On the Home Front

26. Jog for junk mail Turn clutter into a challenge: For every piece of junk mail you pull from the mailbox each day, do one lap around your house or building, or up and down a flight of stairs. Burns 35-140

27. Use better butter No, you don't have to give up the real deal -- instead of a tablespoon of stick butter, use a tablespoon of whipped and cut half the calories. Saves 30

28. Step on it Before you lug those backpacks upstairs, stop and stand on the bottom step for these calf toners. Hold the banister with one hand. Bend your right leg and place the toes of your left foot on the edge of the step. Let your heel drop down, press into the ball of your left foot and rise to your toes. Pause; repeat with each foot for 8 to 12 reps. Burns 10

29. Start with soup Order a clear soup instead of a salad soaked with two tablespoons full-fat ranch and you can save twice the calories. Plus you'll feel fuller, so you'll eat less when the entrée comes. Saves 100

30. Play footsie After dinner, while you're still sitting at the table, extend your right leg out and slowly bend it up and down, squeezing and holding in the up position for at least five seconds. Repeat on each leg five times. Sculpts quadriceps. Burns 10

31. Make perfect pasta Substitute whole-grain pasta for semolina and you'll be satisfied with a smaller portion (1.5 ounces instead of 2). Saves 50. Or use the same amount of oat-bran pasta. Saves 90

32. Climb up! Taking the stairs for a total of just two minutes, five days a week, gives you the same calorie-burning results as a 20-minute walk. Burns 100-140

33. Fill up with fruit Like pie? Here's how you can cave to the craving: Sprinkle fresh fruit -- some cut-up apple, pear or a handful of cherries -- with some Splenda or Equal, cover and nuke for a minute or so. Tastes just like pie filling. Saves 275

34. Have your cake Pick up an angel food cake for dessert. It's packed with air and has fewer than half the calories of, say, pound cake. Saves 70

35. Ease into evening Sitting with feet uncrossed, grab your wrist and raise your hands above your head to lengthen the spine. Take a deep breath in as you reach and hold the position, breathing slowly in and out for 20 seconds, taking longer on the exhale. Instant relaxation. Burns 5

36. Get your chocolate fix Instead of a candy bar, try a sugar-free, reduced-calorie Jell-O chocolate pudding snack with a squirt of nonfat whipped cream topping. Eat it with a baby spoon to savor it longer. Saves 185

37. Crunch for your clicker The average half-hour TV show has eight minutes of commercials. Make reaching for the remote control worth it: Place it out of reach on the coffee table or, if you're lying down, on the opposite arm of the couch. Every time an ad comes on and you reach for the remote, crunch until the show comes back on; you should reach 100-150 or so. Tones abs. Burns 24

38. Lift those hips Before you tuck yourself in, lie on your back on the floor with your legs up on the edge of the bed or a chair. Slowly bend your knees, lifting your hips off the floor. Hold for five seconds, relax and repeat 10 to 12 times. Firms up hamstrings and core. Burns 10

The Weekend

39. Sing a song Spend Sunday morning belting it out in the church choir. Burns 70 per service

40. Make it bacon At the diner, order three slices of crisp bacon instead of two sausage links, and pat off the extra grease. Saves 90

41. Move it, Soccer Parents! After every quarter of the game, get up from the bleachers and take a lap around the gym or field. Four or five times around a typical one is about a mile. Burns 75

42 Movie time Most people eat 45% more popcorn from large-size containers, so make sure you get only a small and skip the butter, which adds more calories than the popcorn itself. Bring your own seasoned salt or Parmesan cheese for more flavor. Saves 350

43. Orient yourself At Chinese restaurants, be sure to avoid anything named General Tso or Crispy, which means fried. Eat only the filling of the egg roll and not the shell. Saves 400-500

44. Catch this! Spend a half-hour tossing a ball or Frisbee with your kid. Burns 90

45. Cut the cheese Order your pizza with half the cheese or even cheese-less, and then sprinkle with a few tablespoons of Parmesan. Saves 100

46. Have a hot dog! Pile on the pickles, onions and sauerkraut -- these fiber-packed condiments will fill you up and prevent you from eating a second dog. Skip the cheese and chili. Saves 250

47. Think about your drink Consider beer or wine instead of a frozen drink: A glass of regular beer has 140 calories and a serving of wine has 126 calories, while a strawberry daiquiri has about 300 and a margarita 340. Saves 150-200

48. Fix your fries Rather than asking for medium fries, get an order of onion rings (8 to 9 rings). Saves 60

49. Scream for sorbet Indulge in chocolate sorbet instead of chocolate ice cream. Saves 125

50. Make whoopee Instead of a bowl of ice cream as a bedtime snack, have a robust tussle with your spouse. Burns 300