This Is What a Kettlebell Athlete Eats For Breakfast

We don’t need to tell you that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. In this series, we’re asking top doctors, fitness pros, and dietitians for a sneak peek into their kitchens, so we can see what’s on their breakfast tables.

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Jeff Butterworth

Claim to Fame: 

As the owner and operator of Rx Strength Training in Somerville, Jeff Butterworth spends his days training dozens of athletes to compete in weightlifting, national Strongman competitions, obstacle course racing (including Spartan Ultra Beast and the OCR World Championship), Ultra Endurance races, Kettlebell Sport, and military competitions. He says what started out as a job selling gym memberships in Boston quickly turned into a passion for health and fitness, as he dropped 60 pounds and started a business that has been catering to serious athletes and over 100 every-day gym goers since 2011.

Along with training top-tier athletes, Butterworth himself is quite the athlete, having competed in dozens of events with GORUCK, Spartan Race, and other OCR organizations. He has earned podium spots in local Strongman contests, and won multiple gold medals in Kettlebell Sport—including three championship appearances. Currently, Butterworth is training for a Kettlebell 1-Arm Long Cycle Marathon, which will involve spending an entire hour spent lifting a kettlebell in what’s called a “clean and jerk” technique, where the athlete swings a kettlebell from between the legs up to the shoulder, before raising it up above their head. It’s basically endurance weightlifting using kettlebells. Yes, Butterworth is probably stronger than you.

What He Ate: 

To fuel his own workouts and keep up with his clients, Butterworth eats six eggs, 10 oz. fresh berries, and half an avocado, and drinks 8 ounces of black coffee first thing in the morning. He says Coffee By Design in Portland is his favorite roast and that sometimes he’ll split the berries with steel cut oatmeal.

Why He Chose It: 

“I’ve had some variation of this breakfast almost every day for the past five years,” he says. “While my other meals include loads of veggies, this combo keeps me satiated and filled with the right macros to maintain my strength. I’m also not a natural morning person so waking up to this breakfast just makes me happy.”

He’s a believer that you are what you eat, and starting the day with a balanced breakfast is the key to weight loss, strength development, and building better habits.

“While coffee and a doughnut will give you a momentary high, it does not contain the bricks necessary to strengthen the structure that is your body,” Butterworth says. “You should want a body made of concrete and steel, not sawdust and duct tape.”