Lean out but keep/increase muscle clarity

Please advise on the following...
If I want to lose fat and maintain / increase muscle do I:
Eat -15% below tdee (2000 -15% = 1700) which in theory should equate to 1/2lb a week
Continue to lift heavy whilst on a calorie defecit along with steady state cardio once/twice a week (usually swim)

Or do I

Eat tdee - 500 cals for 1lb loss a week whilst maintaining weight amount lifting until I loose fat and am ready to go back to a -15% calorie defecit for building muscle???

Very confused.
Been lifting x although I have definition in shoulders arms legs etc I need to drop a few percentages of body fat for my abs to show. I am hitting 1 g protein per lb body weight, female.

Any advice to lean out but maintain ?