So i've been making some big progress the last 3 months or so. I started one other thread in the past about lifting but now I have another question.

I'm 5'9", around 215 now (down from 265). That sounds really heavy for my height but i'm a stocky guy (extra large gloves, big neck, huge legs, really kind of trollish looking honestly) and I was 215 when I graduated highschool and very skinny. So i'm not too concerned about weight anymore, I think it will end up where my body should naturally be if I do my part.

I reckon i'll eventually get to 200ish now that i'm older. I'm a 34" waist now, down from 40 in november.

I'm more concerned about finishing off my belly. My weight has stalled but i'm still losing inches on my waist and belly. New notches in the belt, whatnot.

Right now the tdee (think that's the name) calculator tells me that I need around 2250 calories to maintain my weight before working out and 2750 if you include my gym time.

I've been tracking my calories and keeping at around 2250, a 500 calorie deficit.

My question is, if i'm mainly worried about losing fat and building muscle, but not hyper focused on losing overall weight, am I better off eating closer to 2600 or so for maximum energy and lifting harder or keep doing what i'm doing? I have a fair amount of energy but I feel like another 400 or so calories would give me more. I get a little exhausted during my hard workout days and feel like I just don't have quite enough in the tank.

I still need to research and educate myself on diet more but i've cleaned it up a lot. Lot of rice, chicken, lean beef, veggies, some fruit (need to do more), 2 scoops of protein. (My old diet was horrible in an epic way, like baffling to most people that I could consume some much beef, chocolate, and bread/pasta).

You are looking at body recomposition versus just "weight" loss.

Mainly you should strive for fat loss while maintaining muscle, or getting stronger.

The less the deficit the easier it is to do and the easier it is to do longer.

I would try 2500-2600 calories a day, see how it works for 3 weeks, then readjust.

Cut until your workouts suffer, then add calories back.

People on the bodybuilding forums make it one or the other, either surplus and anabolic, or deficit and catabolic, but we should give our bodies some credit for being smarter than that. You can cycle between the two states over the course of one day.

The reason people bulk and cut though, is because it's the easiest way to ensure you are in one state or the other, jumping back and forth too much leaves you in 5 lb limbo, which is annoying.

What program are you doing, how many days in the gym every week?

At this point you really need to be more involved in your macros.

You may be eating too many carbs.  I'm a big fan of eating as many carbs as you can handle because insulin can be the best hormone we produce.  It has great anabolic/anti-catabolic functions.  It can also be bad when it is lipolytic if you are resistant.

The whole point is break down you intake into protein/carbs/fat.  It is fairly easy with all of the online tools we have today and it is a must if you want to get rid of the belly without going into an extreme deficit that leaves you without energy.

I need to do that next,  wish i had a better answer on breakdown.

Im in 5 days a week. I just started with a beginners routine then added on based on what i read.

My workouts average 90 to 100 minutes. 1 muscle group per day, i throw forearms on with my chest day and abs with my back day. 6 sets of each lift, 10 to 20 reps on all lifts except deads, squats and leg press which is 5 to 8 reps at heavier weight.

there are a ton of different ideas of macro breakdowns. A lot of people like something keto, others go very high protein, some go pretty high carb... You really need to find what works best for you and your goals. You really won't know what works for you and your lifestyle till you try. Give keto a shot for a month, if that doesn't work for you try out if it fits your macros for a month...

if you are using my fitness pal you can at least get an idea of your percentages.

I'd certainly look to a different weight program than what you described. Starting Strength, Stronglifts 5x5, 531. Either way pick a program that has proven results for both your diet and exercise and give it a solid chance.

If you are just starting out you might want to re-think the bro split. 90-100 minutes 5 times a week is insane for most average people. You should be able to get great results in 45-60 minutes 3-4 times a week. Going balls to the wall that often is a good way to get sore joints and be tired all the time.

Check out Starting Strength, 5x5, or Push/Pull. They cut through the fluff and have you focus on the big compound movements.

Plus, they are more ideal for your goals, if you stimulate more of your lean mass in one workout, you will need more energy for it, helping you cut the fat faster, you will also make strength gains faster.

I'll keep that in mind.

I've got starting strength but havent read it yet. I'm 3 months in and this was working really well I wasn't going to change anything right away until I was a little more educated.

I plan on going more towards 45 mintues or 1 hour a day 5 days a week once I get in shape and cut my number of sets back, I realize that my current workout isn't ideal long term. Right now i'm trying to put in a lot of work and get some results. I really let myself go and it's embarrassing.

I'm a high energy guy and really competitive so it's hard for me not to want to push but I hear what you are saying.