U.S. and British media report that BeautifulPeople.com – the website behind the latest headline-grabbing stunt – has expelled more than 5,000 users from its global community.

The site’s managing director, Greg Hodge, is quoted as saying the move came after members posted photos of themselves during the holidays showing they had “let themselves go.”

Most of the so-called “festive fatties” who got the boot were from the United States (1,520), followed by the United Kingdom (832) and Canada (533).

Hodge blamed holiday traditions for the members’ slipping beauty standards, saying that in Britain and Canada, Christmas and the New Year are all about “over-eating, over-drinking and watching TV on the sofa.”

The social network, which claims that it bans “ugly people” from joining its ranks, says each of the booted members received an email encouraging them to reapply when they get back in shape.

Despite the latest expulsions, the website, which describes itself as “the largest network of attractive people in the world,” says it still has 550,000 members from 190 countries.