There's no wine cleanse for weight loss because booze delivers calories without life-sustaining nutrients and oh yeah, A WINE CLEANSE WOULD BE CRAZY.

But that doesn't mean you have to go all teetotaler to maintain your healthy size, or even to tone up and lose a little body fat, should that be one of your goals. Or, at least, that's according to a recent deep dive into existing research on alcohol's effect on body weight that was recently conducted by The New York Times.

Despite the fact that alcohol researchers aren't supposed to be drinking on the job — just imagine! — the findings from alcohol research are all over the place, and none of it seems to spell out the one thing you've been waiting to hear: That you can drink your heart out without suffering any consequences.

As it happens, though, one of the most reliable research documents, according to The New York Times, is a 2015 review that suggests frequent, light to moderate drinking has no effect on weight or waist circumference in women, and may even be linked to lower body weight. This could be because people who drink reasonable amounts also eat healthfully and exercise more than binge drinkers or abstainers. But even better: It suggests enjoying glass of wine (or your go-to drink) with dinner probably won't ruin you.

The findings still condemn filling your glass more than once a day (or twice if you're a dude), since it's only "light to moderate" alcohol intake that appears to be benign. And then there are exceptions: Adolescents who probably shouldn't be drinking anyways and older adults are more likely to be overweight with a higher body fat percentage if they drink any amount of alcohol. (More wine for you!)

Chances are this is the kind of research you can get behind, no questions asked. But if you do ask one question, make it this: Does a little bit of alcohol really make you feel your best? (Or is it a downward spiral to a lot of alcohol, late night pizza, and awful hangovers that throw you off your healthy game?)

The Times concludes you should use your common sense: If you're drinking and gaining weight, something isn't working, so try cutting back. And if you're generally healthy and dying for a glass of wine, but tend to resist just because you're worried about your weight, maybe pop the cork and let yourself live a little.

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From: Cosmopolitan US