Follow 'Rules,' slim down

Molly Morgan is giving the skinny on getting skinny. In her book The Skinny Rules (out next week), the dietitian and nutritionist serves up 101 surprising rules to live by if you want to slim down. And not one of them involves deprivation. Here are some of them:

Sneak it in. Exercise, that is. "Even 10-minute bouts of exercise seem to be effective in reducing waist size and body mass index," Morgan says.

Cook at home. Not only has research shown that people who eat at home are less likely to be overweight, but when you prepare meals, you burn calories in the process!

Customize your order. Ordering a menu item without making calorie-saving adjustments will almost always get you in trouble. Ask for salad dressing on the side or olive oil instead of butter.

Snack frequently. Research shows that eating throughout the day is associated with a lower risk of obesity. Try to eat four to five smaller meals a day instead of three larger ones.

Prep for that party. Parties tend to be recipes for disaster. Try filling up on healthy snacks beforehand to avoid those un-skinny party snacks.