance Every Plate

Aim for meals built around:

• Wild or organic protein — helps stabilise blood sugar and keeps cravings in check by slowing gastric emptying and supporting satiety hormones.³
• Fibre — supports gut motility and nurtures your microbiome.⁴
• Healthy fats such as avocado, olives, oily fish, nuts, seeds and clean oils like extra virgin olive oil — these help you feel satisfied and support cell and hormone health.
• Colourful plant foods — eating the rainbow increases phytonutrients and diverse fibres that nourish your microbiome, and help modulate inflammation.⁴
• Find your balance — protein, fat and fibre together help smooth out glucose spikes and dips that lead to energy crashes and "all-or-nothing" cravings. If your cravings feel intense after the holidays, you may like to add our Blood Sugar Support capsules alongside these food foundations.

4. Move Daily

You don't need intense workouts — just consistent, kind movement that you can maintain.

• Try 10–20-minute walks after meals to support digestion, circulation, and blood sugar regulation.²,³
• Layer in gentle stretching, yoga or Pilates to calm the nervous system while improving mobility and gut motility.
• As your energy returns, aim to move your body for 30–60 minutes, 3–4 times per week, choosing activities that genuinely bring you joy rather than feeling like punishment.

5. Regular Sleep Rhythm

• Aim for 7–9 hours of sleep most nights, as sleep loss can shift appetite-regulating hormones like ghrelin and leptin, increasing hunger and preference for high-sugar foods.⁶,⁷
• Keep bed and wake times reasonably consistent; a regular sleep–wake rhythm helps regulate appetite, supports gut repair and stabilises mood via the gut–brain axis.⁶,⁷
• If you need support while building better sleep habits, take two of our Stress & Sleep Support capsules around 30 minutes before your intended bedtime, along with a calm wind-down routine.

6. Engage Gut Support Where Needed

Rejuv's targeted products can gently complement your reset, especially if you've had long-term gut symptoms.

• Gut Repair — supports beneficial bacteria and microbiome balance, which are key for digestion, immune health and mood.⁴
• Digestive Support Capsules — provide enzymes and gut-soothing herbs that can ease sluggish digestion and reduce bloating while your habits recalibrate.
• Gut-Healing Pack — offers a broader protocol to support gut, liver, mood and digestion after festive overload or more long-standing gut stress.

In my clinic, I often pair these supports with simple breathwork and nervous system regulation tools so that your gut–brain axis receives consistent, calm signals rather than "fight-or-flight" messages throughout the day. When your body feels safe, digestion and repair can switch back on more easily.

7. Track & Tune (One Habit at a Time)

Instead of trying to "fix everything" in one week, focus on becoming a gentle detective of your own body. Add one supportive habit at a time and watch what shifts.

• Start drinking around 2L of water a day and notice changes in bowel movements, skin and energy.
• Keep alcohol or rich, heavy foods to once a week, where possible, so your gut has breathing space to repair.
• Get to bed at least one hour before midnight on most nights to align more closely with your natural circadian rhythms.
• Be kind to yourself and speak to yourself as you would to your closest friend — self-criticism can increase stress physiology, which, in turn, affects digestion and cravings.
• Notice how cravings shift and observe changes in your energy and mood. This self-awareness helps you fine-tune food choices and lifestyle patterns going forward, rather than swinging between restriction and excess.

This isn’t about erasing the holidays; it’s about helping your body feel safe, nourished and steady again so you can carry the joy of the season into the year ahead.

Why This Works

Your gut and brain are not broken — they're adaptive. Excess sugar and alcohol can temporarily alter your microbiome, slow motility, destabilise blood sugar and impact cognitive function, which is why you may feel bloated, foggy, tired and moody after a stretch of indulgence.¹,²,⁵ A return to routine, fibre-rich nourishment, regular movement, restorative sleep and targeted gut support creates a reset environment where your microbiome, digestion, brain and energy can gradually recalibrate.¹,²,⁴,⁵

Personally, there was a year I almost abandoned my own reset after a hectic festive season — the sofa and leftover dessert felt far more appealing than another walk or early night. What helped was committing to one tiny non-negotiable (a post-dinner walk) and one supportive swap (herbal tea instead of wine on weeknights); within a week, my bloating and mood had already shifted enough to motivate the next steps.

Need More Support: Simone's Gut Protocols

If your symptoms are more persistent — ongoing bloating, reflux, irregular bowel movements, skin flares, or mood changes — a more tailored plan may be needed. For deeper, structured, and bespoke support beyond the tips above, you can book a consult with a member of my team or me so we can help you scale up your health in a way that fits your life.

You can also start with our Wellness Quiz to create a more targeted approach, helping you identify key priorities such as gut repair, adrenal support, immune balance or cellular health before you invest your energy.

References

1. Holscher HD. Dietary fiber and prebiotics and the gastrointestinal microbiota. J Appl Physiol. 2017;122(3):398–405. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5390821/
2. Hughes RL, Marco ML, Hughes JP, Keim NL, Kable ME. The role of the gut microbiome in predicting response to diet and the development of precision nutrition models. Part of broader reviews on diet, microbiota and metabolic health. 2021. https://www.tampacolorectal.com/blog/post-holiday-gut-reset-supporting-digestive-health-after-indulgence
3. Ludwig DS. The glycemic index: physiological mechanisms relating to obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. JAMA. 2002;287(18):2414–2423. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/194106
4. Hughes RL, Holscher HD. Fueling gut microbes: a review of the impact of dietary fiber on the intestinal microbiome. Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2021;70:1–6. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2017.01939/full
5. De Vecchis R, Cinquegrana G, Noutsias M. Pathophysiology of postprandial bloating: the role of diet, microbiota and intestinal motility. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2020;32(3):247–253. https://journals.lww.com/eurojgh/Abstract/2020/03000/
6. Broussard JL, Kilkus JM, Delebecque F, et al. Elevated ghrelin predicts food intake during experimental sleep restriction. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2016;101(11):4179–4186. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4688118/
7. Templeman I, Smith HA, Chowdhury E, et al. Unacylated ghrelin, leptin, and appetite display diurnal rhythmicity in lean adults. J Appl Physiol. 2021;130(6):1780–1791. https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/japplphysiol.00920.2020