This question is aimed towards Robert but, all well-considered replies are welcome.
I'll call myself an older fat guy. I've always struggled with weight control with some periods of success and some periods of failure. Prior to the onset of the Covid lockdowns, I was in a decent period of success. I'm mid 50's and a smidge under 5'8" tall. just prior to Covid, I was hovering around 180 pounds and say around, 18 - 20% BF based on the Navy BF test. My best success with weight control during this time was gained eating a Paleo diet.
Up until Covid hit, I had about 10 years of time with a personal trainer doing bro workouts. I don't blame the trainer -- his own experience with weight lifting was as a bodybuilder so this is what he knew. Having worked together for so long, the social aspect became as valuable as the physical workouts.
With the loss of all of the support systems I had built prior to Covid and the mental impact of the disruptions the lockdowns had in my life, my level of caring and nutrition went to shit. By the time Covid ended, I had ballooned up to 240 pounds and according to my Omron BIA scale, about 36% BF. the scale also tells me my visceral fat is way too high. I realize that BIA scales cannot accurately measure visceral fat, however, there is a definite visual confirmation of the issue.
In late May, I decided to join a Starting Strength gym rather than just beginning a cycle of dieting to shed some body fat. I think in choosing between those two options, I felt that for me, the best benefit would come from getting back in the gym and putting forth some hard effort.
So, I'm now about two months into the NLP and this is where my lifts are at:
Squat 125lb -> 205lb
DL 135lb -> 215lb
Press 65lb ->120lb
Bench 105lb -> 165lb
My squat and deadlift have been hampered a bit the last couple of weeks by a low back strain. I also realize my deadlift number is not great relative to squat. The explanation from my SS coach is simply that my anthropometry just plain sucks for deadlifting (short legs/short arms/long torso). Add in the fact that I require a bit wider stance and grip to accommodate my belly. Basically, my deadlift mechanics just suck. We've been focused on RDLs and rack pulls until my back resolves, given that poor deadlift mechanics are likely what started the back issue in the first place.
During the last two months, my body weight has pretty much stayed the same, fluctuating by a few pounds. The scale says my BF has dropped by a few percent. There are definitely body comp changes where added muscle mass is visually apparent. I haven't been closely tracking macros and haven't been mentally ready for the task of strictly tracking calories. I know these are both huge blindspots in the dataset that need to be corrected. I have been making a concerted effort to get at least 200 grams of protein per day. I have no idea how many grams of carbs are being consumed and the same goes for fat grams, however, the fat grams are most likely way too high.
I'm not looking for a free nutrition consult via the forum though. My question actually is:
Is continuing the NLP to its natural conclusion the best option for what I've described above? The body fat issue is definitely affecting me mentally and physically. I'm physically uncomfortable carrying it around, it's negatively impacting my deadlift mechanics, which are already challenged, and the summer heat and humidity are no joy either. Am I in a situation where I would be better served by cutting calories, for now, maintaining an energy deficit and allow my lifts to stall while I shed 20 - 30 pounds, and use continued strength training to minimize the muscle loss?
I'd love to hear a macro-level answer for now with the intent of scheduling a consult and possibly some nutrition coaching for a deeper dive into the solution.