Middle-aged progress dialing in diet

[Cromwell]

Current information
43 y.o. male
5'11"
196lb
Waist (at navel, relaxed, is about 41")
Current Lifts (3x5):
Squat: 165
Bench: 130
Press: 85
Deadlift: 225
Assisted Chins
HIIT twice a week on an assault bike (currently at 5 min w/u, 15 seconds on, 45 seconds slow for 5 cycles, 5 min w/d) (either on off-day or after lifts)
On Press day, I am also doing two sets of bench press at 8 reps, at 20% of my 3x5 weight (I found this useful in driving progress on bench last year)
I don't know what my BF% is, but I suspect in the 25-30% range, judging from pictures of similar.


For a number of stupid reasons, I had a lengthy layoff (about 5 months) and just got back in the gym last month. Last year, I ran a linear progression for the first time to try to gain strength and weight--I had these lifts up to 230 (squat), Bench (165), Press (105), Deadlift (285), and body weight at 202 (original starting weight was about 170). I was doing no cardio/hiit at all.

Really was grinding at the end of that LP. My diet during that run was about 2500 calories per day--260g protein, 70g fat, 210g carbs--sometimes more on training days. I was feeling sluggish all the time, too.

My goals now are:

1. Get lifts back up in the ballpark of where they were.
2. Clean up diet, recomposition body appearance--I developed serious love handles last year on a generally pretty slim frame.

I was going to shoot for a slightly lower calorie total than last year's LP: total calories about 2300--260g Carbs, 200g Protein, 51g Fat. Does that sound about right? Is it reasonable to think that i can regain these strength gains while getting rid of some of that belly fat?

Related question: if I miss macros and total calories on an off-day, should I just get back on the wagon the next day, or should I try to balance out that deficit/surplus in the next day's diet?

Thanks for any guidance you have. Really enjoy reading this forum--thanks for all your help.

[Robert Santana]

Current information
43 y.o. male
5'11"
196lb
Waist (at navel, relaxed, is about 41")
Current Lifts (3x5):
Squat: 165
Bench: 130
Press: 85
Deadlift: 225
Assisted Chins
HIIT twice a week on an assault bike (currently at 5 min w/u, 15 seconds on, 45 seconds slow for 5 cycles, 5 min w/d) (either on off-day or after lifts)
On Press day, I am also doing two sets of bench press at 8 reps, at 20% of my 3x5 weight (I found this useful in driving progress on bench last year)
I don't know what my BF% is, but I suspect in the 25-30% range, judging from pictures of similar.


For a number of stupid reasons, I had a lengthy layoff (about 5 months) and just got back in the gym last month. Last year, I ran a linear progression for the first time to try to gain strength and weight--I had these lifts up to 230 (squat), Bench (165), Press (105), Deadlift (285), and body weight at 202 (original starting weight was about 170). I was doing no cardio/hiit at all.

Really was grinding at the end of that LP. My diet during that run was about 2500 calories per day--260g protein, 70g fat, 210g carbs--sometimes more on training days. I was feeling sluggish all the time, too.

My goals now are:

1. Get lifts back up in the ballpark of where they were.
2. Clean up diet, recomposition body appearance--I developed serious love handles last year on a generally pretty slim frame.

I was going to shoot for a slightly lower calorie total than last year's LP: total calories about 2300--260g Carbs, 200g Protein, 51g Fat. Does that sound about right? Is it reasonable to think that i can regain these strength gains while getting rid of some of that belly fat?

Related question: if I miss macros and total calories on an off-day, should I just get back on the wagon the next day, or should I try to balance out that deficit/surplus in the next day's diet?

Thanks for any guidance you have. Really enjoy reading this forum--thanks for all your help.

Thanks for posting buddy and glad you are back on the wagon. Bump those carbs up to 300 and if you fall short one day just get back on the wagon the next!