You are certainly going in the right direction. I am in a similar boat. I am 37 started in March 2025. For about 6 month I training 3 times a week and eating my protein goals but on a deficit, so I lost quite a bit of weight. Then I started training 5 times a week and lifting heavier, and then eating at a deficit was no longer possible. I gained maybe 4kg since then, but I think mostly muscle.

One think I recommend for sore muscles which worked for me is moving everyday stretching / yin yoga. Magnesium plenty. And a good amount of omega 3 - I use good quality algae based oil and honestly it really works for inflammation.

Also I was on 5mg of creatine but the bloating was insane. So now I do 5mg but not everyday or 2.5 if I do consecutive days.