News & Notes 📰
Upcoming schedule changes:
- Friday 3/14: There will be NO 4:30 pm Open Gym or regular evening classes as we’ll be running Friday Night Lights to complete the weekly Open workouts.
A Big Farewell (But Not Goodbye) to Coach Laurin 💚
It is with a heavy heart that we share our beloved Coach Laurin is moving to Atlanta. Laurin has been part of our community since 2018 and started coaching shortly after. She’s more than just a coach—she’s a friend, a motivator, and someone who has shared in our highs and lows, making us laugh, pushing us to be better, and even shedding a few tears with us along the way. She has poured so much into this community, and while we are sad to see her go, we are excited for this next chapter in her life.
The good news? Laurin isn’t completely leaving us! She will still be running our social media (so keep the #frenemy posts coming!) and since her daughters and grandson are here, she’ll be visiting often. When she’s back in town, we may see her pop up on the coaching schedule from time to time.
To celebrate everything she’s done for CFLKW, our upcoming FNL Pizza Party is now also a Going Away Party for Laurin! 🎉 We hope everyone can come out, enjoy some pizza, and give her the send-off she deserves.
With Laurin’s departure, you’ll see more of our current coaches stepping in to cover her classes, and you’ll even spot Alie on the schedule. We are also looking to bring on an experienced full-time coach (current L2 or close to L3) to keep growing our coaching team, but we are in no hurry as finding the right person will take some time.
Laurin’s last official coaching day will be Friday, March 21—let’s make these next two weeks extra special for her! ❤️
Friday Night Lights Recap – Week 2 🔥
Another incredible night in the books! We had 35 athletes take on 25.2, which means 35 judges stepped up to make it happen. Huge shoutout to Coach Micah for running the mic most of the night, with Nikki backing him up—these two kept the energy high and the night running smoothly!
Everyone showed up on time, got warmed up, and brought the hype. The gym was buzzing with excitement, and as Micah put it, “it smelled like effort in here” (yeah… we’ll just say that means y’all worked HARD).
🏆 Big wins of the night:
✔️ PRs were smashed
✔️ First pull-ups & chest-to-bar pull-ups achieved
✔️ Everyone left it all on the floor
Next week is our final Friday Night Lights event! Plan to stick around (or head out and come back) for our pizza party & Laurin’s going-away celebration. Let’s make this last one the best yet! 🍕🎉
Reminders for This Week:
✅ Log your 25.2 score online (for those officially registered) by Monday at 8 PM EST.
✅ Log your individual intramural points in PushPress by Monday, March 10. Go to Workouts > Scroll to March 10 > Change the dropdown at the top to your team > Enter your points.
Thursday Throwdown Recap – 25.2 💥
What. A. Night! We had a huge turnout of members, family, and friends who came to cheer on our athletes as they went head-to-head for 25.2. The energy was through the roof!
Our athletes were excited, nervous, and maybe even a little scared (lol), but they showed up, gave it their all, and every single one of them crushed it. Special shoutout to Christine for getting her first chest-to-bar pull-ups—such an awesome moment to witness!
Nikki and I had a blast making the fun cheer signs for each athlete—it was awesome to see everyone holding them up and bringing the energy! And of course, huge thanks to Bruce for capturing all the action with some amazing photos and this video.
We already can’t wait for next year’s Thursday Throwdown… who will step up next time? We’ll find out in 2026! 🔥
CrossFit Lake Wylie Intramural Open Team Standings
Greg’s team is currently in the lead, but things can change fast! Make sure you’re logging your points so your team gets the credit it deserves.
📢 How to Log Your Points:
- Go to Push Press > Workouts
- Select Monday, the 10th
- Change the drop-down at the top to your team
- Log your points!
🚨 IMPORTANT: This is NOT where you enter your 25.2 workout score! DO NOT put your number of reps here. Push Press explains exactly what points we’re looking for, so check the details before submitting.
Let’s keep it competitive—get those points in!
Bring a Friend Week is in TWO WEEKS! – Monday, March 24 – Saturday, March 29
CrossFit is fun but it’s more fun with friends. This is a whole week where you get to bring a friend or as many friends as you’d like so they get to experience CrossFit with you. They can come for free all week!
Don’t worry, we will make sure all the workouts this week are doable and not so technical for beginners (while still giving those of you with experience a challenge).
And for the exciting part…if your friend signs up for a membership you get $65 cash and your friend gets $65 off their first month! 🤩💵💰 If you want to give your friend $100 off instead, please reach out to Alie for a special $100 bill that you can give your friend!!
Please send your friends this link to sign up.
- You can invite as many friends as you’d like.
- They can come as much as they’d like.
- They don’t have to come to the same class as you.
Recent Member Wins 💪🏽🏆
- Meagan S. checked in to 100 classes!
- Jessica S. checked in to 10 classes!
- Kevin C. checked in to 25 classes!
- Jasmine M. checked in to 10 classes!
- Christine B. got her first chest-to-bar pull-ups!
- Ryan G. did his first rope climb!
We’re extremely proud of all these members for accomplishing great things!
*Remember to let a coach know if you hit a PR so we can highlight you each week. We know this is not an all-inclusive list of wins so be sure to share your wins with a coach so we can celebrate you!
Birthdays this Week 🥳
- 3/15 Jagadish K.
CrossFit Lake Wylie Anniversaries 🤩
- 3/15 Dawn C. – 3 years
- 3/15 Daniela P. – 2 years
Nutrition & Wellness 🥑🧘🏽♀️🛌
Protein: The Weight Loss Pill You Can Eat
When it comes to weight loss, there is no magic pill. However, protein comes pretty close. Often referred to as the building block of life, protein plays a crucial role in various bodily functions, from muscle repair to hormone production. But did you know that protein can also be your secret weapon for weight loss? Here’s why protein is the ultimate nutrient to include in your diet if you’re looking to shed some pounds.
How Protein Aids Weight Loss
- Increases Satiety: Protein-rich foods take longer to digest than carbohydrates and fats, which means they keep you feeling full for a longer period. This helps reduce overall calorie intake by curbing hunger and preventing overeating.
- Boosts Metabolism: The thermic effect of food (TEF) is the energy required to digest, absorb, and metabolize nutrients. Protein has a higher TEF compared to carbs and fats, meaning your body burns more calories processing protein-rich foods. This boosts your metabolism and aids in weight loss.
- Preserves Lean Muscle Mass: During weight loss, it’s essential to maintain lean muscle mass to keep your metabolism active. Protein supports muscle repair and growth, ensuring that you lose fat while preserving muscle.
- Reduces Cravings: Protein can help reduce cravings and late-night snacking by stabilizing blood sugar levels and increasing the production of appetite-regulating hormones.
Best Sources of Protein
Incorporating a variety of protein sources into your diet ensures you get all the essential amino acids your body needs. Here are some excellent protein sources:
- Lean Meats: Chicken, turkey, and lean cuts of beef and pork
- Seafood: Salmon, tuna, shrimp, and other fish and shellfish
- Dairy Products: Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and milk
- Eggs: Whole eggs and egg whites
- Plant-Based Proteins: Beans, lentils, chickpeas, tofu, tempeh, and edamame
- Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, chia seeds, and hemp seeds
- Protein Supplements: Whey, casein, and plant-based protein powders
How Much Protein Do You Need?
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein is approximately 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight for the average adult. However, if you’re actively trying to lose weight and maintain muscle mass, you may need more—around 1.2 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight. It’s essential to tailor your protein intake to your individual needs and activity level.
Incorporating Protein into Your Diet
To reap the weight loss benefits of protein, aim to include a source of protein in every meal and snack. Here are some ideas:
- Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with spinach and whole-grain toast or a Greek yogurt parfait with berries and nuts.
- Lunch: Grilled chicken salad with mixed greens and a variety of colorful vegetables or a quinoa and black bean bowl with avocado and salsa.
- Dinner: Baked salmon with steamed broccoli and sweet potato or a tofu stir-fry with bell peppers and snap peas.
- Snacks: Hard-boiled eggs, hummus with carrot sticks, or a protein shake with your favorite fruits.
While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for weight loss, protein can be a powerful ally in your journey. By increasing satiety, boosting metabolism, preserving lean muscle mass, and reducing cravings, protein helps create a sustainable and effective weight loss plan. Remember to pair your protein with regular exercise, adequate hydration, and a balanced intake of other essential macro and micro nutrients.
So, the next time you’re looking for a weight loss “pill,” reach for a protein-rich snack instead. Your body will thank you for it!
Make it a great week!
— Coach TJ
Tell Me About CrossFit 📚👩🏻🏫
CrossFit is constantly varied, functional movement executed at high intensity.
Why Hitting the Workout’s Intended Stimulus Matters
In CrossFit, the goal isn’t just to do a workout as prescribed (Rx)—it’s to hit the intended stimulus. That means performing the workout within the right time frame, rep scheme, or intensity to target the correct energy system.
If a workout is designed to be a sprint but you go too heavy or take long breaks, you shift from the anaerobic system (short, intense effort) to the aerobic system (long, sustained effort). CrossFit focuses on developing anaerobic capacity because it builds strength, speed, and power—key for improving overall fitness.
Scaling isn’t about making a workout easier; it’s about making it effective. If you’re grinding through singles in a workout meant to be done in quick sets, you’re missing the point. Choose a weight or movement that lets you stay in the intended range, and you’ll get far more out of your training.
Programming Summary 🏋🏽♂️
Monday: Today you’ll take on sprint efforts on the bike, followed immediately by 6 minutes to build to a heavy 3-rep shoulder-to-overhead.
Intended stimulus:
- Sprint efforts on the bike.
- Aim for 7-15+ calories in each interval.
- 3-5 shoulder-to-overhead attempts with :60-:90 rest between.
Tuesday: Each round in today’s workout contains some higher-skill movements but at a lower volume. We’re doing a triplet of chest-to-bar pull-ups, double-unders, and front squats. Before the workout we’re doing 3 sets of 5 front squats building to a heavy set.
Intended stimulus:
- 6-10 rounds.
- 30+ total pull-ups and front squats; unbroken sets of each.
- Double-unders in :30 or less each effort.
Wednesday: Our workout today is a combination of Russian KB swings and handstand push-ups that will challenge your upper-body stamina.
Intended stimulus:
- Finish in 5:00-9:00.
- Kettlebell swings in :90 or less and 1-2 sets.
- Handstand push-ups in 1:00-1:15 and 1-2 sets.
- Volume should be something you can complete in an unbroken set.
Thursday: Today you and a partner will take on a toes-to-bar and running couplet!
Intended stimulus:
- Finish in 12:00-16:00.
- Each round in 4:00 or less.
- Scale toes-to-bar variation and run distance as needed to meet this time domain.
Friday: Open 25.3
Intended stimulus:
- TBD
Saturday: Something fun, partner option optional!
No single workout can develop all aspects of fitness and training different time domains helps develop different metabolic pathways. That’s why CrossFit workouts vary daily.
Effectively harnessing elements of variance is key to developing a broad fitness. Keep showing up so you can be the best and fittest version of yourself! 😎
Upcoming Events 📆
CrossFit Open 2025!!
Below are the key dates to keep in mind in regard to the 2025 CrossFit Open. We will provide more information soon on what this is, how we do it at CrossFit Lake Wylie and everything else you need to know!!
- March 13 – 25.3 Workout Announcement
Bring a Friend Week – Monday, March 24 – Saturday, March 29
CrossFit is fun but it’s more fun with friends. This is a whole week where you get to bring a friend or as many friends as you’d like so they get to experience CrossFit with you. They can come for free all week!
Don’t worry, we will make sure all the workouts this week are doable and not so technical for beginners (while still giving those of you with experience a challenge).
And for the exciting part…if your friend signs up for a membership you get $65 cash and your friend gets $65 off their first month! 🤩💵💰 If you want to give your friend $100 off instead, please reach out to Alie for a special $100 bill that you can give your friend!!
Please send your friends this link to sign up.
- You can invite as many friends as you’d like.
- They can come as much as they’d like.
- They don’t have to come to the same class as you.
- Once your friends sign up we will send them instructions on how to reserve and check in to classes.
🏋️ Save the Date: Ryze Above Fitness Fundraiser – Date TBD! 🏋️
Mark your calendars! Sometime in April or May, we’re hosting our first-ever fundraising event at CFLKW to support Ryze Above Fitness—a great cause helping make fitness accessible to more people.
This will be a fun and friendly competition with divisions for everyone:
✅ RX – Bring your A-game
✅ Scaled – A challenging but approachable option
✅ Fun For All – No pressure, just a good time!
Whether you’re here to compete, cheer, or just be part of something bigger, we want everyone involved. Stay tuned for more details, but for now—save the date and get ready to throw down for a good cause! 💪🔥
🥾 MammothMarch 20-Mile Hike! 🥾 – Saturday, May 10 @ 7:45 am
Let’s kick off 2025 with an adventure! Coach Greg, Jesse B., and Ben D. are taking on the MammothMarch 20-Mile Hike at Kings Mountain State Park – and they want YOU to join them!
This epic hike is a chance to push yourself, enjoy the great outdoors, and bond with your fellow CFLKW members. Don’t worry if you’re new to hiking – all levels are welcome and encouraged!
🌟 Details:
📅 Event Date: Saturday, May 10 @ 7:45 am
📍 Location: Kings Mountain State Park, 1020 Apple Rd, Blacksburg, SC 29702
🎟️ Tickets & Info: Get your ticket here
Greg, Jesse, and Ben will also host shorter rucks and hikes leading up to the event, so you can train and prepare together.
👉 Interested? Let Coach Greg know, and check out the event page on FB for more details. Let’s tackle this challenge as a team and start the year with an unforgettable adventure!
Member Perks 🤩
Being a member of CrossFit Lake Wylie has it’s perks and here are all the discounts and benefits you get for being part of our gym family!
- Get 15% off at Thorne. You can get anything from prenatal vitamins and probiotics to creatine, whey protein, health tests and so many other high quality supplements.
- Save 30% on your CrossFit Lake Wylie membership by using your HSA/FSA dollars to pay for your CrossFit Lake Wylie membership.
- Get 10% off at Inov8 – use code CFLAKEWYLIE at check out. They offer everything from barefoot training shoes and lifters to running shoes and more, including the F-Fly shoe, perfect for CrossFit with its lightweight feel and wide toe box.
- Get 10% off a GOWOD Premium subscription. Get in touch with one of our coaches! Our partnership with GOWOD will enable you to receive a subscription link that will save you 10% on your subscription!
- $1 per minute massages with James Jones from Zenergy Massage Therapy ($60/60 mins or $90/90 mins). Just let him know you’re a member of CrossFit Lake Wylie and show him your active membership in PushPress (click Memberships in the PushPress app). Text (803) 526-3550 or book your appointment here.
- Get $10 off your first bag of Modballs clean energy bites – use code CFLW at check out. They have two flavors, almond coconut and peanut butter, which has been described as a healthy Reese’s Pieces. 😋
- Save $$ and help our community grow. Check out our Referral Program and thank you for your support.
- Check in at least 16 times (12 for Masters) a month and you make it to our Committed Club! If you make it each month your name goes in the monthly drawing for a prize.
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” — Proverbs 27:17
