Easy Ways to Cut 100 Calories

Shave Calories
Losing weight doesn't have to mean a steady diet of lettuce. In fact, you'll increase your chance of success if you don't take such a drastic approach, says Jaime Brenkus, author of 'Get Lean in 15.' Making a few dietary nips and tucks can mean a 10-pound loss over a year. Try his favorite ways for trimming 100 calories from your diet.

Bottom Out Dessert
Dieting doesn't mean saying no to pie. Shaving off the bottom crust decreases the damage by 100 calories and you won't even know it's missing. (Hint: This works with layer cake too.)

Dine Out Lighter
For Mexican meals, ask that your burrito be made with the the smaller taco-sized tortilla to subtract at least 100 calories. When having Japanese food, order the miso soup (30 calories) instead of the green salad (250 calories). If it's a Chinese dinner you crave, skip the crunchy noodles with your wonton soup for a 120-calorie savings.

Get the Scoop
The average deli bagel packs at least 300 calories -- and that's before you add butter or cream cheese. Hollow out the inside (about a third of the bagel) and you'll downsize by at least 100 calories.

Switch What You Won't Miss
Do your taste buds detect the difference between oil packed and water packed tuna? How about an omelette prepared with butter-flavored nonstick spray rather than butter? These simple swaps will net 100-plus calories in savings, but chances are you won't even notice the switch.

Lighten Your Liquids
Replacing an 8-ounce soda with seltzer saves you 100 calories a pop. Other substantial liquid savings: Substitute a glass of water and an orange for your morning OJ.

Thin the Skin
Pulling the skin from a serving of poultry instantly trims 100 calories. To keep your bird moist, do the peeling after baking or broiling.

Right-Size Your Carbs
The typical restaurant pasta meal is at least four times the recommended amount. Dole out a single serving -- about the size of a tennis ball -- and spare yourself hundreds of extra calories. Ditto for rice and potatoes.

Ban the Umbrella
Salt around the rim of a glass is usually a sign of pending calorie catastrophe. One beverage with two to five ounces of alcohol and a mixer equals 300 to 700 calories. Keep happy hour under control by sticking with chardonnay (90 calories for 4 ounces) or light beer (about 100 calories for 12 ounces) and heed the one-drink limit.