Done properly, dieting and exercising combined will increase muscle gain.
You have two options when pursuing a more muscular appearance: diet and exercise or just dieting. What you should do depends on your current level of fitness, body type and your goals. If you have a low activity level and are opposed to exercise, then dieting is your best option. This will decrease the excess body fat and accentuate your musculature to a limited degree. You will need to exercise if you want to develop your body's muscles beyond their present state. Consult your doctor before engaging in any diet and exercise regimen.
Instructions
Diet
1. Calculate your baseline calorie needs using a calorie calculator.
2. Add 200 to 500 calories to your calorie baseline to gain muscle. To lose weight subtract 200 to 500 calories.
3. Select your diet according to the Zone Diet rules of a 40 percent protein, 30 percent carbohydrate and 30 percent lean fat ratio. This means that you should derive 40 percent of your daily calories from proteins, 30 percent from carbohydrates and 30 percent from fat. To help simplify the process it's useful to remember that a gram of protein or carbohydrate equals roughly four calories and a gram of fat is equivalent to nine calories.
For example, let's assume you need to consume 1000 calories a day:
--40 percent protein equals 400 calories from 100 grams of protein.
--30 percent carbohydrate equals 300 calories from 75 grams of carbs.
--30 percent fat equals 300 calories from about 33 grams of fat.
4. Spread your meals throughout the day. Try to eat about every three hours. Eating one or two large meals conditions your body to store the excess calories, which leads to more body fat and less visible musculature.
Exercise
5. Consult your doctor to determine what level of activity is safe.
6. Follow your doctor's instructions about when he believes you are ready for more vigorous activity.
7. Consider a novice-level weight lifting or cardiovascular program. Couch-to-5K is a well-known and regarded introduction to running, and the Stronglifts 5x5 Strength Training Program is a complementary weight-lifting routine.
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