Best Exercise To Stay Toned And Fit??

Bodyweight training. Essentially same as weight training but using your body's own weight to work the muscles. This is the book I refer to - You Are Your Own Gym: The Bible of Bodyweight Exercises: Mark Lauren, Joshua Clark

To be honest, I haven't applied myself to it, but I have seen people with incredible results. I'm just too lazy to create a program for myself. If you don't mind sharing what strength training routine are you following?

 

I did do some heavy lifting but stopped. It got in the way of my running. Zumba has a Zumba toning version which is done with weights. I used to love that. Try it. I used 5lbs weights for it and it really gave me some definition.

Yoga also helps building strength. In your practice concentrate on strength rather than flexibility. In my studio, the instructors are on me for holding my pose with strength(especially since they all know the running connection). I can hear choose strong over flexible multiple times during class.

Strong lifts 5X5 is what I have experience with. It's an awesome program. If I could give up on running long distances and stick to the 5k distance, I would continue strong lifts. You need a trainer who knows the program and helps you lift. Mine modified the program for me. I don't think I would do it alone even when I got the exercises down. The bench press is scary to do alone and my trainer was always on hand to make sure the weights didn't fall on me.
And it doesn't make you muscular, just toned. The women developing muscles after heavy lifting happens only when it's a difficult lifting regimen followed by a very high protein, extra cals diet. Something that we will not do. Not after all the trouble we took to reduce cals.