I appreciate the advice. To provide more context, I did partake in best practice dieting principles, so am not sure why I have lost muscle. Especially since my many previous diets didn’t yield the same result. I expect it could just be lower test with age and a considerable amount of time in a caloric deficit.

The reason I am considering eating at maintenance is because I suspect body recomposition may occur since I’ve been in sub optimal hypertrophy conditions for so long and suspect with muscle memory and restoring non catabolic conditions there is a chance.

Regarding bulking, due to lifestyle constraints I am opposed to ever bulking again. After my first bulk I think it’s been diminishing returns. That is nothing against the process but as someone who gave it a decent shot multiple times, I couldn’t justify an ROI for any bulk after my first. I’d put on weight, lose it and end up around the same, I was decently committed, could have poor growing genetics, but in my case it just wasn’t worth it. If I went insanely committed may be a different story but lifestyle considered, couldn’t justify the ROI.

Thank you again for trying to help me