Well I know the general rules… 3 sets of 10-12 to build mass, 5x5 to build strength… but now im having a problem… ive been away from the gym for about 6 months… ive packed on a few extra pounds but I feel im not in terrible shape… so my goal is to lose about 10-15 lbs of body fat and put like 5-10 lbs of muscle on… should I do one then the other or can I do both at the same time?

Im thinking about a 3 day split… like Tues, thurs, sat… if anyone could help me create a routine i would be extremely grateful!

I have no limitations as to what types of exercise I can do, I am not a huge fan of running, but I enjoy hiking… so im going to focus on that as my main cardio…

So please help me out… im ready to get back into shape…

I am currently 205lbs and stand 5'9'' tall

im in the same boat, so if anyone could answer.

im looking to lose stomach fat, but add on upper muscle (mostly arms)

http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=244anti2

This is a simple, effective program. Concentrate on your diet and the rest will take care of itself.

but say im eating eggs, protein shakes, beef jerky, meats and fruits all for protein for lifting weight, will that also be an alright diet for cardio work outs to tone my stomach? My initial impress things that id have to lose the protein shakes to better myself when it comes to toning my stomach. is that a false assesment?

Yes, That's a false assessment. Many people, probably most knowledgeable individuals actually, take protein shakes even when cutting simply because you need to feed your body (especially post workout) for repair and recovery.

It's also very important to keep in mind that protein is NOT the only concern. You also have to heavily assess your carb and fat intake as well.

In my opinion, it is much easier to bulk up some and gain weight - and then cut after that, shedding the fat and keeping the muscle. LV is currently cutting, you might wanna message him to ask what he's doing, if I remember correctly he sticks to high fat, low carb, and low sugars.