Please advise, need suggestions.

I recommitted myself to my goals in November at a weight of 157lbs. I am hoping to reach 132 lbs by spring. I am 5’3 and 34 years of age. A few years ago I was 207 lbs. I lost the weight with diet and exercise. I went from a complete couch potato to working out at Curves (I know… Curves haters out there), adding in walking and biking, to now working out at the YMCA on the elliptical, treadmill, rowing machine, and strength training on the machines.

I do strength training 2-3x/ wk for about 20 minutes (again using machines, not free weights). I use heavy weight, usually only being about to do about 8 – 10 reps per set. I do cardio 5 – 6x/wk for 35 – 50 minutes burning about 400 – 500 calories. I often add intervals to my cardio sessions, but not consistently. Recently I started to do some DVDs at home, like the 30 Day Shred, because with the snow and cold there are days that I just don’t feel like leaving the house.

 As for eating, calories tend to average out about 1800. My protein is usually 20 – 25 % of my total calories and fat is usually about 20 %. I prepare all my own meals. I eat a great deal of fresh veggies. I have a big appetite and filling my plate with veggies saves me every meal time. I would have to say that I feel satisfied with what I am eating, but wondering if it is too much or if things need to be changed.

My body fat at 207 was 38% (128lbs lean mass), at 157 it was 32% (107lbs lean mass) and today I got 29.5% (102lbs lean mass). Normally I would have been happy about the reducing in body fat, but then I looked at the numbers… a numbers girl I am. And of the 12 lbs I have lost, 4.5lbs was lean mass, muscle or bone… what am I doing wrong? I don’t want to lose lean mass. Numbers are making my head spin.

I am looking for advice on how to improve my fitness routine and diet to reach my goals.

No suggestions.... anyone?

I guess if you want to increase your muscle mass, you are going to have to increase the time you strength train.  Twenty minutes isn't very long.  I would strength train 3-4x a week, training all muscles, though not on the same day.  You could cut back then on your cardio a bit.  Or do 30 minutes on your strength training days and 60 on a cardio day.  Don't forget to schedule in a rest day or two.  Your body does need some recovery time. 

Your diet sounds like it's healthy, but maybe increase your protein a bit, especially if you are going to be increasing your strenght training. 

I hope you find the results you are looking for.

Switch to free weights. And I agree with increasign your protein.

Maybe check out New Rules of Lifting for Women, which has training and diet plans for suggestions.

 When going for muscle gain, keep cardio to under 90 minutes per week, total.

 When your body is recovering from cardio the AMPK system responsible for energy balance is activated, which deactivates all cellular processes that cost energy (like mTOR-activated protein synthesis) in favour of the ones that restore the cellular energy reservoirs. Which means that while your body's busy recovering from cardio, it ain't building muscle. 

 (Curves: good starter gym, know of several people who started with Curves, used it until the results stopped coming and then switched to something else. The lack of long-term results in most fitness dimensions doesn't invalidate its usefulness over the short term.)

 Lean mass isn't just muscle, it's also water so it's almost inevitable to lose a bit when you're dieting, but yes, looking at your numbers it's safe to say that you lost a significant chunk of muscle with your diet and exercise program.

 It's entirely possible to get in a satisfactory strength training program in about 20-40 minutes if you stick with the basic compound exercises - unless of course you have goals in the power lifter or body-builder/fitness/figure sports where your training needs are more specific than the general dieting population.