I am new to this forum and I have a couple of questions that I truly hope some of you, experts, will be able to help me with. I have clear goals but I need some help.

I am 44 years old, 6'0", 182 lbs and around 12.5% bodyfat. I've done weights on and off for some years, did a round of P90X to cut my body fat, etc... Even when I have done weights and I'm
familiar with some programs my lifts are still fairly humbling and for all practical purposes I am a novice.

My ultimate goal is to stay fairly lean and gain some muscle mass....not a lot, just enough to show some muscle but again, fairly lean. Something like Ed Norton at American History X, tops.

I have read many articles on how novice lifters benefit more from compount moves (I agree) and 3-day a week ful body routines. I have also read about 4 day routines with upper/lower splits, focused
mainly on compound moves. I have also read on how you have to eat way above your maintenance level in order to gain muscle while you train. That you will gain fat but you can cut that later.

So here are my questions:

1) For a 16 to 30 year old person bulking through training and immense amounts of food and then cutting may work well. For me, at 44, it may not. Bodies tend to like to pack more fat as you get older so I am concerned about eating a lot of food and gaining muscle plus fat in the process. I am willing to make
smaller gradual gains but keep my bodyfat down. Is this possible? Is "lean bulking" possible and how? Just eat right above my maintenance level in terms of calories? This considering I take in enough protein (180-200 grams a day) and eat clean.

2) I'd like to lift weights more than 3 days a week. Is a 4 day uppper/lower split OK for a beginner if it focuses mainly on compound moves?

Thank you for your help.