Hardly a week goes by that I dont get asked:

"How can I get a six pack and get bigger at the same time?" "How can I pack on some serious muscle mass and still get leaner?"

The answer to this is actually pretty simple if only you understand the basics of weight gain and weight loss, however it still may be a little hard to digest if you're new to all this... so here goes!

You can't ideally lose weight (get leaner) and at the same time bulk up significantly (gain weight/muscle). You probably can if you're on anabolic steroids, but thats a different story altogether.

To get lean - you need to consume less calories overall than your body requires, do more cardio, and continue weight training.

To bulk up - you need to constantly eat more calories than your body requires, do less cardio, and of course, dont forget weight training.

So as you can see, these are two contradictory goals. Surprised?

This doesnt mean that you can't get leaner and also more muscular by working out, but what I'm trying to say is that change sometimes takes time. You will definitely make much better progress in the long run if you were to focus on just one goal at a time. This is exactly why professional bodybuilders have 'phases' in their training, where they tend to divide their months of training and focus on phases of bulking up and into phases of getting lean for a contest. Pro bodybuilders will always have an 'off season' weight and a 'competition' weight. Off-season weight can generally be up to 10%-15% higher than their competition weight.

As for timing and convenience, I think to us Malaysians - the year end is when we tend to party hard and basically have loads of fun.. so I believe that this period makes a great time to focus on putting on some quality muscle size and strength, as we are able to be a bit more flexible in our diet since we're on a weight/muscle gaining phase. This means I don't have to be super strict with my food intake but can afford to be a bit more lenient with my diet since it's 'off-season'.

However, once the holiday season is over and everything is back to normal sometime in January.. Ithen I believe that this is the more appropriate time to focus on training for a leaner body/weight loss, as the year end partying and festivals are more or less over, and its a new year, with most of us having new year resolutions, thus it will be easier to stick to a super strict diet and training routine. Of course, this all depends on individual preference, so its still up to you.

Just always remember that your diet is the most important part of any fitness goal you set for yourself.. whether you're aiming to lose weight, gain weight, or simply just get healthier.