5 Tips to Support a Healthy Gut Over a Holiday Weekend
A long weekend like Memorial Day is the perfect excuse to get out of your routine. Grilled food on the BBQ, late nights, road trips, and maybe a few extra drinks. All of that can be fun, until your gut decides it has had enough.
Experiencing bloating, irregularity, or that uncomfortable “off” feeling? It’s common. But it’s also avoidable.
With the right approach, you won’t have to overhaul your holiday plans. You just need a few smart habits, a little preparation, and a gut check (literally). We’ve got 5 tips to keep your digestion on track.
1) Don’t skip meals to “make room”
Let’s start with one of the sneakier mistakes: skipping meals to save space for the big barbecue. Fewer calories now seems like it’ll give you more flexibility later, but your gut actually prefers consistency.
When you skip meals, your digestive system doesn’t shut down, it gets out of sync. Your body relies on rhythmic eating patterns to keep digestion efficient. Skipping a meal disrupts that rhythm and can lead to bloating or constipation once you finally dig in.
And here’s another twist: skipping meals can mess with your hunger cues. You might end up hungrier than usual, eating faster, chewing less, and overwhelming your gut with more food than it can handle at once.
Gut-friendly tip: Eat a small, balanced meal before heading to a cookout, like something with fiber, healthy fat, and protein. You’ll feel grounded, not starved, and your digestion will thank you later.
H2: 2) Pay attention to how you eat (not just what)
You’ve probably heard “you are what you eat.” But how you eat plays just as big a role.
Holiday weekends are prime time for distracted eating. Chatting with friends, scrolling through your phone, watching the game while grabbing handfuls of chips. But mindless eating can lead to overeating, indigestion, and gas.
That’s because your digestive system is part brain, part body. It needs time and attention to work smoothly.
Gut-friendly tip: Chewing well can increase nutrient absorption. Your saliva has enzymes that start breaking down food before it even hits your stomach. Chew more, digest better. Try putting your fork down between bites or sipping water while you eat. Slowing down gives your gut the space to keep up.
3) Don’t let travel slow you down
Planes, trains, and long car rides aren’t just hard on your back. They can throw your gut out of balance. Lack of movement slows digestion. You’re probably eating different foods than usual, maybe drinking less water, and dealing with new stressors (hello, traffic).
If you’re traveling this weekend, pack a few gut-friendly items in your bag: a refillable water bottle, high-fiber snacks like roasted chickpeas or dried fruit (without added sugar), and your go-to probiotic if you take one.
Movement matters too. Even short walks after meals can help stimulate digestion. In fact, post-meal walks have been shown to reduce blood sugar spikes and improve motility (a fancy word for how your gut moves food along).
Gut-friendly tip: After a heavy meal, resist the urge to crash on the couch. A 10-minute walk is enough to get things moving in the right direction.
4) Find some rhythm in your routine
Most people think of sleep when they hear “circadian rhythm.” But your gut has its own internal clock, and it's surprisingly sensitive to changes in your routine. Everything from digestion to enzyme production follows a rhythm that syncs up with when you typically eat, move, and rest.
When you stay up late, snack at odd hours, or sleep in for half the day (hello, holiday weekend), it can throw off your gut’s timing. This may lead to sluggish digestion and changes in bowel movements. Emerging research even shows that disruptions to your gut clock may impact how well your body absorbs nutrients or regulates inflammation.
Gut-friendly tip: Try to anchor your weekend with a couple of constants like eating breakfast around the same time or getting some morning light exposure. A little routine can go a long way in keeping your gut’s rhythm steady, even when the rest of your schedule is flexible.
5) Consider high-potency probiotics
If your gut tends to go haywire when your routine shifts, it might be worth exploring a probiotic with higher potency and proven strain diversity, especially if you’re managing IBS, UC, or even just regular bloating.
Most over-the-counter probiotics contain just one strain and around 1–10 billion CFU (colony forming units). That may sound like a lot, but when you consider the trillions of bacteria already in your gut, it’s a drop in the bucket.
That’s where a medical-grade probiotic like VSL#3® can make a difference. It’s the #1 gastroenterologist-recommended multi-strain probiotic brand in the U.S., and each capsule contains a minimum of 112.5 billion CFU across 8 unique strains.† VSL is designed for serious gut support, not just maintenance. If you’re looking for a daily shelf-stable option, VSL4™ Gut offers 30 billion CFU per capsule and is easy to pack on the go.
Gut-friendly tip: Check the CFU count, strain diversity, and whether the product is backed by research. VSL#3® has over 40 clinical studies to its name and is approved for managing IBS and UC symptoms under medical supervision.
Ready to support your gut this holiday?
If your long weekend includes big meals, travel, or just a shake-up in your schedule, your gut may need a little extra care. VSL#3® and VSL4™ Gut are high-potency probiotics that deliver serious support when your routine goes sideways.
Whether you're managing digestive conditions or just want to feel your best, explore your options and find the probiotic that fits your lifestyle.
† ProVoice® Surveys