caloric deficit + resistance training produces desired results eventually
then find caloric maintenance number and continue resistance training to maintain visual appearance
that's it, it doesn't need to be more complicated than that
there's nothing magical about cardio, and in many cases it is counter-productive for the purpose of weight loss, if I wanted to do cardio for health I would add it in and then completely offset the calories burned by increasing my caloric intake. otherwise you risk pointlessly increasing hunger (and therefore difficulty)
