You work hard all day. So when you come home from work, or finally get the kids down to sleep, you probably want to chill out. Many people do that by having a few glasses of wine with dinner. That’s one of the health mistakes Michael Masterson was making that was keeping him from losing weight. But Michael was able to modify his habit… and so can you. And that will help you finally shed that stubborn fat!

Now, I’m not saying you should cut out alcohol completely. A glass or two with dinner is just fine. But I want to make sure you understand that, when you’re trying to lose weight, a big issue with alcohol is not only its calorie content, but also the way the body metabolizes it.

Alcohol brings fat burning to a complete STOP!

When alcohol is ingested, it passes through the stomach and intestines, into the bloodstream, then into the liver. In the liver, it is converted into acetaldehyde, which is then converted into acetate. Because acetate is readily bio-available, your body will burn it first… instead of carbs, protein, or fat.

So if you choose to consume alcohol, keep these three tips in mind:

Tip #1: Always eat fat and protein with alcohol to slow down its absorption rate and protect the lining of the stomach and small intestine.

Tip #2: Drink wine from organic sources whenever possible.

Tip #3: Enjoy your wine – but drink in moderation.

Instead of three glasses of wine every night with dinner, Michael gradually cut down to two glasses and then to one. By cutting his alcohol intake, intensifying his exercise routine, and making a few changes to his diet, Michael was able to lose 15 pounds and lower his body fat by five percent. (By the way, he still tries to keep it to one glass of wine with dinner – but, now that he’s lost the weight, he has more than that at least once a week.)

You can improve your own health and get leaner by making similar changes. Get started today.

[Ed. Note: If you're looking to see results like Michael's, Coach Yari can help. She's offering a special online training program for people who can't make it to her gym. Learn how to burn up to 37 pounds of fat in 6 weeks right here.

Of course, working out isn't the only key to getting fit. Get healthy recipe ideas, the latest news on natural supplements, and plenty of motivation right here.]

Michael Masterson was 19 pounds over his ideal weight at the beginning of the year. One reason was because he’d developed a dangerous habit. He was snacking on high-sugar, high-carb foods late at night.

How on earth did I get Michael to stop eating Ben and Jerry’s? It was easier than you might think. I simply gave him the solutions to three common mistakes he was making. If you have cravings for bad-for-you foods, these solutions can work for you, too.

Mistake #1: Not eating enough during the day. Michael tends to get caught up in what he loves: working. And sometimes, that makes him forget to eat.

Solution #1: Eat every 3 hours. I gave Michael a tub of whey protein powder. Using it to make a protein shake is easy, quick, and keeps your body burning fat by not allowing your metabolism to slow down. At the same time, it provides the body with muscle-building nutrients. Michael started drinking one protein shake between breakfast and lunch, and another one immediately after his afternoon workout. Eating more frequently kept his appetite down, so he was able to cut the size of his food portions. Plus, he stopped being hungry and wanting to stuff his face late at night!

Mistake #2: Eating a light lunch and a heavy dinner.

Solution #2: Eat your main meal in the middle of the day. Michael was making a classic mistake – eating a light salad for lunch and a heavy high-carbohydrate dinner. I simply told him to swap the two. Because your metabolism slows down at night, eating a starchy dinner can make you store more fat.

Mistake #3: Eating processed, high-glycemic carbohydrates. Michael’s main meals almost always included pasta, white rice, or mashed potatoes.

Solution #3: Improve the quality of your carbohydrate choices. I had him replace those carbs with low-glycemic carbs like sprouted bread, sweet potatoes, or brown rice. Low-glycemic carbs have a slower absorption rate, making you feel satisfied for longer periods of time. Plus, they don’t spike up insulin levels – so your body stays in fat-burning mode.

Mistake #4: Eating Ben and Jerry’s late at night.

Solution #4: Find a healthy replacement dessert. I turned Michael on to an awesomely rich chocolate mint protein shake to satisfy his sweet tooth. It tastes so good, it almost makes him feel like he’s being bad.

With these few dietary changes, we knocked off about 30 grams of fat and about 800 calories from his daily meals. As a result, he started burning off fat all over his body.

And these changes didn’t make Michael feel deprived one bit. In fact, he tells me he’s more energetic (without the need for caffeine!), more productive, and feels more than satisfied. More important, his belly is vanishing right before his eyes!

You can implement these changes, too – and burn fat and feel better at the same time.

[Ed. Note: If you're looking to see results like Michael's, Coach Yari can help. She's offering a special online training program for people who can't make it to her gym. Learn how to burn up to 37 pounds of fat in 6 weeks right here.

Of course, working out isn't the only key to getting fit. Get healthy recipe ideas, the latest news on natural supplements, and plenty of motivation right here.]

Ben and Jerry’s ice cream late at night. That’s one of the bad habits Michael Masterson developed last winter. The result of this indulgence? He ended up 19 pounds over his ideal weight. 

I discovered this little secret back in February. And let me tell you, it was a big relief. I’m a professional trainer, and I’d been working Michael pretty hard. Plus, Michael practices Brazilian Jiu Jitsu several times a week. Not to mention that he knows his stuff when it comes to fitness and nutrition. So when he stopped dropping body fat and started gaining weight, I was stumped.

Once he confessed the ice cream habit … and his tendency to enjoy a more-than-occasional dinner filled with high-glycemic, complex carbohydrates (like pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes), I knew he was ready to change. (You have to admit you have a problem before you can fix it, after all.) And I knew exactly what to do to help him quickly and efficiently burn off the extra pounds.

In six weeks, he lost 15 pounds and dropped from 23 percent body fat to 18.5 percent. That’s a loss of 13 pounds of pure fat!

Good for Michael! And it’s good for you, too. Because if you have a few extra pounds to lose, I’m going to be teaching you a few of the little tricks I taught Michael that you can use to get your health back on track.

Here’s the first trick: Recognize that your habits need to change.

It’s as simple as that. If you’re eating potato chips or cookies as a snack every day, recognize that you need to stop if you want to have the body you dream of. If you aren’t exercising enough, recognize that you need to make a change in your routine.

That’s it for today. But check back tomorrow, and I’ll teach you another little trick – an exercise routine to help you get back into shape.

[Ed. Note: If you're looking to see results like Michael's, Coach Yari can help. She's offering a special online training program for people who can't make it to her gym. Learn how to burn up to 37 pounds of fat in 6 weeks right here.

Of course, working out isn't the only key to getting fit. Get healthy recipe ideas, the latest news on natural supplements, and plenty of motivation right here.]