My ultimate fitness goal is to have a six-pack and to be RELATIVELY built. I know relatively built is a very vague phrase but it's the best way i could put it. I'm still losing weight, and want to take advantage of the mass I have right now as I understand that a skinny little pencil has a harder time gaining muscle than someone with some pudge. Right now I do a Pilates workout every-other day, and do upper body bench weight-lifting days in-between, and walk/run AT LEAST a mile those 6 days and completly rest on Sundays. My question is should i make those 3 days of weight lifting more muscle-group specific? Like chest, shoulders, back or something to that extent? Any iformation would be very valuable to me, thank you.

They say variety is the key to success. Keep your muscles guessing, and you won't reach a plateau.
I'd mix it up. Do upper in general one week, then do specific muscle groups the next each workout. That way you get the benefit of both types of training. That's just my opinion.
Carole

Actually sdge, some information seems to indicate that it is easier to add muscle if you start out skinny then if you are pudgy. Check out this thread and see if it helps you out.
http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthre...&threadid=83617

relatively buff.. I'd say the best thing for anyone starting out is to do large compound movements. Since you're losing fat, you want to maintain all of your muscle mass...I would go for a lifting routine that included movements like: benchpress and or pushups for chest and triceps, Chinups and rows for back and biceps, squats/deadlifts, and lunges for your legs and butt. Go for higher reps and sets, say 5-10 sets of 8-10 reps, and superset your exercises. Forget doing isolation exercises (like bicep curls or tricep extensions for now) Your chinups will work your biceps really hard, and the pushups or bench press will work triceps. Split up your cardio so that on days when your legs are "fresher" you do high intensity intervals for 20 minutes, and then the other days you can walk or slow jog the mile. It might make sense to do the high intensity cardio on the same day that you do your legs... so that you have days where your legs are able to get some rest. Be sure to have a post workout recovery meal that includes some carbs and lots of protein.

take care,
Meg

Should I really have some carbs after a workout? I load up on protein but i try to eat 0-10 grams of carbs a day and I don't want to cash my precious daily carbs right after I workout.

having carbs after weight training should not be a problem... your muscles are damaged and depleted and the carbs will do more good than harm. If you train strenuously at a very low level of carbs you MAY lose lean muscle mass which is counter productive to losing fat. So, you can have some carbs along with a hefty doase of protein in your post workout meal and not have to count them in your daily total of 10 or so.

take care,
Meg