Serene Strong
I have trialled numerous “meal prep” companies in the past but none match the quality and vibrancy of Poke.
As a nutritionist and trainer, I appreciate the importance of natural, quality food to support an active lifestyle and in addition, Poke has made healthy eating enjoyable again – the chef-inspired menu means that every meal is truly delicious!
Each is created in accordance with individual preferences/dietary needs to support personal goals without the stress and confusion.
Poke has allowed me to stay in shape, and enjoy doing it!
If you’re looking for a nutrition solution – to improve health, to meet your macros, to re-invigorate your eating habits or simply save precious time – I encourage you to give them a try too!
Who Am I?
I have been involved in the fitness industry since I fell in love with lifting weights in 2010. Within a couple of years, at the age of 23, I had gained my Personal Training certifications and bought the local gym…which remains to be the most challenging job I’ve ever taken on! As time went on, I became incredibly passionate about improving my fitness and changing my body shape to increase my confidence and begin to love the skin I was in. But it wasn’t until I started to change my eating habits that things really stepped up – and then I became obsessed with learning about nutrition too! I went on to compete in 15 sports contests – including figure competitions (Bodybuilding), Powerlifting and Strongwoman – and earned numerous medals and trophies with my proudest being awarded silver at European level in Powerlifting.
After completing my nutrition qualification, I moved my business from the gym floor to online, as a holistic wellness coach, helping people to change their bodies (and mindset) in a healthy and sustainable way. I absolutely adore my job because it allows me to guide and support people on their journey to achieving their goals, and help them build self-confidence/find happiness in the process. Setting up online means I get to work with clients all over the world, which is pretty amazing!
I am hoping to add to my university degrees, and continue to follow my passions, by embarking on a health-centred PhD in the coming years.
For now though, I’ve got plenty to focus on – and I’m incredibly excited to work alongside, and endorse, Poke Food.
Get on touch with Serene on Instagram or Facebook.
“Serene created a nutrition plan for me a while ago which I really enjoyed. She takes into account what you prefer eating and rules out what you dislike to make it feel like a sustainable plan instead of a short term “diet”. Throughout the weeks she answered all my questions rapidly, and explained everything with good detail.
Serene has experience in different fitness types which makes her knowledge extra trustworthy. I would definitely reach out to her again if I needed to”
“I started a 12 week nutrition and exercise program with Serene towards the end of last year. This was all done over email as I live in London. I found the process very easy and flexible from the start – in the initial consultation she took into account not only what I wanted to change with my body but what equipment I had available, how many days a week I could get to the gym, any financial restraints and most importantly the fact I’m Vegetarian but needed a high protein diet. It was a big change and I struggled to start with, but Serene was great at messaging back within hours and giving me support, and working in foods I was missing into my plan. I can see the change in my body but I have also kept up with the eating and training weeks after my plan ended.”
“Absolutely recommend Serene. I have been working with her for just over a year. In that time I have lost weight, my body shape has changed and I feel stronger both in mind and body – better than I have felt in years. Not bad for someone in their late 50s!”
“Before I started working with Serene I was unhappy with the way I looked but had a generally reasonable level of fitness and ate fairly well, or so I thought. I bit the bullet and I signed up to the 12 week online plan. She shook up my diet and I was eating more than I had previously but the right things at the right time, there were loads of variety and I really liked the options. Within 12 weeks, I lost 7kg however the most important bit to me was that my habits have changed. I still stick to the plan and I am still going strong with the weight loss. I don’t crave sweets, I have loads of energy, loads of confidence and I am feeling fabulous – and I am still enjoying the results (currently 10kg down). Serene was there every week for me with advice and encouragement and if I was having a mid week panic she was there with the best advice.”
“I’ve been working with Serene for about 5 months now after following her on Facebook for a little while. I have tried every diet in the book at least twice and also other PT’s who I found completely unrelatable and actually made me feel ashamed of my behaviour around food.
I found myself in a situation where I was so unhappy with everything about myself and knew something had to change.
I had reached the point where I didn’t actually know how to eat anymore, should I calorie count, count macros, eat speed food, only eat carbs after exercise? I was well and truly lost and found myself in a pattern of binge, starve, repeat and I was at my heaviest ever.
I had a goal in mind when I started this process and as I’m sure many others have it was whole heartedly weight related, I wanted to lose 20kg and I thought the numbers on the scales, or seeing them go down would be my only motivating factor, I have to say I was very wrong.
Right from the start Serene got to grips with me as a person, she listened and understood just how complicated I had made my relationship with food and exercise and slowly helped me to strip it all back and start again. She was never judgemental and I never felt ashamed or disappointed if I happened to have what I thought was a crap week.
Those crap weeks I soon learnt with Serene’s support were part of me and actually I didn’t want or need to stop them, those office buffets you can’t dodge or that crazy night out with mates that leads to kebab or even life events that just mean you can’t eat as sensibly as you’d like on that day all make up parts of me I actually liked so I found myself asking why have I been trying to change it for so many years?
This was the light bulb moment for me, stop trying to change the things you actually like doing, embrace them but make adaptions outside of these times to still reach your goals.
Weight loss each week was no longer my motivating factor, energy levels and feeling happy were.
So 5 months in, my initial goal of losing 20kg is still a good 10kg away but you know what I don’t give a damn, I know it will come because I’m no longer stressed about my weight, its coming off slowly but surely with very little actual effort now.
I am happy again, I get compliments about how well I look, how blue my eyes have suddenly become again and comments about my endless amounts of energy.
I’ve done this just from working on mindset really, whilst I have exercised with plans provided it has not been by any means to excess and yes Serene gave me guidance on rough calories / macros to get to my goals but it wasn’t a huge focus and I didn’t obsess about the numbers. I’ve learnt what to put on my plate to feel satisfied, full of energy and still get a steady loss without feeling so deprived I fall off the wagon all the time.
I can’t thank Serene enough, this process has been life changing for me and I’m excited for what the future now holds and what I can achieve, maybe a six pack one day, who knows!”