I am currently cutting (and always have been for that matter) but I can't seem to lose the bulk, especially in my arms. I have a considerable amount of muscle throughout my body, and my abs are definitely visible, but my chest and arms are too bulky.

I always thought that no matter what, I should lift heavy, but I am wondering if I should lay off for a while. I do cardio 7 days per week (usually fasted) and a total body routine 3-4x week, and I watching my diet, eating small meals, considerable protein, etc.

I want a leaner physique....any advice here?

I'm very confused. You have considerable amounts of muscle throughout your body, you have visible abs... yet you're not content? What exactly are you not happy about? Can you post a pic to show what is "wrong"?

If you truly can see your abs (meaning you have an actual six or eight pack) then that bulk on your arms is muscle and not fat. To try to lose more weight would be going against the natural shape of your body, meaning you're most likely aiming for a physique that does not fit your body's structure. At this point, the best thing you can do is build muscle in other areas to make you look more proportional. However, I suspect when you say you can definitely see your abs, you mean there, at least, is no "belly" there, which may mean that you simply have not lost enough fat yet. This also hints that you may be skinny-fat or have achieved a very low weight, but do not have as much muscle as you think you have so you look thin but you still carry some fat; in this case, it would be advisable to try to increase your muscle mass (and then decrease your fat again) so that you've been reproportioned at a healthy weight with a healthy BF%.

What's your weight, height, and BF%? A picture would be extremely helpful.

I am currently cutting (and always have been for that matter) but I can't seem to lose the bulk, especially in my arms. I have a considerable amount of muscle throughout my body, and my abs are definitely visible, but my chest and arms are too bulky.

I always thought that no matter what, I should lift heavy, but I am wondering if I should lay off for a while. I do cardio 7 days per week (usually fasted) and a total body routine 3-4x week, and I watching my diet, eating small meals, considerable protein, etc.

I want a leaner physique....any advice here?
Yes, for a leaner physique, you could cut back on the weight training. I believe Mastover suggested 3 days only for your weight training.

I agree with what chicanerous says
If you truly can see your abs (meaning you have an actual six or eight pack) then that bulk on your arms is muscle and not fat. To try to lose more weight would be going against the natural shape of your body, meaning you're most likely aiming for a physique that does not fit your body's structure. At this point, the best thing you can do is build muscle in other areas to make you look more proportional.
If you don't want bigger arms and chest, focus most of your weight training on your legs and back, and work the other muscles only to a maintenance level, not to failure. I've been using this strategy in reverse because I don't want to bulk up my legs but I like the look of muscular arms and shoulders.

Perhaps he is like me, I dont want to get "too" bulky like a bodybuilder in the making, I am aiming to have more of a gymnasts form, very strong yet not big, but still cut and very tonned. Infact I am starting to look like it a bit, just that the break I took backfired....I went from being able to do a max of 40-50 pushups to a max of 20 :o so I guess its back to the drawing board, but ohwell, atleast I can work my body from the start again in the way that I want.

If you truly can see your abs (meaning you have an actual six or eight pack) then that bulk on your arms is muscle and not fat. To try to lose more weight would be going against the natural shape of your body, meaning you're most likely aiming for a physique that does not fit your body's structure. At this point, the best thing you can do is build muscle in other areas to make you look more proportional. However, I suspect when you say you can definitely see your abs, you mean there, at least, is no "belly" there, which may mean that you simply have not lost enough fat yet. This also hints that you may be skinny-fat or have achieved a very low weight, but do not have as much muscle as you think you have so you look thin but you still carry some fat; in this case, it would be advisable to try to increase your muscle mass (and then decrease your fat again) so that you've been reproportioned at a healthy weight with a healthy BF%.

What's your weight, height, and BF%? A picture would be extremely helpful.

I am 5'8", 134 pounds, and approx 16-17% bodyfat. I wish I could say I have the complete 8 pack, but it is more like 4. I think I put on muscle and fat both pretty easily, so lately I have been really emphasizing cardio and a clean diet. I aim for around 1600-1800 calories per day, so perhaps I need to lower that a bit. I do intense cardio, usually running and sometimes elleptical (50-60 min per day). Lifting is always in the evenings and I sometimes do another 20-30 min cardio after that.

I hate to be one of those girls who whines "I don't want to get big", but I really want to achieve a more lean look, even if I have to sacrifice some of the muscle. i will post a pic as soon as I can get a hold of my roommates camera...

I think it's unfortunate. I have no doubt that you look fabulous. For your height, 134 pounds and approx 16-17% body fat sounds about as close to perfection as you can get.

Do you have performance and health goals as well, or is your diet and exercise plan motivated mainly by aesthetic appeal? Honestly, I think to get the supermodel-type body you desire, you'd have to settle for a weaker physique.

I do know what you mean about "I don't want to get big". After weight training for a couple of years, I am starting to develop the muscles that some people do not find attractive. Fortunately, I love them.:)

I think it's unfortunate. I have no doubt that you look fabulous. For your height, 134 pounds and approx 16-17% body fat sounds about as close to perfection as you can get.

Do you have performance and health goals as well, or is your diet and exercise plan motivated mainly by aesthetic appeal? Honestly, I think to get the supermodel-type body you desire, you'd have to settle for a weaker physique.

I do know what you mean about "I don't want to get big". After weight training for a couple of years, I am starting to develop the muscles that some people do not find attractive. Fortunately, I love them.:)

Thanks Guave. I am quite content with my body as a whole but my triceps and thighs need a little work to shave off what I thnk is fat...I do have personal goals but I am more motivated by how I want to look in a bikini than anything else.

I am going to continue to train hard and watch my diet, but I am finding that I am hungry most of the time....ugh. :(