Is exercise the only way now to tone up the loose skin on my tummy or will the LC do it eventually? I know age and kids have a lot to do with it. But I’ve always let LC burn the fat and now I’m wondering if that’s done it’s job now and I need to boost up with Toning? I know exercise is always good regardless and I do walk daily but just need some advice
@Dellabob123 I'm assuming you mean a "wobbly" tummy rather than loose skin. Loose skin is the result of significant amounts of weight loss and is extremely thin hanging areas of skin with no subcutaneous fat beneath. The only ways to remove/reduce loose skin is surgery or fasting - although it's more effective to do the fasting while you're losing weight rather than when you already have loose skin.
One reason for having a wobbly tummy when you're at your goal weight is being so-called "skinny fat." It's possible to be a healthy weight but still have a high body fat percentage. The photo shows the same woman at the same weight but with three different body fat percentages. If you want to go from number 1 to number 2 or 3 then you need to lose more fat and gain muscle. This is called body recompositioning. If you've never been into weight training then the easiest way to do this is to start lifting weights three times a week. For the first six months you get what's called "newbie gains" where you gain muscle and lose fat at the same time. If you already lift or you've done weight training in the past then newbie gains are less likely and you need to do cycles of bulking and cutting to get the same result.
The best way to achieve body recompositioning is using compound lifts such as barbell squats, deadlifts, bench press, overhead presses etc. These lifts work multiple muscle groups at the same time so you can get big results with relatively few exercises. The StrongLifts 5x5 program only has five exercises that you can do in about 40 minutes three times a week. The disadvantage is that you need to go to a gym as it needs barbells, a bench and a squat rack. If you can't get to a gym then the next best alternative is bodyweight circuit training exercises such as the 30-Day Shred, Insanity, BodyPump, CrossFit. There are loads of different programs and most of them can be done at home with minimal equipment, or as part of a class if you need other people around for motivation.
You won't be able to increase your muscle mass with aerobic exercise such as running, swimming or cycling unless you're doing huge amounts of exercise, for example running over 20 miles per week. Even then, people who take their exercise seriously will often add in weight training as well to improve their performance. And if a wobbly tummy is your main concern, abdominal fat is the last to be lost in women so you won't get lean there until your body fat percentage is around 22% although it does depend on your frame size.
It would take three months to a year to get a visibly significant improvement in physique. The fastest way would be a serious lifting program where you rapidly increase the amount of weight you're lifting. If you can commit to a bodyweight workout three times a week and you ramp up the intensity over time, a realistic goal would be about a year to look physically much fitter and more shapely.
Even if you aren't close to your goal weight, it's well worth taking up this kind of exercise as it will mean when you do reach your goal weight you're already toned. Needless to say it's also great for your health and it feels good to be strong as it makes a big difference in daily life since everyday activities become much easier.