Q: hi mike, i have a few questions for you from different people.
1) how does a 45yr old mother lose belly fat that she's kept years after having the baby?
2) I've heard a whole lot of beneficial things that come from having 2tbsp a day of olive oil, how does that fit in when youre trying to lose weight? Is olive oil fattening, should it be avoided while trying to lose weight?
3) What's your take on calcium pills?

A: 1. The answer is the same for everyone: good fat-burning diet with slight undereating + heavy whole-body weight training + some cardio. The fact that the person is a woman and older will make it tougher to lose the fat, but the approach is still the same. For an instant program and diet prescription, fill out http://www.mikesfitness.com/content/fitnessguide . For explanation of the reasons behind the prescription, see this, this, and this.

2. Olive oil is a terrific healthy food, but just as any other food it should only be considered as part of the whole diet, not an extra 'supplement'. If you look at the sample fat-burning or muscle-building diets I recommend in this article, they will have 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil incorporated into the meals throughout the day. That is how you should approach it: use it in salads and other veggie dishes throughout the day. Just cook with using only minimal olive oil -- high temperatures in cooking destroy its healthful properties.

3. I always always always try to get all the minerals and vitamins from whole foods, not pills. Your body is designed to extract what it needs from the food as long as you have a well-rounded diet rich in vegetables and fruits. Milk and dairy contains a lot of calcium as well, but I would urge you to not rely on it alone for your calcium needs, but also to eat a lot of calcium-rich veggies like spinach and broccoli. I would rank calcium pills as third behind green veggies and dairy.