One of Denmark's most famous sons was storyteller Hans Christian Andersen. He authored "The Little Mermaid," "The Ugly Duckling" and "The Emperor's New Clothes."

His tales always delight children and adults alike, probably because they make everyone feel smart and empowered.

Not far from Mr. Andersen's old haunts, researchers at the University of Copenhagen recently conducted a study that'll help you feel smart and empowered.

Published in the International Journal of Obesity, it reveals that if you struggle to find time to exercise, bicycling to work can effectively reduce stress and trim you down.

In the study, previously inactive people who biked to work (an average of 8.6 miles per day) reduced their fat mass by about 10 pounds, compared to inactive folks. The biking group also showed significantly lower levels of stress.

It helps to live in a place like Copenhagen, where bicycling is a respected part of the culture.

But if you can't bike to work, we suggest biking AT work. We are advocates of the treadmill desk, and now there are a slew of pedal-at-your-desk products available.

If you don't think those bike rides will do the trick, the study also found that overweight people can trim down and lose fat just as effectively as biking to work by doing other moderate exercise during leisure time.