How can you exercise your cat?

My cat's gotten overweight so I want him to lose it and be down to a healthy weight. I've already changed how much food he's eating gradually and his weight has gone down some. What I think he needs is exercise to get the rest down. What are some ways that I can get him to exercise?How can you exercise your cat?
Laser pointer. Doesn't require much of a workout for yourself either. Just a flip of the wrist.



Hang a toy by a string in a doorway just out of reach of the cat requiring them to jump to reach it. If they have claws try to have it be something that they can not hook on to very well.How can you exercise your cat?
We would get one of those laser pointer thing.

We have one and our cats chase it like crazy.



Hope this helps
When I get the laser pointer out, my sister's cat will chase after it like mad. My cat, on the other hand, looks at me like I'm stupid. It is also difficult to get her to go after toys, so what we ended up doing was going on walks. I put her on a leash and take her for a walk in the woods behind my house. For some reason she is a lot more willing to let me lead when we are in the woods (rather than in our yard, for example).