Here’s an article I wrote on the subject. I personally like the “intervals” approach: 3 weeks of very severe dieting, 1 week at maintenance and repeat.
That is when trying to get lean.
When I want to stay lean while adding some muscle I use a variation of Scott Abel’s cycle diet.
Mon: Low calories
Tues: Low calories
Wed: First half of the day high carbs/high calories (sometimes cheating), second half low carbs
Thu: Low calories
Fri: Low calories
Sat: HIGH calories
Sun: Maintenance
I adjust the caloric intake on the low days depending on progression.
If I want to gain muscle rapidly I use a decent surplus, with lots of carbs around workouts (pre during, post).
At the moment I’m 220 (was 202 in last photoshoot). But I did put on muscle and of course glycogen stores. I’m not in photoshoot condition, but still full abs/obliques, veins on obliques, delts separation, veins on quads, so not sloppy.