Yesterday I blogged about weight loss, specifically fat loss, through nutrition...eating more protein, especially the branched chain amino acid, leucine.

Today, I want to comment on the exercise aspect of fat burning. Did you know that muscle makes up 35 to 40 percent of our body? For this reason, it is the largest site for glucose (sugar) uptake. And did you know that the hips and legs are the largest muscles in the body? So, it only makes sense that the more we work the larger muscles of our lower body, the more glucose control and uptake we obtain.

Strong muscles reflect good metabolic health. Strong muscular people can process carbohydrates, protein, and fat more efficiently. Strong muscles make strong people who have enhanced metabolic health. On the flipside, aging, physical inactivity, obesity, and poor diet trigger physical deterioration.

The take home message: muscle mass is critical for metabolic control, health, and longevity. The muscles of the legs and hips are the largest in the body, so strengthening them will have the greatest impact on metabolic health.