In celebration of National Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day (March 9), Lively caught up with four of our own awesome in-house RDs on staff. In celebration of National Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day (March 9), Lively caught up with four of our own awesome in-house RDs on staff. Get the scoop on what inspires them and—of course—their collagen routines.
Jenn Randazzo, MS, RD, CLT
Lively: What inspired you to become a dietitian?
Jenn Randazzo: To be honest, it wasn’t one specific moment, experience or person. Rather, it was a long-established interest in the human body (I always thought it was so cool, even as a young girl) and a growing curiosity around how food affected it. In college, I took a few nutrition courses, became obsessed, and the rest is history.
L: What do you like most about working at Vital Proteins?
JR: There are seriously so many aspects of working at Vital that I love. The products. The culture. The fact that no day is exactly like any other. However, what I appreciate most working at Vital is how the leadership team truly values registered dietitians. At Vital, RDs play a key role in many different departments, including research, product development, education, sales, marketing and customer advocacy. And as subject matter leaders, our opinions are sought after, and our voices are heard.
L: What is your favorite collagen routine?
This is a tough question! Ok, while I have so many products that I love, I do have a go-to collagen routine that’s pretty solid.
In the morning, I always add 1 scoop of Vital Proteins® Collagen Peptides to my morning coffee. Black. No cream, no sugar. And because my brain is not online yet, I use a frother rather than a spoon.
I typically hop outside for a 30-minute midmorning run. About 15 minutes before, I will crack open my bottle of Vital Proteins® Collagen Gummies and enjoy 4 (one serving) as a preworkout snack. I love that I get the benefits from the collagen peptides AND the simple sugars!**
In the afternoon, I’ll usually need a quick, late-afternoon snack between Zoom calls. Without fail, you’ll find me dropping the following, in this order, into my beloved Vitamix: 1 cup of oatmilk (typically homemade), 1 scoop of Vital Proteins® Chocolate Collagen Peptides, 1 T peanut butter, 1/3 frozen banana.
Jake Kocinski RD, LDN
Lively: What inspired you to become a dietitian?
Jake Kocinski:I originally became interested in food and nutrition after suffering a few sports injuries in high school. I wanted to get back on the field as quickly as possible. I thought that a healthy diet could help me recover faster. I began cooking for myself and grew interested in preventative health care. I thought, “What’s better than promoting preventative healthcare than becoming a registered dietitian?”
L: What do you like most about working at Vital Proteins?
JK: I love that Vital Proteins focuses on simple and efficacious products using premium ingredients. It aligns with my ethos as a dietitian and is what originally drew my interest to Vital!
L: What is your favorite collagen routine?
JK: I add Vital Performance™ Strawberry or Vanilla Protein it to a smoothie or overnight oats every day for added protein & flavor for breakfast. I also love our Mind + Memory Boost™ + Feeling Zen™ capsules. I take Mind + Memory Boost™ capsules in the morning, as it enhances cognitive function & improves memory and focus.** I take Feeling Zen™ during the workday as it helps promote calmness and relaxation.** I also love our Matcha Collagen Latte supplement as a morning or afternoon pick-me-up. It has organic coconut milk, 1 t matcha (green tea powder, 50mg caffeine), and 10g Collagen Peptides per serving.
Tom Smurr, RD
Lively: What inspired you to become a dietitian?
Tom Smurr: I grew up in the world of sport and disabilities. My sport of choice was wheelchair basketball. I adore basketball and was successful from junior league all the way to professional level abroad in Italy. One of my biggest obstacles and interests was nutrition—especially for those with unique disabilities. As a grew and learned with my sport, I started studying nutrition at the highest level, which brought me to become a dietitian. One event in my life that pushed me to commit was visiting the USOC training facility in Colorado Springs and eating at the cafeteria there—super in depth nutrition with many healthy options and educations.
L: What do you like most about working at Vital Proteins?
TS: The team at Vital Proteins is so dedicated to providing quality nutrition. I appreciate the attention to detail in innovation, especially in the Vital Performance™ lines. It is rewarding knowing our products are helping people to become the best version of themselves.
L: What is your favorite collagen routine?
TS: I am a big fan of Vital Proteins® Collagen Peptides in my coffee every single morning – typically just one scoop! I follow up after my exercise for the day with Vital Performance™ Protein in a berry based smoothie—my favorite is the Strawberry! This way, I get 20g of collagen peptides daily along with added milk protein isolate protein to support muscle protein synthesis.**
Holly McKee MS, RD
Lively: What inspired you to become a dietitian?
Holly McKee: As a part-time job in college, I worked with the Sports Dietitian at the University of Wisconsin. Seeing all the hats she was able to wear (team education, clinician, nutritional expert and so much more) was exciting to me! I decided to become a Registered Dietitian and focus in sports shortly after working with her!
L: What do you like most about working at Vital Proteins?
HM: The huge emphasis that is put on education—both customer education and internal education. Everyone that works with the company is constantly pushing forward and wanting to know more about the products!
