One of the most common questions I get at the gym is about nutrition. Not macros. Not supplements. Just real, everyday food.
So I figured I’d share something simple and honest: what I actually eat for breakfast almost every single morning.
This isn’t meant to be the best way to eat — it’s just my way, and it lines up well with how we approach long‑term health and performance at CrossFit Actus.
A Breakfast Built for Training
Ever since I opened the gym 11 years ago I always train in the morning. I train fasted usually within about 30 min of waking up. I don’t mind it, 11 years in I’m definitely used to it and it works for me lifestyle. So breakfast needs to do a few things for me:
- Keep me full for hours
- Support performance and recovery
- Be easy to prepare since I have 3 young kids
- Be made of real, whole foods
Because of that, my breakfast is fairly large in calories, very protein heavy, and lower carb most days.
What You’re Looking At
I snapped a photo of a what I ate last Friday. This is a very typical breakfast for me:
- Cooked meat (usually beef, pork, or chicken) about 150-200g.
- 2 Hard‑boiled eggs
- Broccolini, cherry tomatoes or some type of vegetable about 100-150g.
- Raw vegetables like half a cucumber, 1 large carrot, and 1 bell pepper.
- Some Fruit (usually an apple or tangerine or grapefruit)
Nothing fancy. Nothing exotic. Just real food.
Why Lower Carb (For Me)
This is important: lower carb doesn’t mean no carb.
I tend to keep most of my carbs coming from:
- Vegetables
- Fruit
I feel best training this way, my energy is steady, and I don’t experience big swings in hunger or crashes later in the day. My workouts are usually 20-30 min in the morning so I don’t need more starchy carbohydrates in my diet. The expression I use most often is “Earn your carbs” through training and I don’t train long and hard enough to earn more.
Nutrition should support your training, not fight it.
Whole Foods, Minimal Prep
One of the biggest reasons people struggle with nutrition is decision fatigue and prep time.
I avoid that by keeping things extremely simple:
- I cook all my meats on the weekend
- Eggs are hard‑boiled in batches
- Vegetables are either raw or lightly cooked
Most mornings, breakfast takes almost no preparation. I’m just assembling food that’s already ready to eat. This has kept me consistent through raising 3 babies all while running a business.
For me, Consistency beats creativity.
No Perfection Required
This isn’t a “perfect” breakfast.
But it’s repeatable.
It’s filling.
And it supports my training — which means it supports my long‑term health.
That’s the same mindset we encourage at CrossFit Actus:
Rule #1: Consistency is king. Rule #2: Something is better than nothing.
You don’t need a fancy meal plan. You need habits you can repeat regularly.
Takeaway
If you’re training in the morning and struggling with energy, recovery, or hunger later in the day that leads to binging, ask yourself:
- Am I eating enough?
- Am I prioritizing a lot of protein?
- Am I choosing foods that are easy to repeat?
Start there.
Rule #3: Progress over perfection — if you want help. Click here
Jonathan