Question on waistline and diet goals

[jabro]

I’m a 49 year old male, 6’4” and 224 lb.

I am roughly 2 months into the NLP. My recent PR’s are:
Sq: 225 (5x3)
BP: 165 (5x3)
OP: 115 (4x4)
DL: 270 (5x1) *

* I failed my dead lift attempt at 275 when I pulled something along my anterior ribs/coastal cartilage area. The soreness subsided after a week and I resumed training w/ a 20% deload.

My question arose while researching which size of weightlifting belt to purchase. I was surprised to find that my waist (around belly) is now 40”, which puts me in between many common belt sizes (medium/large). I believe that a 40” waist line is about as big as a man should get, if possible, for various health reasons.

Even though I am early into the NLP, should I focus my diet on high protein with a slight caloric restriction to drop my waistline (and purchase a smaller belt)? Or, should I focus on getting bigger and stronger, and worry about reducing body fat later (hence purchase a larger belt)?

Knowing how unpleasant losing weight can be, I’m leaning toward trying to attain a 36 to 38 inch wasteline over the next 3 to 6 months. I appreciate any advice from this knowledgeable community.

[Robert Santana]

I don't think you are heavy enough that's why your lifts aren't that high for your height and weight. Push up to at least 240 and plan for heavier so long as you are adding weight to the bar. Your waistline will depend on structure and height.

[Mike Kelly]

Only reason I am chiming in here is because I have very similar demographics/measureables to you. Like you, I am 49 years old AND almost exactly 224lbs. However I am only 5 10 (God dammit!) and my waistline is exactly 36 (four inches less than yours) . All my lifts are very compromised by a series of severe injuries about 2-2 1/2 ago. Like, as we speak. All that said my LOCAL PRs are:

squat 355x3
dead 380x2
Press 170x1
Bench 255x1

These numbers are OK but not impressive. I am not genetically gifted. I'm a band geek that is still pissed at the prom queen for blowing the 1st string quarterback instead of the second chair saxophone player. I don't really track that hard, but I probably hit 200 protein and 3000-3500 calories every day with a slip up day of like 5000-5500 every two weeks. Im not an expert but the only possible limiter you have that I know of is (maybe) your height messing with your lift leverages a bit. I am a sample of one, but my case points to the premise that much higher numbers are most likely easily attainable for you if you just consistently attack the lifts as your first priority. A knock-on effect should also occur where maintaining or exceeding a 40-inch waist will be impossible unless you also make getting fatter a priority. That’s up to you. Believe it or not increasing your waistline would be another level of “hard work”.

Again, not an expert. Robert, you know my situation well enough where you can feel free to tear any of what I just said apart and it won’t bother me.

[Robert Santana]

No you nailed it Mike. You have been through the ringer and learned a few things.