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I am now planning to go to the gym, I never did gym before more than a month.. and that was 5 years back. Now as since last 5 years I have ruined my body by eating junk foods, sitting in front of the computer (obvious, as I am a software Engineer), late night sleep and sometime eating one time in a day. My current build is:

  • Height: 5 feet 11 inches
  • Weight: 74 Kg

I have gained little mass on my chest and belly too (15-20% fat). Now I need an advice how do I train my body- by lifting heavy weights or light weights?

Also, do I need to have supplements, protein shakes or organic multivitamin tablets?

One last point, when last time I did gym for a month I noticed that I have lost fat from my face too. Is that fine or an indication of malnutrition ?

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  • Just to be clear, are you 5.11 feet? As in 5 feet, 1 inch? Or are you 5 feet, 11 inches?
    – user4644
    Jan 18, 2013 at 20:33
  • @Kate it is 5 feet 11 inches.. Thanks for mentioning that I am updating my question Jan 18, 2013 at 20:34
  • A related question: fitness.stackexchange.com/questions/10088/…
    – user4644
    Jan 18, 2013 at 20:41
  • You need to state what your goals are. At your weight and height, you're normal-weight. So what is your goal ? Lose weight ? (why?) Gain muscle ? Reduce body-fat while keeping weight stable ? Something else ?
    – Agrajag
    Jan 21, 2013 at 11:14
  • @Agrajag I do have some fat on belly and chest. I am trying different exercises for abs and chest. I can feel that my muscles are harder than before but no fat loss Jan 22, 2013 at 11:11

2 Answers 2

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What do you mean by "supplements?" If you want to lose body fat, there are a plethora of "fat-burners" and thermogenics available. However, they can be dangerous if you misuse them. The safest way to lose body fat (IMO) would be High-Intensity Interval Training. Programs like p90x and crossfit—to name a couple—are great for people trying to shed some extra pounds. Even the smallest changes in your daily routines can help you lose weight: taking the stairs, parking in the farthest spot, yard work and landscaping, riding a bike to work (just be safe!), eating less but more frequently (helps stop cravings too).

With that said, the main point to get across here is to increase your metabolism. And anything that keeps your heart rate up and respitory rate faster than "resting" will burn calories. Whether those calories are from fat depends on your diet as well.

I've been up all night so I hope I didn't lose you anywhere here…hope this helps.

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    I doubt that magical fat burning pills have any use besides making their creators rich. I agree with the rest, though.
    – Baarn
    Jan 19, 2013 at 16:02
  • You won't lose any fat unless your calorie intake is less than your energy consumption. So only choosing a good workout won't help anything without a proper diet. Jan 19, 2013 at 16:10
  • Fat burners are really just mostly stimulants (usually caffeine) and an appetite suppressant. Whether or not they actually work will depend on the person and their diet (agreed, @zero-divisor). Also, some people don't respond well to stimulants, making them depressed or drowsy. @Informaficker, there is nothing magical about them—it's biochemistry. But YES, they are relatively expensive and I didn't mean to sound like I was condoning their use. I'm just giving my $.02 :) Jan 20, 2013 at 4:34
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If you want to loose weight and want to get rid of excess fat, you should change what you eat and how. Reduce the Calories you consume, you could start by adding more vegetables to your diet and eat regularly.

If you want to add muscle by weightlifting you should have a look at StrongLifts 5x5. It is a beginner weightlifting programs that takes a linear approach to weightlifting. I have only used some aspects of the program as I don't workout in a gym and don't have a barbell myself, but a lot of people here on fitness.SE are convinced of it.

You don't have to take supplements, I am convinced that you can achieve your goals without. Some people might find it problematic to adjust their diet to account for their increased protein needs and prefer to supplement with protein shakes. The same counts for Vitamins. I prefer to adjust my diet, supplements are pretty expensive compared to regular food sources.

Loosing fat from the face is not necessarily a bad thing, it is the first place where I lost fat, too. When I began my fitness craze it was the first thing people noticed.

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