What are the best exercises to really improve these areas?

I recommend an elliptical trainer if you go to a gym since it works most of your muscles and burns calories to help you look toned all over. Would help your stomach & back, but not much you can do for the double chin other than lose weight in general.

If you don’t go to the gym and work out at home, sits ups & hand weights are good to work the abdominals & back muscles but also add cardio for overall weight loss & health.

You can’t really “spot burn” fat. Crunches and so on will work the muscles underneath, but not burn fat. You have to do full aerobic cardio-based workouts like running or biking to get rid of excess fat.

Run! It helps all areas of your body. If this is too strenuous, use an eliptical or join a fun aerobics group. By doing crunches, leg-lifts, etc you can make your stomach stronger. Just hit the gym, ask friends to join and be willing to ask questions. That’s how I got into shape. I also do Karate, which really has helped me to focus.

P.S. : When you get your back into shape, it’s going to hurt. When you work out for the first few times, your body should be sore but not excruciatingly so. As you continue to work out, try to do so enough that you feel a slight strain in your muscles the next day.

That means you have worked hard!

Cardio. Cardio. Cardio.

Push ups and sit ups. They work your abs and back muscles really hard.

Start a weight training program asap as well as a running program. It is hard to lose your stomach fat, double chin because when you exercise, you won’t lose weight from those areas right away. It is known as spot reduction and unfortunately if you want to get rid of fat from those areas, it does not happen that way. It will take a lifetime commitment for it to slowly go away.

Situps, Pushups, Crunches and cut the fats.