Healthy Regardless of Diet

Burning 1,100 calories a week through exercise prevents the accumulation of dangerous belly fat. In a new 6-month study, Duke University scientists tracked 175 people's levels of visceral adipose tissue - the type of abdominal flab that causes high blood sugar, hypertension, and artierial inflammation. Those who walked at least 11 miles a week didn't gain any of the deadly fat - regardless of their exercise intensity or diet - with the nonexercisers increased their belly-fat stores by 9 percent. If you're not into walking 11 miles, you can burn 1,100 calories in a week by cycling 22 miles, swimming for 102 minutes, or performing three 30 minute circuit training workouts. Men who burned an additional 550 calories reduced their visceral fat levels by 7 percent.

People who take 500 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C daily burn 39 percent more fat during exercise than those who ingest only small amounts of the nutrient, according to a recent study by Arizona State University. "Low levels of vitamin C may impede your body's ability to use fat as energy." Says author Carol Johnston, Ph.D. Orange Juice (contains 82 mg per 8 ounce serving) loses up to 50 percent of it's vitamin C content during processing and handling, and 2 percent more every day afterward.

Taken from Men's Health, April 2006, pg. 52.