Rita Katona is the driving force and female leader behind all that is So Good So You today. She cofounded the company with her husband in 2014, and has since committed herself and company to bettering the lives of people and planet. While you may recognize Rita’s face from blog or social media posts in the past, we wanted to offer a closer glimpse into the daily life of SGSY’s cofounder with her morning routine.
Take a peek inside Rita’s typical morning, tips to stay moving, and rituals she won’t go a day without. If you have any other burning questions that you would like Rita to answer, let us know in the comments section!
What does your morning routine look like?
I do oil-pulling with organic coconut oil - it makes my mouth and gums feel amazing. Then I use my tongue scraper, brush my teeth, and wash my face. First thing in the morning, I drink 16-20 oz. of water with lemon and then another 16-20 oz. of water during my morning workout. If it’s not freezing or raining outside, I take my dog for a walk, then I shower and get ready for my day. I take one of our Immunity shots and make a smoothie for breakfast (always tons of greens and berries, it’s so good and makes me feel amazing). Shortly after, I hop on my first conference call which usually starts between 8 and 8:30.
Do you workout in the morning or afternoon?
These days I tend to work out in the morning. Since starting this company seven years ago, work days often stretch long and it’s hard to draw boundaries (I’m working on it!). So what I’ve found works well for me and my routine is making sure I get a workout in right away in the morning before I start my day. That way, no matter what happens for the rest of the day, I’ve gotten my daily endorphins. Plus, I get cranky when I don’t get my workouts in, and no one wants that.
What types of food do you eat during the day? Do you meal prep?
During the day I try to eat when I can, between meetings, sometimes prepping and cleaning up or even eating during a call if the day is very busy. Meal prep is key for a successful routine, and I try to cook and prep food at night and on weekends to always have leftovers that can be quickly heated up or repurposed for weekday lunches.
Three Tips for staying active while working all day
1) As mentioned above, I like to start my morning routine with movement.
2) During the day whenever I have a 20 minute break or if I can take a call without being on video, I use it as an opportunity to take my dog Sofie for a walk. She’s insatiable when it comes to energy and activity so she’s a willing partner.
3) On internal meetings with the team, we’ve broken up longer meetings by doing HIIT exercises “on the hour, every hour”, and have started meetings with a “shakeout” dance party.
Five wellness rituals you swear by
1) Get 7-8 hours of sleep. We used to call it Beauty Sleep, but really it should be called Immunity Sleep because getting high quality sleep is so important to supporting your health and immune system!
2) Eat 6-8 servings of fruits and veggies. Eating healthy food keeps me sane - I can physically and mentally feel the effects when I’ve had a stretch of not “clean” eating. Prioritizing eating a mostly plant-based, real-food based diet is a major way I take care of my body and create the environment to be my best self, so that I can be a good partner, support my team and maximize my positive impact.
3) I’m working on daily meditation and breath practice. Admittedly this is outside of my comfort zone as historically I’ve been a very movement-focused person - yoga has always been my meditation. But, I’m trying to slow down, if only for 5-10 minutes, first thing in the morning. I’m working on grounding myself and setting intentions for my day, then checking in at the end of the day as I get ready for bed, and seeing if I stayed on the course I set in the morning.
4) Drink. All. The. Water. I’m pretty sure you can’t get too much, or it’s really hard. Staying hydrated just makes your body work better, the way it’s supposed to.
5) The green smoothie. I load that bad boy up with so many superfoods it’s not even funny. Chia, flax, maca, spirulina or moringa, sometimes mushroom or berry powders, and then of course the protein- and omega-rich nuts, and the delicious and creamy berries and bananas, which are all a vehicle for mounds and mounds of organic spinach.
Throughout the remainder of the month, we’ll be sharing more insider access on Rita and her routines, in addition to going behind the scenes on the process of getting our shots on shelf! Keep an eye out for more content to come in your inbox and across social media. To shop SGSY shots, visit our store finder here!