what i am curious is what caloric intake should i be around (something like X amount of calories per lb. of bodyweight would help me)
Remember that this is not a simple science...the body acclimates to energy out and calories in. For cutting you should start with the
most food or highest amount in a given range and for bulking you should start with the
Least food or lowest amount in a given range.
Its like this:
http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/How_Many_Calories_Do_You_Need%3a_Calorie_Calculators_-_Includes_Quick_Spreadsheet_Too!/m_45013/tm.htm In this discussion it talks about simple and complex formula and ranges..and at the bottom is a link to a spreadsheet that lets you enter your weight, lean mass, etc and it figures the ranges for 2 formula fro you...including an estimate for protein intake.
These numbers are the ranges I refer to. It may say for you to maintain you need 1950 - 2200. If the goal is to lose fat I would say to start at 2200. If it was to gain muscle I would say to start at 1950.
Strange? Remember the body acclimates to the amount of food we eat. The thyroid can crank up or slow down the number of calories consumed in response to a change in eating patterns.
It is even better to use fitday or some other method to find where you are and then simple go up/down by 250-300 and then...assuming you were eating at a reasonable maintenance level. If you want to lose and are at 1400 but you should be at 1800 to lose...then you want to get closer to 1800 instead of drop.
...And then on any of the methods you need to be journaling. You need to take starting measurements so you KNOW what happened when you gained or lost weight. You need to be sure you do not add or change any supplements for the first week or so (that gets confusing - was it the creatine or the food?). Just go a whole week on a set regimen as close as you can to it and retake measurements.
THAT is how you learn what really works for you.
is there any specific fat/carb/protein ratio that works best
That is just about calories...but could also apply to % F/C/P. Your personal genetic makeup and oxidative rate will determine what you respond best to. I give guidelines in that thread specifically to help you get close to a starting % that works. I have a whole system and assessment I use for clients to help them determine what they respond best to. Read just tat part of the thread and see if you can come up with a starting point...combine that knowledge with what you find you are eating from fitday. Determine a starting point and go a week or two. Observe, alter, go a week, observe...etc. Refine refine refine.
cardio is where im not too knowledgable. i know what cardio does and ive picked up a tiny little bit on how to use it to burn fat.
i know the two best times to do it- upon awakening
post workout
I know cardio should be less while bulking 1-2 times a week (30-45 min.) (no cardio ive heard of before but i dont go for that)
and 3-4 times a week (30-45 min.) for cutting.
Cardio serves a few valuable purposes in terms of health and fitness...when cutting, it can shift the body into a more fat-burning-muscle-type dominance..however when bulking you do not want to shift the muscle fiber type dominance around too much. You want to favor Type IIb glycolitic muscle and your training will do that. Cardio is a great tool to increase calories out.
Think about it...what do long distance athletes look like vs sprinters? You see the point. There is a difference between HIIT training and moderate long time/distance in respect to the effect on muscle fiber type.
For me at a high lean mass level and desiring more, I want to keep my calorie requirement as low as I can, so I can creep it up and keep getting steady gains without more work. If I start cardio...I have to eat more! when I lean...adding cardio means that either I keep eating where I am or have to eat more...or else I lose muscle and get fatter!!!
Cardio is energy out. It has other benefits and effects but you have to remember that.
If you are bulking and have been doing cardio and caloric depletion..I would say rely on the resistance workouts to increase your VO2 and cardio at first. Keep the cardio to a minimum if at all. Try it for 2 weeks. Like everything else..experiment and learn!
You can use cardio variation to increase nutrient availability for bulking...meaning if you are doing 3-4 times now...slowly back off as you bulk and watch the resulting change.
Hope that was not too nebulous.