Stephanie Rapp is the Co-Founder and CEO of EMBODY Wellness Company, and a certified Holistic Health and Lifestyle Coach. She is mama to Olivia Hudson, Cullen David and brand new Griffin Reade born just six weeks ago! She began her career at Goldman Sachs, and what then started as a passion, led Stephanie to The Institute of Integrative Nutrition, where she later graduated as an AADP Certified Holistic Health Coach. We asked Stephanie to tell us a little bit more about her journey into the world of wellness, plus how she manages being a working mama while balancing her own wellness lifestyle. That ever-evolving work/life balance… We also got some good tips on quick meals that kids even like(!) and ways to involve the whole family in healthy living. Here’s what Stephanie had to say!
How many kid(s) do you have?
Three! Olivia, 4.5yrs old, Cullen, 3 yrs old, and Griffin is 6 weeks old!
What did your transition from the world of finance into the world of wellness look like? How did you come to wellness as your path?
I was working at Goldman Sachs in Fixed Income Sales and Trading. I was a VP and had been there for nearly 7 years, starting at the beginning of the financial crisis, and began to feel jaded and lacking passion. I’ve always been drawn to holistic health, food politics, wellness and healthy lifestyle, so I enrolled in nutrition school at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition as a way to do something that was just serving me, to feed my interests. I never intended or anticipated starting a company or making a career shift, but I was constantly inspired during my course at IIN. One day, while talking with a classmate, my now business partner, Christine, we both kept coming back to this concept of a wellness concierge company. Christine and I both struggled with fertility, worked long hours in high stress/intense jobs, and we had wellness concerns and goals, but no one to help us work through and accomplish them. We started EMBODY Wellness Company as a passion project, a hobby, but it quickly became so much more. We created a mission statement, business plan and long term vision statements and goals. We built a website and put out into the universe that we were for hire! A month after launching EMBODY, I had my first child and first clients! We’ve grown and expanded and helped so many people EMBODY Wellness since then… and I never looked back!
How do you approach a new client in terms of creating a wellness plan? What can new clients expect when working with Embody Wellness Company?
What really differentiates EMBODY Wellness from other practices, is our commitment to seeing each new client as unique and differentiated. We begin with a detailed holistic health history intake form and a lengthy initial consultation that allows us to understand the client's main goals, current lifestyle and realities, hurdles, past experiences and motivations for making changes. We then customize a program to accomplish their goals (and beyond!) that fits into their lifestyle and respects the realities of their world, including family, career, travel, budget, etc. Each new client can expect a tailored program, accountability, support, constant contact, professionalism, empathy, high quality, and continued adjustments as what works unfolds and gets built upon. We meet with our clients regularly to assess progress, address hurdles and ensure goals are accomplished and expectations are exceeded. We believe in bioindividuality, that what works for one does not work for all, and we are committed to finding out what works for you in a lasting and sustainable way.
As a working mama, how do you find the work/life balance with your own health regiment? Spending time with you family? Time for yourself? What does self-care look like for you?
The term work-life balance is such a misnomer! I am never in perfect balance at any one moment. I look at my life over longer periods of time. This week, have I tackled a project at home, accomplished what I set out to at work, had quality time with my husband, and focused intently on my kids? Over this month have I ….. This year did I …. ? If I look at one day, I “fail” at most things, and probably excel at one or two. But over a longer period, I’m doing pretty well and feel “balanced”. As far as making time for self and my own health, I make a practice of scheduling in what I need in advance. I put workouts on my calendar, like a client meeting. I book them in advance and make sure I get in at least 3 each week. I include my family in many of my self-care and wellness activities, like weekly trips to the farmers’ market to pick out fresh produce, grass fed meats, farm fresh eggs, local cheeses and more with my kids. I make sure to go out 1-1 with my husband one night a week, even if we just go next door for an hour to a local favorite. I also have non-negotiables, like school drop off and Friday night family dinner and special 1-1 time with each kid (lunch dates, activities, going to the park, etc.) Self care doesn’t have to be a huge thing or time commitment. For me, it is five minutes of reading or a laugh with a girlfriend or putting my phone away for a few hours. Connecting to others really fuels me, but sometimes I just need to be alone. I listen to myself and try to honor what I need.
If you could name three quick go-to meals good for the whole family, what would they be?
- Taco night! Set out bowls filled with ground (organic, grass fed) meat, beans, chopped avocado, tomatoes, shredded lettuce, shredded (organic, grass fed) cheese, rice and tortillas. (I like Siete brand tortillas or Sami’s lavash or organic corn tortillas.)
- Make your own pizza night - I love using Sami’s lavash, Cauliflower Pizza or other whole grain options as the base and then letting everyone get creative. My kids like sauce and cheese and sometimes broccoli, but I always put out a variety of toppings.
- Roasted chicken and veggies. Keep it simple! I roast chicken and a variety of vegetables including sweet potatoes and broccoli in avocado oil with salt, pepper, garlic powder and turmeric. I ask my kids to pick a new vegetable to try or a vegetable that is a different color. Often, when they have input, they are more likely to eat whatever I cook!
Are your kid(s) “good” eaters? How do your nutrition and wellness beliefs inform the meals you create meals for them?
Olivia really enjoys eating and she eats a lot of the foods she likes, but she has a limited scope of foods she will eat. She won’t touch fish or red meat, but will eat roast chicken or turkey burgers, eggs, black beans an assortment of veggies and almost all fruits… and of course cheese and anything covered in cheese. Cullen eats almost anything and he has an unbelievable appetite - he has since he was born! He can eat more food than most grown men I know! But he enjoys salmon and sweet potatoes and broccoli and fish tacos and guacamole and such a variety.
My nutrition and wellness beliefs definitely inform the meals I create. I believe in buying the highest quality ingredients I can access and supporting local farmers as much as possible. I seek out organic produce, grass fed and finished proteins, wild caught seafood. I can be found every Saturday at my local farmers’ market, hitting nearly every stall! My kids actually ask if the blueberries or apples are organic! When we eat at home, I know their food is the best I can give them. Then, when we go out, I’m not concerned if the broccoli is organic or the eggs are pastured or if they eat cake at a friend's birthday or a snack from the vending machine at times.
I try to explain that so many foods taste delicious and also make us healthy, strong, fast, smart, and feel great. While other foods only taste delicious. We try to eat mostly foods that are yummy but also great for us, but sometimes it’s great to eat foods that only taste good (especially ice cream and homemade baked goods!).
As a rule, I try to avoid artificial colors and flavors. Otherwise, nothing is off limits to my kids.
Any tips for mamas out there that struggle to find healthy food options for themselves and/or their children?
This is one of the biggest services we provide to our clients! We help with restaurant ordering, chef services, home cooking lessons, grocery shopping tours and ordering lists, snack ideas, meal prep guides, recipe curation and creation, kids cooking classes and MORE!
I always teach my clients how to upgrade or make simple swaps. For example, if your kids love pasta, try making them lentil or chickpea pasta (I like Tolerant organic lentil pasta). If they love grilled cheese, buy a fresh, organic sourdough and use grass fed, organic cheese. I also suggest getting the family involved in grocery shopping and cooking. The more kids are involved and have input, the more likely they are to try new foods or eat what they are served. Buy them a chef’s hat and apron and get a kids knife so they can participate!
I also suggest being prepared. Order a variety of fruits and veggies and wash them right when you get them home. Keep them in a place you can see or cut up into bags to grab and go. Hard boil a dozen eggs at the beginning of the week. Buy clean snacks that come in single serve bags. Make bulk foods that can be frozen to have a healthy meal at any time. We have so many recipes on our blog!
Lastly, what is your favorite part about being a mama? Any tips for brand new mamas out there as they embark on this role of a lifetime?
My favorite part of being a mama is watching the little humans that grew inside of me grow outside of me. They are remarkable, really. Seeing the world through their eyes, witnessing as they discover it, laughing at their brilliance and hilarity. My kids are always baffling me and making me question and reassess my perspective and things I’ve taken for granted. Their curiosity and excitement is limitless. I love their hugs and the way they say “mommy” and how I am definitely still their best friend.
My tips: You do YOU, mama! You will get LOTS of advice, but only you spend 24 hours a day as part of your family. You know you best and you know your kids best. Listen to your mom-gut, it is a real thing. I also think that if something works for you - stick to it. The happier/calmer/more fulfilled you are, the better the mom you are, so don’t do something because you “should” or a book or friend told you to. Parent in the way that works best for you, your kids and your family. Oh… and that will constantly change! My best philosophy is to have to preset expectations of how something will be or what kind of parent you’ll be or what you’d never or always do. Take each new phase in stride, do your best, and tomorrow is a new day!