Exercises like walking, running and swimming will help you build strong heart and lung muscles and help you control your weight. This type of exercise also tones your muscles. While walking and running will help you tone, you can also lose muscle with too much aerobic exercise. And since your goal is to look good on the outside as well, you will want to build some muscle. Using weights to strengthen your muscle will add more mass to them.
Muscle needs food to thrive.
Building muscle will allow you to use the food you eat more efficiently so that you can reduce body fat and get the shape you want. Eat to Live Learn to eat to live not live to eat. Eating a balanced combination of foods in the balanced quantities will help you get and maintain the body you want. Every body is different, but the general rule is to eat what your body will use. Exercise and rest go hand in hand.