Jeremy Renner Shares His Go-To Breakfast

Jeremy Renner is known for his roles in action movie franchises, from The Avengers to Mission: Impossible, but in recent years the actor has been focused on his recovery following a near-fatal accident in January 2023, which he details in his new book, My Next Breath. We got a chance to chat with Renner about the foods, exercises and other habits that have been instrumental in getting his strength back through his partnership with Brooks Running.

As far as what he eats, Renner is following a balanced eating pattern and prioritizing protein—often in liquid form as it’s difficult for him to chew following his accident. He eats about 170 grams of protein each day in an effort to hold onto muscle. “It’s harder to build muscle as you [get] older,” he says. Breakfast is typically a bigger meal for Renner, and egg white omelets are his go-to. “That’s what I eat every morning when I’m on set,” he says. “They give me an egg white omelet, usually with some veggies, onions and some meat. Then I have a snack and a medium-sized lunch and that’s it, and a bunch of protein throughout the day, protein shakes and things.”

Renner first became acquainted with Books Running after receiving a pair of Ghost Max sneakers, which he started wearing at the beginning of his recovery journey. “The cushioning really helped me,” he says. “They might be running shoes, but I used them more as house slippers initially because they were so great on my joints, [particularly] on the tile floors in the house I was recovering in.” When he first started trying to run in the shoes, Renner notes that it was “really special” and “quite an emotional moment,” as being able to run again after his accident wasn’t a given.

These days, Renner is all about mobility, flexibility and strengthening. “[There’s] still quite a bit of scar tissue and damage that I have to work through all the time,” he says. “And stretching is pretty paramount to staying healthy and moving because my body just wants to lock up. So I have to move it or I lose it; I move and stretch as much as I can.” He does a mix of active stretching—“very intentional, purposeful movements”—and trigger point therapy.

Like many of us, Renner sometimes struggles with being motivated to go to the gym. “I think going to the gym every day is a great challenge,” Renner says. “It is one of the most difficult things to do, but you have to stop thinking about it. You just gotta do it.” Rather than waiting around for motivation, he recommends making it part of your routine and turning it into a habit. Figure out what works for you, whether it’s gamifying it or changing your mindset. 

Beyond movement, Renner emphasizes a holistic approach to health and wellness. “I work a lot on mental health and mental strength, being outside in nature and getting some vitamin D on my body,” he says. “Get some sunshine, get joy, right? These things are much more helpful than any [workout] class for me.” We look forward to seeing Renner’s return to the screen as Dr. Nat Sharp in the forthcoming Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. 

Editor’s Note: This interview was edited for clarity and length.