ABOUT POPPY
I haven't always had it figured out either.
Hi, I'm Poppy — founder and coach behind Empowered By Poppy.
I help women build physiques they're proud of while creating an approach to training and nutrition they can actually maintain.
But I haven't always been particularly good at practising what I now preach.
I was going to the gym. I just wasn't getting anywhere.
For a while, I was working three jobs at once. Whatever spare time and energy I had left mostly went on nights out — more bars and clubs than I'd like to admit.
I did go to the gym in between all of that. I just wasn't paying it much attention. I'd show up, do a bit of something, and leave — no real plan, no consistency, and nutrition and recovery weren't even part of the conversation.
Unsurprisingly, none of it added up to much. Turns out “going to the gym” and “training properly” are two very different things — and I hadn't worked out the difference yet.
Where the work ethic came from
Long before any of that, I was a competitive swimmer from about 8 to 15 — training up to 25 hours a week, and at one point ranked third fastest in Britain for my age group.
Swimming gave me discipline and work ethic early. But working hard and working effectively aren't the same thing — I still had to learn how to direct that effort through training, nutrition, recovery and consistency.
From figuring it out myself to coaching other women
Once I understood how the pieces actually fit together, my own physique started to change. But what mattered more was realising how much I enjoyed helping other women get the same breakthroughs.
That led me to become a personal trainer, and I spent around two years coaching on the gym floor before taking coaching fully online in 2024 through Empowered By Poppy.
Going online meant I could coach women beyond one gym or one location — and build something that combines training, nutrition, accountability, education and ongoing support, rather than just handing someone a plan and hoping it works.
AS YOUR COACH
What you can expect from me.
I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU.
I'm supportive, but I'm not going to tell you what you want to hear if it isn't going to help you. If something is holding your progress back, we'll address it.
I'LL TEACH YOU THE WHY.
I don't want you blindly following instructions forever. I want you to understand your training, nutrition and the decisions we're making.
YOUR PLAN HAS TO WORK IN REAL LIFE.
The theoretically perfect plan is useless if you can't stick to it. Your coaching needs to work around your lifestyle, preferences and goals.
CONSISTENCY OVER PERFECTION.
You don't need perfect weeks. You need enough good ones, repeated for long enough, with someone there to help you navigate the messy ones.
When I'm not coaching...
You'll usually find me running, lifting, playing tennis, drinking far too much coffee or still attempting to convince myself that one day I'll become a morning person.
CLIENT PERSPECTIVE
What it's like to be coached by me.
I had hit a plateau... not really enjoying workouts, going through the motions rather than having a focus.
I decided Poppy was the person to help keep me accountable. I worked with Poppy for 6 months and I am so happy with how Poppy helped me stay accountable and reach my goals. I'm so grateful for you 💜
Enough about me. Let's talk about you.
If you're ready to stop starting over and want coaching built around you, tell me what you're working towards.
Usually replies within a few hours.