Still struggling to shift that festive paunch bestowed upon you by the Christmas beer gods? Well, fear not, because according to a study, it could actually help you to live a bit longer... maybe.
Research showed that having a bit of excess weight as people enter old age is actually a good thing and that carrying a few extra pounds is not as unhealthy as we perhaps thought.
Data even suggested that two glasses of beer or wine a day, coupled with the occasional game of Scrabble (or similar) could cut your risk of dying prematurely by around 10 percent.
Researchers in America analysed data on 14,000 people aged 55 to 100 to find the secrets to a long life. They then tracked the volunteers for up to 37 years, with some still being monitored today.
However, the study's findings don't necessarily guarantee good health in later life.
Study leader Professor Claudia Kawas warned a long life would not necessarily be disease free.
She said: "People should try to incorporate as many of these habits into their day to give themselves the best chance of living to a ripe age.
"But adopting this healthy lifestyle does not guarantee that these extra years will be healthy ones.
"Our data shows none of these lifestyle factors make any difference to the likelihood you will develop dementia - we are still trying to find them."
She also found that those who spent at least two hours a day practising a hobby had a 21 percent lower risk of premature death, while those who took between 15 and 45 minutes of moderate exercise a day had an 11 percent lower risk.
Drinking about two cups of coffee a day gave a ten percent lower chance.
"The sweet spot for caffeine was 2-400mg per day, which depending on if you're a Starbucks fan ... is two cups of coffee probably," she explained.
Professor Kawas, from the University of California, added: "As you get to 60 or 70 physiologically it's a good thing to gain weight."
She said her team's work had found that modest drinking and carrying extra pounds both had clear links with longevity.
"It is best to gain between five and 10 pounds per decade. Underweight people had a 50 percent increase in mortality," she said
"It's not bad to be skinny when you're young but it's very bad to be skinny when you're old."
Featured Image Credit: 20th Century FoxTopics: Food, Interesting, Alcohol, Beer, Health