Ratios to use when cutting?

[JCDay]

I used to do a 40/40/20 diet and it wasnt very successful. I am going with a 50/30/20 now. However, I am scared of muscle loss due to lower carbs. I heard you have to have carbs to build muscle.
I am taking in about 140 carbs and all in meals 1-3 and none after. I'm a newbie to all of this so I guess I just want some opinions.
I'm 5'7, 160 lb, 22%bf female.
thanks

[fcwulf]

I am on the 40/40/20 (p/c/f) diet and it has worked AMAZINGLY well. Are you watching your caloric intake? You should only be eating 1600 calories a day... that transfers to 160 grams of protein, 160g of carb, and 36g of fat... split that between 6 evenly spaced meals a day and it should work wonders. Do it for a month.... My abs are showing now. You might want to mix up your pecentages to get your body guessing if you hit a plateau too, but stick to it pretty heavily.

its all about the calories...

[Tigersfire]

Originally posted by fcwulf
I am on the 40/40/20 (p/c/f) diet and it has worked AMAZINGLY well. Are you watching your caloric intake? You should only be eating 1600 calories a day... that transfers to 160 grams of protein, 160g of carb, and 36g of fat... split that between 6 evenly spaced meals a day and it should work wonders. Do it for a month.... My abs are showing now. You might want to mix up your pecentages to get your body guessing if you hit a plateau too, but stick to it pretty heavily.

its all about the calories...

I agree entirely. Unless your headin down the keto-road, thats the way to do it.

And he is right about the calories as well. They sneak in everywhere! Buy a pack of gum when you stop to put gas in the car? 2 grams of sugar alcohol per piece there. Underestimating the amount of condiments you use, et cetera.... its very easy to overestimate the amount of calories burned in a day and underestimate the amount of calories consumed.

If you have not been seeing weight loss I suggest you begin recording everything you eat, the minute you eat it. It is a pain in the ass, but at least this way you can go over it at the end of the day and be as accurate as possible. Plus you don't have to do it for too long, once you get in a "schedule" as far as your diet goes you pretty much have a rough estimate of where you stand.