Lost 40lbs and have maintained.. how to cut again??

Hello. Big thanks to anyone who takes the time to read and/or chime in.

I am at a place in my weight loss journey where I think I need to re-evaluate my diet, and I would like to ask some advice.

Some background-

I am male, 29 y/o, 5’10” .. started at 260lbs.

5 months ago I began using free time during quarantine to get myself in shape. I would run up and down my long driveway, and then lift weights I had in my garage. I stopped drinking, and started counting macros and calories ( I was eating about 1600). I lost about 40 lbs. it has been life changing and exciting. During that time, after seeing the results and getting excited, I started to get more and more interested in bodybuilding.

I decided to join a gym near me that was still open, and up my calories some to support the training (started doing 1800- 2000, plus allowing a little more in the way of cheat days.) I reintroduced more carbs into my diet to support the training and recovery. I’m lifting as hard and heavy as I can 6 days a week. Push pull legs X2. I have reduced cardio to 30 minutes once a week because from what I understand too much cardio can make adding muscle harder.

This diet seems to basically be acting as “maintenance” for me. I’m not really losing more weight, even though my body fat is still probably >20% ... I am fine with this as I understand 40lbs was a big change.. and it was probably a good idea to do a maintenance period. I am getting stronger still, which I guess tells me that I could be recompositioning my body and just not seeing the scale move? This has lasted about a month now.

I am considering clamping back down on the diet because I want the rest of this body fat GONE.. but I don’t want to lose all my hard earned gym gains.

According to the MFP and bodybuilding.com calculators, a weight loss of 2lbs a week looks like 1500 calories 170g/protein-170g/carb-40g/fat..

I have a meal plan ready to go, and I am more than willing to do it... but is this too drastic? I feel like I never, ever, ever hear bodybuilders or lifters talk about eating this little, unless they are getting ready for contest. (I know, they’re on anabolic and hormones and things, and I am not...)

Anyways, whew, sorry for the novel. Thanks again to anyone who takes the time to read/reply!!

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