If you get up in the morning and workout soon after on an empty stomach, does that mean you are burning yesterday’s fat? There are actually some people who believe that, thinking that if there are no new calories to burn they are tapping into their stored fat sooner. Your body does burn stored fat when you exercise but it is mainly fueled by carbohydrates that are stored in the muscles and liver in the form of glycogen. After a long night’s sleep, those reserves are somewhat depleted. A better strategy is to have a light snack of 100-200 calories before working out. Good choices would be nuts and grains such as oatmeal, a nutty breakfast bar, wheat toast with a little peanut butter, or fresh fruit. With balanced glucose (blood sugar) you are able to exercise longer and with more vigor and enthusiasm and you are able to augment your stored glycogen. The glucose and the glycogen together will get you farther and longer in order to access the stored fat before fatigue sets in.