Good c/p/f ratio for me?

kballeste

I'm a 20 year old female, 5 ft tall, small build, 127.5 pounds, and I'm looking to get down to 120. However, I'm not too concerned with the number on the scale, I'm more concerned with BF% (If anyone can recommend me an affordable BF% scale, please let me know!).
I think I carry my weight mostly in my breast area, butt, and thighs. I just want a flatter, more toned stomach and to be toned all around.

I've been doing cardio and minimal strength training, but now I have signed up for a gym to lift weights a lot more, at least 3 times a week. I want to build more muscle to aid in burning fat and to look more toned, rather than dropping muscle along with weight with a ton of cardio.

All I know is that the more you get into lifting weights, the more protein you need, correct? I was wondering what would be a good c/p/f ratio for me considering my size and my goals. Or is it just whatever works for me? I've already purchased a tub whey protein to get that extra protein in (I feel like I have trouble reaching my protein goal sometimes anyway).

In case you're wondering, I consume around 1500-1600 calories a day using the TDEE method so I don't eat back my exercise calories. I stopped following MFP's recommended settings. The scooby's workshop website showed that I should be eating 1700 but I just can't do it, I feel like I'm stuffing myself! What do you guys think?

Thanks in advance!

BusyRaeNOTBusty

I don't use a specific ratio. I just set a minimum protien goal, and a minimum fat goal. Protein minimum should be 0.8 to 1gram per pound of lean body mass. Fat minimum is 0.3 per pound of total body mass. Once I hit those minimums I can fill in my calories with whatever else I want, carbs or more protein and fat.

34blast

I have a Tanita BF scale. It works pretty simple, but there are some inaccuracies and you have to know how to use it.
1). Weight every time in the exact same conditions. Ideally fully hydrated before last meal of day.
2). Get a different test occasionally to compare results e.g. skin calipers by professional

The Tanita I have found to always show roughly 4.5% higher in normal mode than the skin calipers for me. There is an athlete mode that always shows lower than the skin calipers, so I just use the normal person mode. You enter height and age and sex. Then it calculates a number by electrical impedance. I get free testing at a gym and compare it every 6 months or so.

Since you only want to lose a little amount, try to lose about half a pound per week at most.

Lift heavy compound lifts, squats, press, deadlifts etc.

Read this article with lots of research about protein consumption
http://bayesianbodybuilding.com/the-myth-of-1glb-optimal-protein-intake-for-bodybuilders/

I would think it would work out about right at 40% carbs 30% fats, 30% protein while cutting or recomping.

Psychgrrl

It's more about what works for you than anything else. My body runs better on more protein. I also life heavy most days a week and need to eat to support that.

I don't have a body fat % scale since I haven't read enough reviews that they actually measure body fat accurately (the advice above sounds pretty good!). I measure. All sorts of crazy things--I added measurements to the basics in MFP. I also go by how big my clothes have gotten.

It take time and patience and effort to reach your macro goal--once you decide what that is. Set some macros and eat to them, noting how you feel. What your energy levels are like, etc.

It took me some tinkering to find what worked well for me, and I don't hit them every day.