Need a little insight/knowledge

I just a little help with from you guys as I'm still new to all of this. I'll try and keep this as short as possible. I just want to see if what I' doing for my nutrition is ok for my build and what I'm trying to achieve?!

So I started this whole fitness nearly a month ago, and yes I know stuff just doesn't happen overnight, but I'm wondering about all this nutrition stuff and if I need to be highly strict. I'm just under 5'8 and I weigh about 126 pounds (9stone) and I've been keeping track of this over the month to see if there has been any major changes. My BF% has also stayed between 11.2-12 for the 4 weeks, even before I started getting fit.

All I'm looking to do is gain muscle and looks lean and even though I try and keep to the nutrition side of things, I'm finding it very hard. It's not that I can't be bothered, it's I just don't have the time/money in most cases. I still try and eat the right things chicken, lean meat, fish etc), but I never know if its the spot on right amount or not - it's normally just under or maybe a little over. So my main question is, with my build stats above, do I need to be more strict or am I ok?

It's also a little hard sometimes and I socialise most weekends with friends and they go out for meals. Some days I've skipped this part and then tagged along later but it's effecting this side of things in a way due to the eating. If I do go out, I try the most sensible thing on the list, but sometimes you just can't in a way. Is there a way around this?

I work out 5 days a week, with cardio but I don't need to lose any fat, just gain muscle to look good, and I don't want to become a bodybuilder etc. Seeing as I'm at a good BF%, shall I just stick with what I'm doing and will I see the effects take form in a month or 2? Any help would be great, thanks!

You need a solid, good routine to actually _see_ any gains in 3 months. But you can definitely feel gains in just a month or even sooner. And you weigh so little, I wouldn't worry too much about being strict about eating. Just make sure you get enough protein and don't eat crap all the time and you'll be fine. It doesn't kill you to go out for a pizza every once in a while with friends

Using myself as an example, I find it very hard to be absolutely strict about what I eat. If I feel the need to eat some pizza or nachos or something, I eat them but I make sure I stay below certain amount of calories. That way you don't have to worry about too much what you eat as long as you get enough protein and other nutrients.

I am more or less the same with Furius on being too strict point of view. I eat generally healthy but also pig out at times.

You don't need to be too strict if your skinny as food is requirement to build muscle. If fat then need to be more conservative with what you eat.