AOTM - Brittany Yannuzzi

THE PROTEIN HABIT CHALLENGE 3 Weeks • Simple • Flexible • Inclusive Nutrition doesn’t need to be complicated to be effective. That’s why we’re running the Protein Habit Challenge, a three-week, flexible and inclusive way to build one powerful habit: eating protein consistently. There’s no food scale, no macro tracking, and no pressure to be perfect. The focus is on showing up, doing your best, and building momentum. The Core Goal The goal of this challenge is simple: build the habit of eating protein at meals. Protein supports strength, recovery, muscle, metabolism, and energy, yet many people under-eat it without realizing. Instead of tracking grams or logging every bite, this challenge emphasizes consistency over precision. You earn points for eating protein at meals, increasing intake toward a simple target, and showing up consistently. You are not penalized for smaller portions, skipping snacks, or being new to nutrition. You earn points for: Eating protein at meals Increasing intake toward a simple target Showing up consistently You are not penalized for: Smaller portions Skipping snacks Being new to nutrition HOW PROTEIN IS MEASURED (NO GRAMS) We use hand portions, not numbers. FULL PROTEIN SERVING Women: 1 palm-sized portion of protein OR 1 scoop protein powder OR 1 cup Greek yogurt / cottage cheese OR 3 eggs OR plant-based options (see below) Men: 1.5–2 palm-sized portions of protein OR 1.5–2 scoops protein powder OR 1.5 cups Greek yogurt / cottage cheese OR 4–5 eggs OR plant-based options (see below) PLANT-BASED PROTEIN OPTIONS (VEGAN & VEGETARIAN) These count exactly the same as animal protein: 1 Full Protein Serving ≈ 1 block (3–4 oz) tofu or tempeh 1 cup cooked lentils, chickpeas, or black beans 1 cup edamame 1.5 cups high-protein pasta or quinoa 1 plant-based protein shake (≥20g protein) Mixing sources (beans + grains) absolutely counts. DAILY POINT SYSTEM (MAX 10 POINTS/DAY) MEALS (3 PER DAY) Per meal: 2 points → Meal includes some protein (about ½ serving) 3 points → Meal includes a full protein serving Max from meals = 9 points/day SNACKS (OPTIONAL BONUS) +0.5 points → Protein snack (½ serving) +1 point → Full protein snack Snacks are never required. DAILY CAP Max 10 points per day Prevents overdoing it and keeps things fair CONSISTENCY BONUS (WEEKLY) You’re rewarded for showing up: 5 days logged = +3 points 6 days logged = +5 points 7 days logged = +7 points WEEKLY MAX Daily points: 70 Consistency bonus: +7 Weekly max = 77 points THE TAKEAWAY ✔ Eat protein at meals ✔ Do your best ✔ Be consistent ✔ No perfection required

The 2026 CrossFit Open Community Throwdown at 12 Labours is a three-week, gym-wide experience built around one simple idea: showing up and doing hard things together. Running alongside the CrossFit Open, this event is about participation, effort, strengthening the community that trains side by side every day. Every member is welcome to take part, including RX, Scaled, Foundations, teens, and brand-new athletes. If you show up and try, you belong. Athletes will be placed into four teams, each led by a volunteer coach captain, with a mix across skill levels, class times, ages, and experience. This will encourage members who may not normally train together to connect, cheer for one another, and share in the challenge. Teams earn points not only for performance, but for attendance, encouragement, judging, and bringing energy into the gym. While workouts are scored across RX, Scaled, and Foundations divisions, participation and community points carry major weight. Teams are rewarded for having athletes complete workouts, judge for others, bring friends to watch, show team spirit, hype teammates, and create memorable moments. From best team theme and hype crew to grittiest performance and best moment of the week, the scoring system is designed so that effort and presence matter just as much as results. Teams will be revealed during a kickoff week with names, colors, and a visible gym leaderboard that stays up for all three weeks. Workouts are announced on Thursdays, followed by team hype leading into Saturday’s main event. Weekly recaps, standings updates, and celebrations will be posted throughout the week. Judging will be available with clear standards, encouragement, and lots of cheering. Leaderboards will be displayed in the gym and shared online so progress is celebrated together. At its heart, the Open Team Throwdown is about commitment, courage, and connection. It is about choosing to show up when workouts feel intimidating, leaning on teammates for support, and celebrating effort over perfection. This is a chance to push personal limits, build relationships, and experience what makes this gym a community, not just a place to work out.