Q: Hi Mike, I'm 5'2" , 138lb female with 24% body fat. What do I need to do to get down to 15% body fat? Currently I am doing cardio 3-4 times a week for 45 minutes. Any suggestions? How soon will it take me to get there? Thanks! Sherry

A: 15% bodyfat is extremely lean for a woman, so you may want to shoot for a less ambitious intermediate goal, such as 120 or 125 pounds bodyweight which should be achievable in 4 months or so. After that you'll be in better position to shoot for 15% or any other goal. As far as what you need to do, I have it all described in my fat loss article -- please read it carefully and follow the links given there to learn about nutrition and weighttraining as well as to get a complete starter nutrition and weightlifting program. Do not be afraid of weightlifting -- it is far more effective in burning fat (and keeping it off) than cardio alone.

If you are interested, you may want to register for my website and start your fitness blog -- it's completely free and I'll be able to check in on your progress, answer your questions, and offer suggestions on how to improve your program. Good luck!