As we get older, our skin loses it’s elasticity. We’ve all seen those horror stories of excess skin after a dramatic weight loss. I’ve lost over 100 pounds 3 times. (I know, I know, how could I be dumb enough to gain it back.) Each time I lost the weight, I was able to maintain my skin tone. The last time I lost all this weight, I was 48/49 years old.

The key is to lose the weight gradually and exercise as you do it. I started with walking about 35 minutes a day. We had a track near my home and I use to do it at night. I remember, eight times around the track was two miles. I gradually worked myself up to an hour a day. After about 3 weeks (two separate walks am and pm), I then moved on to jogging. I started running on a treadmill. (I didn’t want people to see me trying to jog in the neighborhood.) I use to speed up then slow down until I felt comfortable enough to jog for any length of time. I finally was able to add an incline to my jogging. In addition to toning, it also burns more calories.

Your should check with your doctor first to see what he thinks is best for you in terms of exercise. There isn’t a blank routine out there that works for everyone.

Aerobics is another way to help in toning all the muscles and help the tummy shape up. I have a few videos I use for my aerobics. (I’ve never been brave enough to take a class.) I must say, my form isn’t anything like the video but I sure feel more energetic when I’m done.

Although I’ve never tried Pilates, doctors say this is another good way of toning up your muscles. I found a great site called Healthy Weight Forum. This site is full useful weight loss information. You can read about the history of Pilates as well as the benefits of this form of exercise. It also displays various weight loss programs and tools to use to help track your weight loss. There is something for everyone at this site.