Explore every episode of the podcast The Fuelled Female

Should you avoid processed sugar? It's the question I get asked every single day.

And whilst the advice that sugar is bad isn't wrong — it's massively out of context for women who train hard. It was written for a largely sedentary population. Not for a woman training four, five, six times a week asking her body to perform, recover and repeat. That is a completely different physiological context. And applying the same rules to yourself is quietly keeping you stuck.

In this episode Poppy breaks down the actual mechanism — why glucose is your primary fuel source for moderate to high intensity training, why the fast absorption of processed sugar that makes it problematic in a sedentary context is precisely what makes it valuable around training, and the three specific windows where it's the mechanistically correct choice.

Including the cortisol-craving loop that explains why the 9pm reach for something sweet feels so out of control — and why it has nothing to do with willpower and everything to do with what you did or didn't eat six hours earlier. Why the guilt around the gel mid-run is diet culture interfering with sports nutrition in real time. And why the reward mentality — finishing every session needing a treat to feel complete — is keeping women in the same relationship with food they've been trying to escape for years.

This is not a permission slip. It's the context most nutrition advice never gives you.

📩 DM @poppy.nfc with questions.

Why Your Head Is What's Actually Limiting Your Running

Your legs aren't always the thing holding you back.

Sometimes, it's your head.

In the final episode of the running series, we're diving into the mental side of running — from ego and Strava comparisons to the very different skill of learning to push when things get genuinely hard.

Because there are times when you need to get your ego out of the way: slowing down your easy runs, ignoring what everyone else is doing, and trusting your training plan.

But there are also times when you need to strengthen your mind.

When your legs are fried halfway through a peak-week long run. When you look at an interval pace and think, there's absolutely no way I'm doing that. When a race starts hurting and your brain immediately tells you to slow down.

Running isn't supposed to feel easy all the time.

The right training programme should challenge you — and learning that hard doesn't automatically mean bad is a huge part of becoming a better runner.

We'll talk about race-day anxiety, negative splits, comparison, Strava, confidence, handling races that don't go to plan, and why every difficult session gives you another piece of evidence that you can do hard things.

Because confidence doesn't come from telling yourself you're capable.

It comes from proving it to yourself, run after run.

Message me on instagram @poppy.nfc if you've enjoyed these running episodes or would ike to know more about the Half Marathon Program.

You've trained hard. Done the sessions. Shown up consistently. This episode is about making sure you don't get the fuelling wrong on the day that actually matters.

Because that's where most mistakes happen. Not in the training block. On race day itself, or in the 48 hours before it. And almost always it's not because women didn't try — it's because nobody gave them the specifics. Not the vague eat more carbs advice. The actual numbers, the actual timing, the actual decisions that separate a race that reflects your training from one that falls apart in the second half.

In this episode Poppy covers everything from the night before to the finish line. Why carb loading and calorie loading are completely different things and which one most women accidentally do. What to eat the night before and why the night before a race is not the time to try a new restaurant. Race morning timing, quantities, and the small top-up 15 to 20 minutes before the start that most women skip. Why 30 grams of carbs per 30 minutes during the race is the target and why one gel for a two-hour run is not enough. The carbohydrate oxidation study that found one female runner burned 120 grams of carbs per hour at half marathon pace. Why gut training is non-negotiable and how to build it across your training block. And what changes if race day lands in your luteal phase.

Nothing vague. Just the specifics.

Running series episode three. Episodes one and two are live now.

Fuel Her Fire 2.0 is open — 12 week progressive half marathon programme with bi-weekly check-ins. £299. DM HALF to @poppy.nfc on Instagram.

You're not going crazy. The same session genuinely does feel completely different depending on the week. And if nobody has ever explained why, this episode is for you.

In this episode Poppy breaks down exactly how your menstrual cycle affects your running performance from a sports science perspective — not a wellness one. How oestrogen and progesterone create four genuinely different physiological environments across the month, what that means for your heart rate, fuel utilisation, recovery, thermoregulation and sleep — and the practical nutrition and lifestyle tools you can use across each phase to keep your training intensity without burning out.

Including why a 10k run in the luteal phase might need a gel when the same run in the follicular phase needs nothing. Why your zone 2 pace being 30 seconds slower in week three isn't your fitness dropping. Why highly symptomatic periods might be a deficiency problem as much as a cycle problem. And what to actually do when race day lands in your luteal phase.

This isn't cycle syncing. It's practical adaptation, the tools in the toolbox that make each phase more manageable so you can stay consistent across a full training block.

Running series episode two. Episode one, What Actually Gets You From Good to Fast — is live now if you haven't listened yet.

Fuel Her Fire 2.0 launches September 15th. 12-week progressive half marathon programme with cycle-aware nutrition, RPE and pace calculators, and bi-weekly check-ins. DM HALF to @poppy.nfc to secure your space — limited numbers.

This one is for the woman who is already running. Not the beginner. The woman who has been training consistently for a year or two, finishing races, feeling like there's more in the tank — and not sure how to access it.

In this episode Poppy shares her own running journey from a 1:50 half marathon where she walked the last three miles, to a 1:37 and then a 1:35 — and what actually changed between those times. Spoiler: it wasn't more sessions, harder training, or a magic supplement.

Covers: why adding more runs stops working at the intermediate stage and what to do instead · the 80/20 training distribution and what easy actually means in practice · the ego problem with interval sessions and why hitting all your reps at 80% beats blowing up at 110% · why your 6pm interval session depends on what you ate at lunch · the numbers behind carbohydrate fuelling (30-60g per hour, plus the elite female study that found 120g per hour as optimal) · why a pre-sleep snack matters more in a heavy training block than most women realise · and the five questions to ask yourself before your next half marathon block.

Plus, the full details on Fuel Her Fire 2.0. A 12-week progressive half marathon programme with built-in RPE and pace calculators, phase-specific nutrition, and bi-weekly check-ins.

📩 DM HALF to @poppy.nfc on Instagram or comment below after listening.

One of my clients messaged me last week - "How and why is it working? Like why does eating more allow the body to become leaner yet build muscle at the same time?"

And I love this question because it sounds like it shouldn't make sense. Eat more, get leaner and build muscle? Surely that's backwards?

It's not. But the reason it works is more interesting than most people realise.

In this episode Poppy breaks down the three conditions that have to be met simultaneously for body recomposition to happen, why your body's survival mechanisms actively work against fat loss when you're chronically underfed, why you have to cover the cost of your baseline day before your body has any spare capacity to build anything, and why training quality is the silent variable that most women are getting wrong.

Including the business investment analogy that makes the whole mechanism click, why crash dieting produces smaller but softer not leaner and stronger, and what consistently eating enough actually looks like in practice, not unlimited food, but matched to the real cost of your training life.

This is not an eat more and everything will be fine episode. It's the engine underneath body recomposition, why it works, what's actually happening, and why so many women are stuck not because they're doing the wrong training but because they've been trying to outperform underfuelling for years.

📩 Comment STRONG on Poppy's latest post for coaching details. Comment FUEL for the full fuelling guide. DM @poppy.nfc with questions.

Protein is the macro women fear least. Which makes it the one most likely to be overused, mistimed, and blamed for the wrong things.

This episode isn't eat more protein and here are some chicken breast ideas. It's the honest conversation about what happens when protein becomes the safe macro women cling to when everything else feels unsafe — and what happens when that approach collides with hard training.

In this episode Poppy breaks down why eating 160g of protein on 1,600 calories leaves no room for carbohydrates, why keeping protein high and adding carbs is calorie loading not carb loading, the difference between diet phase protein logic and performance phase protein logic, and why applying the wrong one to the wrong phase is why so many training women feel off despite doing everything right.

Covers: how much protein you actually need and how it changes by phase · the portion reality check (two eggs is not a high protein meal) · why a high protein breakfast is consistently the single highest leverage change Poppy makes with clients — and why the effect shows up within days not weeks · why protein before high intensity cardio is working against you · the luteal phase protein anchor · what happens to runners who keep protein high without upping carbs · protein pairing for plant-based women · and why red meat deserves a better reputation than it gets.

📩 Comment FUEL on Poppy's latest post for the full fuelling guide. Comment HYBRID for the hybrid training and fuelling framework. DM @poppy.nfc with questions.

Will cardio decrease muscle mass? Should you do cardio before or after lifting? Does eating protein or carbs right after training promote muscle gain?

This question comes up almost every single week — and the anxiety behind it is real. Women who are running and lifting, worried the miles are eating into the muscle they've worked so hard to build.

The short answer is no. You don't have to choose. But the place where most women are getting it wrong isn't the training. It's the food. And specifically — the fear of eating enough to actually support both.

In this episode Poppy breaks down why undereating is the real reason most women aren't building the muscle they want, what body recomposition actually requires versus what the fitness industry tells you, why your body cannot build something from nothing when it's in survival mode, and what the research actually says about cardio and muscle - including the interference effect and when it actually matters.

Including the phone battery analogy for post-session glycogen that will change how you think about every session after a run, why the women who get the physique results they want are almost always the ones who had to eat more not less, and the one question to sit with this week that matters more than any session structure.

📩 Comment HYBRID on Poppy's latest Instagram post for the full hybrid training and fuelling guide. DM @poppy.nfc with questions.

10,000 steps is everywhere. Every fitness tracker, every health app, every wellness article. And if you're a woman in structured training — running, lifting, doing both — it might actually be working against you.

In this episode Poppy breaks down where 10,000 steps actually came from (a Japanese pedometer marketing campaign from 1965 with zero scientific basis), why it's a useful target for some people in some seasons of life and completely counterproductive for others, and the two specific mistakes she sees training women make with step targets that are quietly stalling their progress.

Including why running steps count toward your daily total and are not a separate category, why forcing extra steps on hard session days and long run days competes directly with recovery, why using steps as a calorie-burning tool is diet culture logic dressed up as performance advice, and what step count is actually useful for measuring in a training context.

This isn't about shaming the 10,000 step goal. Context is everything. It's about understanding which season of training you're in and adjusting the target to serve your body — not a number invented for a completely different population.

📩 Comment FUEL on Poppy's latest Instagram post for the full running nutrition guide. DM @poppy.nfc with questions.

Am I doing enough? Am I doing too much? Why does adding more sessions not seem to be working? Why do I feel better on rest days but guilty for taking them?

This episode came directly from the WhatsApp community — and it's one of the most important conversations Poppy has for women who train hard alongside a normal life. Because the fitness industry has sold the idea that more is always better. And for women doing hybrid training, that idea is genuinely causing damage.

In this episode Poppy breaks down what training volume actually means — it's not how many sessions you do, it's total stress load from all training combined — the difference between overreaching and overtraining and why most women don't recognise the latter until their body forces them to stop, the specific signs that your volume is too high, why women are disproportionately vulnerable to the consequences of chronic high volume, and what a properly structured hybrid training week actually looks like.

Including the stress bucket analogy that changes how you think about every area of your life, why the Lucy Davis comparison is setting you up to fail, and Poppy's honest take on her own training right now — and why she's pulling back during the gym build even when every instinct says push.

📩 Comment HYBRID on Poppy's latest Instagram post for the full hybrid training guide. DM @poppy.nfc with questions.

If you train hard and struggle to sleep — this episode is probably going to be one of those ones where things click into place.

Magnesium is involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body. Most active women aren't getting enough of it. And the consequences show up as fatigue that doesn't fully clear, soreness that hangs around longer than it should, and sleep that doesn't feel restorative even when the hours are there.

In this episode Poppy breaks down exactly what magnesium does, why training women are specifically at higher risk of running low, and the three areas where it matters most — muscle recovery, sleep quality, and the luteal phase of your cycle.

Including Poppy's personal Garmin data on and off magnesium glycinate - the difference in deep sleep that made her stop treating this as optional. Plus why form matters more than most people realise, why magnesium oxide is a waste of money, and why stacking it in your morning supplements is probably the wrong time.

📩 Comment FUEL on Poppy's latest Instagram post for the full fuelling and supplement guide. DM @poppy.nfc with questions.

This episode wasn't planned. It came directly from something Poppy has been living through over the past few weeks — doing everything right nutritionally and still bloated, heavy, retaining fluid she couldn't shift, with no explanation.

Until she realised the problem was never the food. It was her nervous system.

In this episode Poppy breaks down the vagus nerve and why it controls digestion far more than most people realise, why hard training women are particularly vulnerable to this — not because of what they eat but because of how their nervous system never fully shifts out of fight or flight, why chronic tension in your diaphragm and pelvic floor physically clamps your digestive system, how the lymphatic system connects to the puffiness and fluid retention that doesn't respond to food changes, and the full practical evening reset protocol that shifted 700 grams of fluid in half an hour.

This is not a wellness trend episode. This is neurophysiology. And if you've tried every food elimination going and still feel bloated, heavy and uncomfortable — this one is going to feel like it was made for you.

📖 Book recommendation: Gut Smart
📩 DM @poppy.nfc on Instagram or link in bio for coaching enquiries.

You nailed the session. But what happens in the next 60 minutes determines how the next one goes.

This episode is for women doing back to back training — running consecutive days, lifting after a long run, or doing any kind of hybrid programme where sessions stack up across the week. Because the most common reason the second session feels heavy from the first kilometre, or legs feel dead despite sleeping well, isn't fitness. It's glycogen that was never properly replenished after session one.

Poppy breaks down exactly what glycogen is and why it doesn't replenish itself just because you've stopped moving, the post-exercise window and why timing matters differently depending on when your next session is, what to actually eat and how much, why the 24 hour picture matters just as much as the immediate post-session snack, and why hybrid athletes — women doing both running and lifting — need to stop treating those sessions as nutritionally separate events.

Covers: the glycogen synthase window and why it closes fast · the 8 hour vs 24 hour vs 48 hour replenishment framework · practical food options that actually work post-session · why dinner the night before is part of tomorrow's training preparation · signs you're not replenishing properly · and why the run you do tomorrow is built on what you eat today.

📩 Comment FUEL on Poppy's latest Instagram post for the full fuelling guide. DM @poppy.nfc with questions.

The UK has finally decided to have a summer and your training is suffering for it. Your pace feels awful, your gym sessions feel like cardio classes, you're not sleeping and you can't figure out if your fitness has just completely fallen off a cliff.

It hasn't. You're just not adjusting for the conditions.

In this episode I break down exactly what's happening in your body when you train in the heat, why your heart rate is elevated before you've even done anything hard, why chasing pace this week is actively working against you, and why the sleep disruption from hot nights is compounding everything else in a way that makes the whole week feel harder than it should.

Covers: the cardiovascular dual demand that makes heat training so much harder, why heart rate zones matter more than pace right now, how to adjust gym sessions when the aircon is doing absolutely nothing, why plain water isn't enough when sweat losses are this high, the sleep piece nobody talks about and what it does to recovery, and how to keep fuelling when your appetite has disappeared.

This one applies whether you're in the UK heatwave or you live somewhere hot year round, UAE and Australia girls, this is for you too.

📩 DM @poppy.nfc on Instagram with any questions.

Training's consistent. Food's on point. Nothing's changed. And yet the scale jumps a kilo, sometimes two — and the panic sets in instantly. Have I gained fat?

In the vast majority of cases, no. What you're actually seeing is your menstrual cycle influencing water retention, glycogen storage and inflammation in your body. That's it.

In this episode Poppy breaks down exactly why this happens — the luteal phase hormone shifts, why hunger gets louder before your period (and why that's biology, not a lack of discipline), and why restricting harder during this phase makes things worse, not better. Including a real-time personal story from this exact weekend, where the scale jumped 2.5kg after a hen do — and why she didn't panic, restrict, or change a single thing.

This episode covers the luteal phase and why progesterone increases fluid and glycogen storage, why fat loss and water weight move on completely different timelines but show up on the same number, what to track instead of obsessing over a single day's reading, and how to start recognising your own personal cycle pattern across training and the scale.

If you've ever felt like you've undone weeks of progress over a weekend, or panicked at a scale number during your period — this one's for you.

📩 Questions? DM Poppy on Instagram @poppy.nfc

At what point do you accept that you train hard enough to need proper support?

In a world full of supplement stacks, diet trends and quick fixes — sometimes the answer is simpler than you think. And for a lot of the women I work with, that answer is iron.

This episode is for the everyday athlete. The woman training four, five, six times a week who is doing everything right on paper and still running on empty. The woman whose GP told her her bloods were fine — but nobody ever checked her ferritin.

In this episode we cover exactly why active women are at disproportionately higher risk of iron deficiency, the ferritin grey zone that your standard NHS blood test won't flag, and four specific reasons your iron demand as a training woman is higher than general population advice accounts for, including one that will genuinely surprise you.

We also cover what food first actually looks like in practice, when supplementation makes sense and when it doesn't, and why buying iron tablets off Amazon without a blood test is not the move.

This is part two of the micronutrients series, The Layer Beneath the Macros. If you haven't listened to episode one yet, start there.

📩 Questions about your blood results or fuelling? DM me on Instagram @poppy.nfc

The Layer Beneath the Macros: Micronutrients for Active Women

You're training consistently, hitting your protein, and carbs are dialled around your sessions. So why are you still tired, still not recovering, and still feeling flat? This episode is for the woman doing everything right on the surface — and the answer is almost always the layer underneath. Micronutrients.

In this episode Poppy breaks down exactly why active women are at disproportionately higher risk of running low on key vitamins and minerals, what a genuine food first approach actually looks like in practice, and — most importantly — what the supplement conversation should look like versus what social media is selling you.

Because here's the truth: 30–40% of supplements on the market are fake, contaminated or ineffective. You do not need a 1,000mg electrolyte sachet every morning. And stacking five supplements without a blood test to back it up is not performance nutrition — it's expensive guesswork.

This episode covers why training increases micronutrient demand, the six key deficiencies Poppy sees most in hard training women (iron, vitamin D, magnesium, calcium, zinc and B vitamins), and the evidence-informed shortlist of what's actually worth considering — and when.

Food first. Always. But let's be honest about what that really means.

🎙️ Part one of the Micronutrients Series — subscribe so you don't miss what's coming next.

📩 DM supplements on Instagram @poppy.nfc for Poppy's practical shortlist for active women.

That Bank Holiday run wasn't punishment. It wasn't earning anything. It was regulation — and knowing the difference might be the most important thing you do for your long-term health as an athlete.

In this episode, Poppy breaks down something the fitness industry rarely talks about honestly: the difference between discipline and fear. Because from the outside, they look completely identical. But they feel entirely different — and one of them is quietly exhausting you.

In this episode 👇

🧠 Why chosen movement genuinely regulates the nervous system — and why compulsive exercise does the opposite (the HPA axis, cortisol, endorphins — proper physiology, not a vibe)

🧠 The hormonal cost of chronic compulsive training for women — irregular periods, worsening PMS, persistent puffiness despite training hard

🧠 The Push vs Pull framework — how to read what your body is actually telling you and stop overriding it with a schedule

🧠 What the research actually says about time off — VO2 max, muscle memory, and why the puffiness after a social weekend is not what you think it is

🧠 The five-step protocol for coming back after a rest period without punishing yourself for taking it

🧠 The honest check-in questions every hard-training woman needs to be asking herself — and why the answer matters more than any training plan

This episode is for the woman who can't switch off training. And for the woman who uses rest as an exit. Both of them needed this conversation.

Join the free WhatsApp community at the link in bio on my instagram @poppy.nfc

Fuelled Female is hosted by Poppy Hawe — Sports Nutritionist MSc, SENr Registered Performance Coach and hybrid athlete.

If your long run is wiping you out for the rest of the day — sofa, nauseous, can't function — this episode is for you. Because that feeling isn't normal, and it isn't your fitness.

In this episode I'm breaking down exactly why long runs destroy so many women, the science of what's actually happening in your body when glycogen runs low, and the three practical changes you can make this weekend to completely transform how your long runs feel and how you recover from them.

I also share a real client story — a woman who could smash a 90-minute HYROX conditioning class but fell apart on a zone two long run every single week. Same fitness. Different fuelling. Completely different outcome.

If you're training for a half marathon, marathon, or just want your Sundays back — listen to this one.

Message me or follow me on instagram https://www.instagram.com/poppy.nfc/ for more tips and answers to your questions!

⛽️ Comment FUEL under my latest Instagram post for the Run Guide that breaks down fuelling for running!

44% of you said balancing performance and physique is the hardest thing. This episode is for you.

This week I walk through a real client case study that perfectly illustrates a pattern she's seeing everywhere right now, women who are fuelling hard, training consistently, and still not seeing the results they expected. Not because they're doing everything wrong. Because the type of fuel, the timing, and whether it matches the actual demand of the day is off.

In this episode:⛽️ Why carbohydrates aren't the villain - but there is a threshold🚦 The traffic light system for matching fuel to your session💪 Why protein is still the most underused tool for female athletes🧠 The difference between restriction and awareness🔄 What to do when the session doesn't go to plan

If you're training hard and still feeling stuck this one's for you.

Instagram: @poppy.nfc

Your cycle is the most underrated performance tool you own — and most women are fighting it instead of using it.

In this episode, Poppy breaks down exactly why you feel like a different athlete in week 2 versus week 4, why your hunger in the luteal phase is not a willpower problem, and how fuelling with your cycle rather than against it changes everything — from your training consistency to your body composition to your hormonal health.

You'll learn the physiology behind each phase of your cycle, why the same 10km run feels completely different depending on where you are hormonally, and how to fuel every phase practically, including what to eat more of in the luteal phase when progesterone raises your resting metabolic rate by up to 300 calories.

I also shares real client stories, women who got their periods back after years without one, and women whose severe PMS reduced significantly, all through cycle-aware fuelling and training.

If you've ever blamed yourself for having an off week, felt like you'd lost your fitness overnight, or wondered why fat loss feels impossible in week 4, this episode is for you.

You'll leave knowing:↳ What actually changes in your body across each phase↳ Why week 4 is harder — and what to do about it↳ How to fuel menstruation, follicular, ovulation and luteal differently↳ Why hunger in the luteal phase is physiology, not weakness↳ The practical framework I uses with every coaching client

Need help? Reach out on instagram @poppy.nfc and chat!

Most women think calorie banking is smart.
Eat less now, eat more later… balance it out, right?

Wrong.

In this episode, I break down why calorie banking is actually just under-fuelling in disguise — and how it’s quietly wrecking your performance, your body composition, and your hormonal health.

If you’re training hard, trying to lose fat, and constantly feel like your body isn’t responding… this is likely where you’re going wrong.

We cover:
– Why your body can’t “save” fuel for later
– How under-fuelling impacts performance, recovery, and fat loss
– The difference between calorie banking and periodised nutrition
– How to fuel properly and still enjoy social events without spiralling

Plus, the real-life side no one talks about — navigating weekends, social months, and scale fluctuations without losing control.

If you want to train hard, feel strong, and actually see results… this is a must-listen.

If you train hard, eat well, and still feel bloated, uncomfortable and like your body is working against you — this episode is the one you've been waiting for.

Poppy opens up about her own experience of a year of gut issues so severe that doctors were testing her for SIBO and Crohn's disease. She had a clean diet. She's a nutritionist. She was doing everything right. And it turned out the root cause had nothing to do with food at all.

In this episode she breaks down exactly why gut problems are so common in hard-training women, why cutting foods out almost always misses the point, and what is actually driving the symptoms that so many women are managing instead of fixing.

This is not a generic gut health episode. It's a female performance and physiology deep-dive for women who run, lift, train hard, and are completely fed up of being told to just cut more things out.

What's covered 👇

🔥 The full picture of what your gut is actually doing — and why 70% of your immune system lives there

🔥 How modern "healthy" convenient foods — protein bars, sugar-free snacks, diet drinks — are quietly degrading your gut microbiome

🔥 Why chronic background stress directly changes gut motility, permeability and tolerance — and why your gut is genuinely worse in stressful weeks

🔥 How oestrogen and progesterone shift gut function across your cycle — and why week three symptoms are physiology, not food intolerance

🔥 The IBS self-diagnosis epidemic — what IBS actually is, how it's being mismanaged, and what should be assessed before any elimination protocol

🔥 Why training at high volume can become a gut stressor — and what runner's gut is actually telling you

🔥 The four-step framework to actually reset gut health — in the right order, without restriction

If this resonates, send me a DM with the word GUT — @poppy.nfc on Instagram — and she'll take a proper look at what's going on for you.

If you’re running a marathon and stressing about carb loading… this is the episode you need.

Because here’s the truth:
It’s not carbs that ruin your race — it’s how you use them.

In this episode, I break down:

• Why carb loading actually matters (especially for women)
• What most people get completely wrong
• How to fuel without feeling heavy, bloated or out of control
• The exact strategy I used to fix my gut issues and hit a 35-minute PB
• Race day fueling (what to eat, when to eat, and how to avoid toilet stops mid-race)

I also share the honest reality of my first marathon vs my second vs my ultra — and what finally made everything click.

If you’ve ever:

• Felt confused about how much to eat
• Had a dodgy stomach mid-run
• Or panicked about weight gain during taper…

This episode will change how you approach race week.

🎯 DM me “FUEL” on Instagram for my full race fueling guide
🎯 Or message me if you want 1:1 support before your next race

In this bonus episode of Fuelled Female, I’m diving into a topic that comes up with clients all the time — the evening sweet treat and what a healthy relationship with food actually looks like.

Because somewhere along the way, we started to believe that eating freely, fitting desserts into our macros, and never saying no automatically equals balance.

But is that really true?

Today I’m talking about:

• why daily treats can become habits rather than choices
• how the definition of a “healthy relationship with food” has shifted
• the role of fibre, plant diversity, and nutrient quality in performance
• and why balance sometimes means learning to say no — not from restriction, but from intention

This isn’t about cutting foods out.
It’s about understanding what actually supports your health, energy, and results.

Message me on instagram @poppy.nfc if this resonated, i'd love to hear your views!

If your training suddenly feels harder than it used to — you're more tired, your sessions feel heavier, and your progress has stalled — this episode is for you.

Because the problem is rarely a lack of discipline.

It's usually a mismatch between your training load and the support your body is getting.

In this episode, I break down the real reasons training starts to feel harder, including:

• Under-fuelling around training
• Doing too many high-intensity sessions
• Modern-day stress and mental load
• Trying to train like an athlete while still eating like you're dieting

I also share the story of a client who went from training nine sessions a week and burning out to training smarter, fuelling properly, losing weight, and hitting a 10K PB of 46 minutes.

This episode will help you understand:

• Why fatigue isn’t a motivation problem
• How diet culture quietly sabotages performance
• The difference between discipline and support
• And how to fuel for the work required

If you're training hard but not progressing, this is the conversation you need to hear.

Reach out on instagram @poppy.nfc if this resonated with you!

HYROX looks incredible on social media. Matching kits, finish line smiles, electric atmospheres. And it is incredible — but it's also one of the most physically demanding sports you can put your body through. And nobody is talking about that loudly enough.

In this episode I'm getting into the truth about what HYROX actually demands from a female body — the physiology, the glycogen cost, the recovery requirement — and why the research specific to women in this sport barely exists yet.

I cover how to fuel every type of training day differently, why the deload is the most underused tool in any HYROX block, and why the hunger you've been fighting isn't a willpower problem.

Plus I share Nav's story — she came to me four weeks out from her race, under-fuelled, performance declining and feeling completely out of control. She wanted sub-1:20. She ran 1:18.

If you've chosen the zone 5 life, this episode is for you.

📩 DM STRONG to @poppy.nfc to work with me inside NutriFit Coaching.

One of the biggest mistakes active women make isn’t training too much it’s fuelling the same while their training changes.

In this episode, we break down the real difference between fuelling for strength training, running, and high-intensity classes and why your nutrition needs to evolve as your training demand increases.

You’ll learn:

• why gym and running place different demands on the body
• how intensity and training level change your fuel needs
• why under-fuelling is one of the biggest drivers of burnout
• how to structure nutrition for fat loss without ruining performance
• practical food ideas to support your sessions

Because the goal isn’t to eat less.

It’s to fuel the work required.

If you're training hard but feeling tired, stuck, or constantly hungry this episode will help you understand exactly what your body needs and how to support it.

If this episode resonated with you, send me a message on Instagram @poppy.nfc with the word:

FUEL

And we'll start the conversation.

A lot of women who train hard feel stuck between two goals:

They want to perform well in training… but they also want to lean out.

And the advice online usually makes it sound like you have to choose one or the other.

Eat less and sacrifice performance… or fuel properly and accept gaining weight.

But the reality is that fat loss for active women just has to be approached differently.

In this episode, I break down how to approach fat loss while still supporting your training, recovery and long-term performance.

We cover:

• The biggest mistake active women make when trying to lean out
• Why increasing training while cutting calories often backfires
• How to estimate your baseline calorie needs
• How to create a small deficit without under-fueling
• Signs your deficit might be too aggressive
• Why recovery and energy availability matter for body composition

If you’re running, lifting, doing HYROX or training 4–6 times per week, this episode will help you understand how to improve body composition without sabotaging your performance.

Because fat loss for athletes isn’t about eating as little as possible.

It’s about fuelling the work required.

If you’re currently training hard but struggling to lean out without feeling exhausted, this is exactly what we help women do inside NutriFit Coaching.

Send me the word STRONG on Instagram @poppy.nfc if you want to learn more.

RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport) is often talked about in elite sport — but it’s quietly becoming more common in recreational athletes too.

In this episode, I break down why so many high-performing women drift into under-fuelling without realising it, especially when trying to balance running, strength training, work and everyday life.

You’ll hear why being lean and performing well is often a much finer line than social media makes it look, how increased training volume changes your body’s energy needs, and why many women end up stuck in the cycle of under-fuel → overtrain → burnout.

We’ll also cover:

• What RED-S actually is in simple terms
• Why it isn’t just about being “underweight”
• The role of energy availability and hormones
• Why stress fractures, fatigue and stalled performance often appear out of nowhere
• Early warning signs many women miss
• How to fuel training properly without sacrificing body composition

If you’re training hard but constantly feel tired, injured, or like your body is fighting against you, this episode will help you understand why — and what to do about it.

Because the goal isn’t just to train harder.

It’s to fuel the work required so your body can actually perform.

If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who trains hard and might need to hear it.

And if you’d like support balancing performance, recovery and body composition, you can message “STRONG” on Instagram at @poppy.nfc to find out more about NutriFit Coaching.

Still eating to one random calorie number every day… and wondering why your body feels flat, tired, or stuck?

In this episode of Fuelled Female, I’m breaking down exactly how active women should be calculating their calories — whether your goal is performance, fat loss, or both.

Because the truth is… most high-performing women aren’t lacking discipline.

They’re under-fuelling for the work they’re asking their body to do.

Inside this episode, I walk you through the NutriFit framework so you can finally understand:

✨ How to estimate your true calorie baseline
✨ Why one fixed calorie target often backfires
✨ How to fuel properly for different training days
✨ What changes when fat loss is the goal
✨ Why aggressive deficits often stall progress in active women
✨ The exact way to apply a small, controlled deficit without tanking performance

You’ll leave this episode with a much clearer idea of what your calories might need to look like across the week — and why structure beats guesswork every single time.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything right but still not seeing the return… this one is for you.

DM me STRONG on Instagram @poppy.nfc
Or join the women inside Fuel Her Fire — where we build performance bodies with real strategy, structure, and accountability behind them.

📩 Want support applying this to your body and training?

What if the reason your body isn’t changing… isn’t because you need to do more — but because your body is under-fuelled for the work you’re asking it to do?

In this bonus episode, I walk you through Hannah’s 12-week transformation — a high-performing, Type A woman who was training hard, eating “clean,” and still feeling stuck in a body that felt puffy, tired, and frustrating.

Together, we did the opposite of what diet culture would suggest.

We:

• increased her calories

• reduced unnecessary training stress

• improved fuelling around sessions

• and rebuilt structure from the ground up

The result? Stronger runs, better gym performance, improved food relationship, and a visibly leaner physique — without the scale dramatically dropping.

Inside this episode, you’ll learn:

✨ Why eating like you’re dieting while training like an athlete backfires
✨ What actually happens physiologically when women under-fuel
✨ How reverse dieting works in the real world
✨ The signs your body is under-supported (even if you’re “eating well”)
✨ Why structure — not restriction — is the real lever for performance and physique

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything right but still not seeing the return… this one is for you.

DM me STRONG on Instagram @poppy.nfc
Or join the women inside Fuel Her Fire — where we focus on fuelling properly, training with intention, and building bodies that actually feel good to live in.

📩 Want support?

You’re training more than ever.
Lifting. Running. HYROX. Busy job. Full life.

You’re not dieting.
You’re not out of control.
On paper, you’re “fuelling right.”

So why does your body feel like it’s drifting?

In this episode, I’m talking about something I’m seeing more and more in hybrid women — the quiet shift that happens when training volume goes up and eating becomes reactive instead of intentional.

We cover:

– Why hard training increases appetite (and why that’s normal)
– How stress + glycogen demand changes cravings
– The “run = treat” habit loop
– Food freedom vs mindlessness
– What transactional eating actually does to your body
– Why you can feel like you’re doing everything right… and still feel puffy or off

This isn’t about restriction.
It’s about awareness.

Because once you understand the drift, you can adjust without spiralling.

If this hits, share it with a friend who’s training hard and quietly confused.

And if you want help making your fuelling feel intentional — without obsessively tracking — message me “FUEL” on Instagram @poppy.nfc and tell me what your training week looks like.

You don’t need more discipline.
You need better structure.

Electrolytes are everywhere right now — but do you actually need them?

In this episode, we break down:

• what electrolytes actually do
• the difference between hydration for health vs performance
• why low sodium can mimic fatigue and flatness
• how electrolyte imbalance affects scale weight, puffiness and appetite
• who genuinely benefits from daily supplementation
• when you’re just buying expensive salt

If you train hard, sweat heavily, or feel flat despite “doing everything right,” this conversation will change how you think about hydration.

Context > trends.

@poppy.nfc on instagram, come say hi!

ps: new microphone and i dont think ive quite got the hang of it so bare with me girls xxx

We don’t talk about this enough.

Not the kind of rest that comes from quitting or avoiding training but the kind that actually protects progress.

In this episode, I break down why I took an unplanned rest day this week, how I knew it was the right call, and why pushing through fatigue often backfires later.

We talk about:

• The difference between laziness and accumulated fatigue

• Why performance doesn’t break suddenly — it erodes quietly

• Muscular fatigue vs nervous system fatigue (and how to tell the difference)

• Stress accumulation, recovery debt, and why adaptation only happens after stress

• How one intentional pause can save you from multiple missed sessions later

If you train hard, hold yourself to high standards, and feel guilty for slowing down — this episode is for you.

Because listening to your body isn’t losing momentum.
It’s how you protect it.

🎧 Available now on the Fuelled Female Podcast

https://www.instagram.com/poppy.nfc/

You can eat the right foods, follow the right advice, and still end up underfuelled.

In this bonus episode, I break down a real training day where I did exactly what I coach — and still got it wrong.

We revisit energy availability (in plain English), why timing matters just as much as food choice, and how one small mismatch can lead to hunger, fatigue, overeating later in the day, and that frustrating feeling of “I’m doing everything right but something’s off.”

If you train hard, juggle strength, running, or hybrid sessions, and feel flat despite fuelling “well” — this episode will help you finally understand what’s happening inside your body.

This isn’t about eating more blindly.
It’s about eating with intent — for the work required.

You’ve been told to eat more to fuel your training…
But instead you’ve gained weight, felt puffier, more inflamed, and more frustrated — and now you’re questioning whether this actually works for you.

In this episode, I break down why eating more isn’t always the solution — and why eating properly is.

We dive into:

• What energy availability actually means (in plain English)

• Why you can eat high calories and still be under-fuelled

• How training hard on high protein + fats (but low carbs) backfires

• The different ways under-fuelling shows up — timing, distribution, macros, recovery

• Why calorie banking at the weekend keeps women stuck

• What “fuel for the work required” really means — and why not every day should be fuelled the same

If you’ve ever thought:

• “I tried eating more and felt worse”

• “My body just doesn’t respond like other people’s”

• “I train hard but still feel flat, puffy, or exhausted”

This episode will help you understand what’s actually going on physiologically — without fear, shame, or restriction.

You’re not broken.
You don’t need to eat blindly.
You just need the right fuel, at the right time, for the work you’re doing.

So many women train hard, eat “well,” stay consistent…
and still finish a 12-week block feeling frustrated, flat, or disappointed.

This episode is about why.

In this honest, tough-love but supportive conversation, I break down what 12 weeks of focused training and fuelling actually looks like — not the Instagram highlight reel version, but the real physiological and psychological process your body goes through when change is actually happening.

We talk about:

• Why 12-week programmes have been wildly mis-sold

• The unrealistic expectations women have going into a block (and why they quit early)

• The two camps I see women fall into:

  • Those doing a lot right but mismatching fuel and training

  • Those who think they committed… but didn’t fully follow the process

• Why under-fuelling mid-week and over-fueling at weekends keeps you stuck

• How low energy availability, water retention, and “protection mode” sabotage results

• Why progress feels boring before it looks impressive

• The difference between punishment and prioritisation

• Why structure beats motivation every single time

This episode isn’t about doing more.
It’s about doing the right things, in the right order, for long enough to let your body adapt.

If you’ve ever:

• Quit a plan when the scale went up

• Felt like your body was “working against you”

• Wondered if it’s your genetics, hormones, or discipline

• Or felt stuck in the loop of restarting instead of progressing

This episode will help you connect the dots.

You’re not broken.
You’re not lazy.
You just deserve a strategy that actually matches the effort you’re putting in.

How to Fuel When You Train Hard (Without Losing Performance)

If you listened to “Why You’re Doing All the Right Things and Still Not Seeing Results” and thought,
“Okay… that’s me. But what do I actually DO?” — this episode is for you.

This is the how.

Not a diet.
Not a reset.
And definitely not another “eat less, move more” plan that ignores how hard you actually train.

This episode is for the woman who:

• trains 4–6+ times per week

• loves running, lifting, classes, HYROX, endurance

• refuses to give up training just to be lean

• but is frustrated that her body doesn’t reflect the effort she’s putting in

In this episode, I break down the exact nutrition framework I use with high-training women who want:

• less puffiness

• more muscle definition

• better recovery

• stable energy

• and a physique that actually looks like they train

without sacrificing performance.

We cover:

• why chasing a calorie deficit is usually the wrong first move

• how to find your true maintenance (and why it changes everything)

• why protein isn’t the problem — and what actually is

• how to fuel carbs with intention instead of fear

• why training quality beats training volume every time

• the real role stress plays in blocking physique changes

• and how eating more strategically often improves body composition

This is not about getting shredded.
It’s about fuelling like an athlete — not a dieter — and matching your nutrition to the work you’re already doing.

If this episode connects the dots for you, it’s a sign you’re not broken, lazy, or undisciplined.
You’re just applying diet-culture rules to a high-performing body.

🎧 Listen in, save it, and share it with the girl who trains harder than anyone you know — but still feels stuck.

If you want help applying this properly to your training, schedule, and goals, you can DM me on Instagram @poppy.nfc or join my free Female WhatsApp group via the link in my bio.

You train hard.
You eat well.
You’re consistent.

So why does it feel like your body isn’t changing — or even going backwards?

In this episode, I’m breaking down why doing “all the right things” on paper doesn’t always lead to results when you’re a high-training woman.

We talk about:

• Why move more, eat less has a threshold

• What actually happens when training volume stays high but fuel drops

• Low energy availability, inflammation & stalled progress (without the jargon)

• Why performance and physique don’t always peak at the same time

• And why this isn’t a discipline or motivation issue

If you love training, don’t want to stop, but want your body to reflect the effort you put in — this episode will give you clarity, relief, and a new way to think about progress.

This isn’t about doing more.
It’s about doing the right things for the body you’re asking to perform.

If this hit home then message me on instagram @poppy.nfc or join my free whatsapp group for females who train hard for weekly tips and tricks

January isn’t hard because you’re unmotivated.
It’s hard because most women start it already depleted.

Less sleep.More food.More socialising.No routine.

Yet we expect ourselves to suddenly train hard, eat perfectly, and “get our life together” overnight.

In this episode, I’m breaking down:

• Why January feels heavier than expected

• Why motivation isn’t the problem

• How to rebuild routine without burning out

• And how I personally approach January as a high-performing woman

If you’re feeling flat, hesitant, or not ready to “go all in” yet — this episode will help you reset properly.

Join my 25-Day Reset, by messaging me on instagram @poppy.nfc.

🎧 Listen now and start January in a way that actually sticks.

If you’re listening to this in the strange in-between week after Christmas, feeling a bit off-rhythm, ungrounded, and not quite ready to go full January mode, this episode is for you.

In this episode, I’m sharing how I approach the week between Christmas and New Year as a foundation week, not a transformation week.

We talk about:

• Why January is often set up for failure

• The two types of people this week creates (and why both burn out)

• Why you don’t need motivation right now — you need grounding

• The 5 simple anchors I use to re-enter routine without pressure

• How to reflect on the year without overplanning or overwhelm

• Why I plan in themes, quarters, and energy — not rigid goals

• The mindset shift that stopped me “restarting” every January

This episode is for high-achieving women who are tired of:

• New Year, new me energy

• Overplanning and under-actioning

• Burning out before January even begins

You’re not behind.
This week isn’t about fixing yourself.
It’s about re-entry.

🎧 Listen now and take what you need. Message me on instagram @poppy.nfc for the reflection pdf

Why You’re Gaining Weight While Running More (And How to Fix It Without Stopping Running)

If you’ve increased your mileage, started training for a race, or added more running into your week…
and instead of feeling leaner or fitter you feel puffier, heavier, more inflamed, and more tired — this episode is for you.

This isn’t a discipline problem.
And it’s definitely not because running “makes you gain weight.”

In this episode, I break down:

• Why running is a stressor (and why that matters for female bodies)

• How under-fueling + high training load triggers water retention, inflammation, and muscle breakdown

• The difference between fat gain and a stress response

• Why eating “clean” but not fuelling properly backfires

• Which runs actually need carbs (and which don’t)

• Why fasted running and low-carb training creates hormone chaos

• How strength training protects your physique while running

• How to fuel smarter across your cycle — without doing less

If you want to run faster, feel lighter, reduce bloating, and keep your shape, this episode will help you understand what your body is actually asking for — and how to respond without fear.

You don’t need to run less.
You just need to run smarter.

Message me on instagram @poppy.nfc for the RUN guide or to join my free whatsapp group!

This episode is for every woman who struggles with December the pressure, the break in routine, the food guilt, the fear of losing progress, and the overwhelm of trying to “stay on it” while also wanting to enjoy life.

I’m sharing my honest experience of what December used to look like for me: the restriction, the avoidance, the anxiety around food and missed workouts… and the journey that’s allowed me to finally breathe, enjoy the season, and trust myself.

You’ll learn the difference between overindulging because you’ve mentally checked out vs. enjoying memories without guilt.
You’ll understand why 70% consistency in December is often healthier than 100% perfection.
You’ll hear how to navigate social plans, flexible routines, digestion shifts, tiredness, sleep loss, spontaneous nights out — without feeling like you’ve ruined everything.

If you’re a type-A girly who loves routine and struggles when life gets messy… this episode will genuinely help you step into the festive season with more confidence, less pressure, and a mindset that supports you, not punishes you.

🎧 Listen now to learn how to ride the wave instead of letting it crush you — and why maintenance, not perfection, is the real win this month.

In this episode, I’m breaking down what actually gets you results in the gym — the truth most women never get told.
If you’ve been training hard but not seeing the physical changes you want, it’s not your discipline. It’s your strategy.

We cover:

• Build vs. cut phases (and why most women skip the build)

• Why training has to match your goals

• The real glute-growth formula

• Reps, sets, rest, tempo & progressive overload — made simple

• Why you’re plateauing (and how to fix it)

• How to fuel for a strong, aesthetic physique

• Your 2026 physique blueprint

If you want to transform your physique in 2026, my 12-week hybrid program “Fuel Her Fire” launches January 19th.
It’s designed for women who want to get stronger, fitter and finally see results — without the cost of 1:1 coaching.

Message me on Instagram @poppy.nfc to join the waitlist.

If you train hard but have PCOS, you’ve probably been given advice that feels completely at odds with your lifestyle — cut carbs, reduce stress, eat “clean,” and keep everything low and slow.

But here’s the truth:
Most PCOS advice is built on sedentary women… not women who lift, run, do Hyrox, or train like athletes.

In this episode, Poppy breaks down why the traditional PCOS guidelines often make active women feel worse — heavy legs, brain fog, no cycle, glucose spikes, hair shedding, burnout — and how the real issue is very often under-fuelling, not PCOS “getting worse.”

You’ll learn:

• Why active women need carbs (especially with PCOS)

• How RED-S shows up in women who think they’re “doing everything right”

• Why glucose spikes happen when you’re under-fuelled

• How to use carb periodisation for performance and hormonal stability

• The supplements that actually help

• Signs your PCOS symptoms are really low energy availability

If you’ve ever felt confused, broken, or like your body is working against you — this episode will make everything click.

✨ Want my PCOS Performance Cheat Sheet?
DM me PCOS on Instagram @poppy.nfc or join the free female WhatsApp group for support, recipes, and performance-based education.

This week, I’m talking about the part of endurance training that no one prepares you for: what happens after the race is done.
Not the taper, not the fueling, not the pre-race panic… but the weird little void your body and brain fall into once the adrenaline fades, the soreness hits and suddenly you don’t have a next goal lined up.

Two days after my 56km ultra, I’m bloated, inflamed, exhausted and honestly? Walking to the coffee shop feels like a workout. But this chapter has taught me more than any training block ever has — including why we panic post-race, why identity feels strange without structure, and why rest is actually the hardest but most important part of the process.

If you’ve ever finished a race, a fat loss phase or a big goal and felt lost, empty or under pressure to “jump into the next thing”… this episode is for you.

We talk about:• why the ultra took me somewhere a marathon never has• bouncing back quickly vs. letting the body fully switch off• the post-race identity crash no one talks about• how to reflect instead of panic• and what my next phase actually looks like (strength, consistency, social runs, routine)

This is your reminder that rest is productive, reflection is powerful and your next chapter doesn’t need to be harder — it just needs to support the woman you’re becoming.

Reach out if you loved the episode or have any questions, I love chatting to new people each week - @poppy.nfc on instagram

This week, we’re diving into one of the most misunderstood topics in female health: birth control.

In a world that celebrates “natural cycles” and cycle syncing, it’s easy to feel lost — or even guilty — if you’re on the pill, coil, implant, or injection. But birth control isn’t the enemy. It’s a tool — one that gives women choice, freedom, and control over their bodies.

In this episode, I unpack how different types of birth control actually work, how they affect your training, recovery, and hormones, and most importantly — how to support your body while using them.

You’ll learn:

• How hormonal and non-hormonal contraception works

• The difference between the combined pill, mini pill, IUDs, implants & injections

• How birth control can influence strength, recovery, and mood

• Nutrition and lifestyle strategies to feel strong, not flat

• Why understanding your physiology matters more than ever

Because you don’t need to come off birth control to feel empowered.
You just need to understand your body and work with it.

In this episode, I break down what creatine actually is, how it works, and why every woman who trains hard, runs, lifts, or just wants to feel sharper should be taking it.

We’ll cover:💥 What creatine does in your body🧠 The benefits for strength, performance and brain health👩‍🔬 Why women benefit from it even more than men🥤 How to take it (and when)🚫 Why it won’t make you bulky, plus what it actually takes to build size

I also share my own experience with creatine, how it changed my recovery, my gym performance, and even my focus throughout the day.

If you’ve ever been scared of “supplements” or confused by conflicting advice online, this one’s for you.

If you have any question message me on instagram @poppy.nfc or join my free female whatsapp group

Most women go through 400+ cycles in their lifetime — and yet, no one ever really teaches us how it works.

In this episode, I break down the menstrual cycle phase by phase — what’s happening hormonally, how it impacts your training, recovery, mood, and nutrition — and how to finally work with your body instead of fighting against it.

You’ll learn:
✨ The four phases of your cycle and how they affect energy, hunger, and focus
💪 How to adapt training and nutrition across each phase
🧘‍♀️ Why “listening to your body” actually works — when you know what it’s saying
🌿 How stress, caffeine, alcohol, and inflammation can disrupt your cycle
💊 Supplements and recovery tools that support hormonal balance

Whether you’re an athlete, a busy professional, or just want to feel more in tune with your body — this episode will help you understand how to train, fuel, and recover like a woman.

Follow me on instagram @poppy.nfc and message if you have any questions regarding this topic!