Martial Arts Training - Maintenance for the foreseeable future?

Hello,

I have been doing martial arts training since late November. It's been great so far, it's really been building my confidence, my balance, my coordination, and most relevant for this board, my strength.

The exercises we do include body-weight-utilizing strength building exercises such as traditional squat-like positioning - a picture for reference, this isn't me, just a rando doing a pose we do to show what I mean-

There are other stances that work other muscle groups relevant to martial arts, anyway the point is, I'm building lean muscle this way.

I've already noticed that push-ups (one of our exercises) and the stances are becoming easier for me. That means I'm getting stronger (this is new to me so I'm excited).

But this is what I'm wondering. I am at a high point in my weight that I'd like to get down in, or maybe I should be specific, I want my waist to be smaller.

Right now I am eating at maintenance to facilitate building muscle for martial arts. But I know that people who eventually lose weight normally start a 'cut' once they've 'built' enough.

But I don't want to stop the martial arts training in order to cut. This is a many-years- hopefully the rest of my life - training that will continue to strengthen me as long as I do it.

If I eventually want to focus on my flab again, can I cut calories and continue martial arts training? What happens if you start eating below maintenance while continuing a lean-muscle building routine like martial arts? Does it stall your strength building process?

Note: I am not worried about being muscular-looking. I want the muscles to strengthen in order to improve my skills in martial arts, and for carrying things, etc. I'm a woman and just losing the flab is more important aesthetically.