Michelle's Plan · Week 4 · Aug 23 – Aug 29This Week

Week 4 — Lasagna Week 🌻

Aug 23 – Aug 29, 2026 · Your only job this week: follow the pages.

✨ This Week's Spark

Minnesota wood frogs freeze nearly solid every winter, heart stopped, and hop away in spring. You just finished your last fueling. Thawing out suits you.

This week at a glance

The food	Sunday: turkey lasagna (banza noodles). Plus: beef taco batch — the other half of the week. Every other night is already made or takes 15 minutes.
Fuelings	1 fueling a day — after this week, they're done.
The gym	Phase 1 — Learn the Moves — Weeks 1–2: just 1–2 light sets of each. We're grooving form, not setting records. By week 4 you'll own these.
9pm dessert	On the calendar every night, with your gummies. Part of the plan, not a slip.
Weigh-in	Sunday morning only. Write it on the calendar page, then forget it until next Sunday.

The week is a win if…

…you check 24 of the 28 boxes on the next page. A missed box is information, not failure.

Portions and the approved brands live in the Start Here packet. Questions → Matthew.

Michelle's Plan · Week 4 · Aug 23 – Aug 29The Week + Checkboxes

Every day: 8:30 coffee · 11:30 breakfast · 3:00 snack · 6:00 dinner (green) · 9:00 dessert (amber). Boxes: M meals eaten · D dinner as planned · W today's workout done (the pill — gym or walk) · 9 dessert as planned.

SUNCOOK DAY 8/23

Turkey lasagna9PM cheesecake cup

EASY WALK

M D
W 9

MON8/24

Lasagna + big salad9PM dark chocolate + berries

WEIGHTS · DAY A

M D
W 9

TUE8/25

Beef taco bowl9PM Yasso bar

WALK 25–30

M D
W 9

WED8/26

Lasagna again9PM dark chocolate + berries

WEIGHTS · DAY B

M D
W 9

THU8/27

Beef tacos9PM cheesecake cup

WALK 25–30

M D
W 9

FRI8/28

Pork tenderloin + veggies9PM SmartSweets

BIKE + BALANCE

M D
W 9

SAT8/29

Out, or dinner from the freezer9PM dark chocolate or your pick

WALK

M D
W 9

SUNDAY WEIGH-IN: morning, after the bathroom, before coffee → write it here: ______ lbs → forget it until next Sunday. Boxes this week: ______ / 28 (24+ = winning)

Michelle's Plan · Week 4 · Aug 23 – Aug 29Grocery List — for Rick

Tags show the best-value store. Anything on the Approved Brands pages (Start Here) is a yes — grab whatever's on deal. Feeds one person for the week.

Meat & protein

93/7 ground turkey, 1.5 lbCOSTCO

93% lean ground beef, 1 lbCOSTCO

Pork tenderloin, 1 (~1.25 lb)COSTCO

This week's pantry

Banza lasagna noodles, 1 box (8 oz)COSTCO

Rao's marinara, 1 jar (24 oz)COSTCO

Black beans × 2 cans (15 oz)CUB

Corn tortillas (12)CUB

Produce

Salad kits × 3 (Caesar or Sweet Kale — lasagna nights need them)COSTCO

Slaw mix, 1 bag (14 oz)COSTCO

Dairy

Shredded mozzarella, 1 bag (8 oz)CUB

Every-week staples (check the fridge first)

Fage 0% Greek yogurt, 35 oz tubCOSTCO

Good Culture cottage cheese, 24 ozCOSTCO

Eggs, 1 dozen + egg whites, 16 oz cartonCOSTCO

Unsweetened almond milk, 2 × 32 ozCUB

Mixed berries, 2 lb (fresh or frozen)COSTCO

Bananas × 6 + apples × 4 (Honeycrisp or Fuji)CUB

Rolled oats (42 oz) · chia (8 oz) · PBfit (16 oz) · granola (12 oz) — if lowCOSTCO

Vanilla Greek yogurt, 4-pack (dessert cups)CUB

Graham crackers, 1 box + honey (12 oz) — if lowCUB

Yasso 1 box (15) · SmartSweets × 3 packs · seltzer 1 case (24)COSTCO

Chobani coffee creamer, 24 ozCUB

Michelle's Plan · Week 4 · Aug 23 – Aug 29Sunday Cook Day

SUNDAY COOK DAY — ABOUT 2 HOURS, THEN YOU'RE DONE COOKING FOR THE WEEK

Put on music or a show. Steps in order — the pot does the hard part.

Build and bake the lasagna — the oven does 45 minutes of the work.

While it bakes, brown the beef taco batch on the stove.

Two overnight-oats jars for the walk days, and set the parfait station (granola cups scooped, berries washed, yogurt up front).

Three cheesecake cups: whipped vanilla yogurt over crushed graham, berries on top, lidded jars.

Label everything. Extras to the freezer — the freezer stash is your backup plan every single week.

Wednesday top-up — 15 minutes, optional

Refill the parfait cups, one more oats jar if you're low, move the next dinner to the front of the fridge. That's it.

Michelle's Plan · Week 4 · Aug 23 – Aug 29Recipes · Green & Amber Pages

■ Meal · Sunday Cook Day

Turkey Lasagna (Banza noodles)

Oven · 30 min to build, 45 to bake · feeds 3 dinners + freezer

1 box Banza lasagna noodles (no pre-boil needed)
1.5 lb 93/7 ground turkey
1 jar Rao's marinara
1 tub (24 oz) cottage cheese (the secret — creamy, huge protein)
1 egg · 2 cups (8 oz) shredded mozzarella · 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

Brown the turkey; stir in the marinara.
Mix cottage cheese with the egg and seasoning.
Layer: sauce, noodles, cottage cheese mix, repeat. Mozzarella on top.
Covered at 375° for 35 min, uncovered 10 more. Rest 15 minutes — it needs it.

Your portion: Your piece: a square about the size of your palm, tall as it comes + big salad every lasagna night.

Good to know: Cut the leftovers into singles before you fridge them — future you says thanks.

■ Meal · Sunday Cook Day

Beef Taco Batch — the other half of the week

Stove · 20 min

1 lb 93% lean ground beef
3 tablespoons taco seasoning + ¼ cup water
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed

Brown, season, stir in the beans. Two containers: BOWL and TACOS.

Your portion: Bowl: fist of rice + big helping + salsa + yogurt + slaw. Tacos: 3 corn tortillas, same toppings.

■ Meal · Friday

Pork Tenderloin + Veggies

One sheet pan · 30 min, mostly oven

1 pork tenderloin
Bag of frozen veggies or chopped fresh
2 tablespoons olive oil · 1 teaspoon garlic powder · salt · pepper

Everything on one pan, oil and seasoning over all of it.
425° for 22–25 minutes. Rest the pork 5 minutes before slicing.
Slices you don't eat → fridge, they reheat great.

Your portion: Your plate: a big helping of pork + half the plate veggies + a fist of potatoes if you want them.

Michelle's Plan · Week 4 · Aug 23 – Aug 29Recipes · Green & Amber Pages

■ Meal · Mornings

Parfait Bowl — your biggest protein of the day

2 minutes · the station is already set up

1 cup Fage yogurt + 1 scoop vanilla protein, stirred in
Big handful of berries
1 pre-scooped granola cup
Drizzle of honey

Stir the protein into the yogurt first — it turns into vanilla pudding.
Berries, granola, honey. Dessert for breakfast, doing the most work of anything you eat all day.

Your portion: Gym days: eat this after the gym, around 11:30. Don't skip it.

Good to know: Trade for: a protein shake + 2 hard-boiled eggs, or an oats jar.

■ Meal · Mornings

Overnight Oats Jars

5 min a jar · make 2 on Sunday · eat cold

Per jar: ½ cup oats · 1 tablespoon chia seeds
¾ cup almond milk · ½ scoop vanilla protein
1 tablespoon PBfit · handful of berries · 1 teaspoon honey

Shake the protein and PBfit into the almond milk, right in the jar.
Oats and chia in, stir, berries on top, lid on, fridge.
Eat cold — half at 8:30 if hungry, the rest at 11:30, or all at once.

Your portion: Quiet bonus: the oats in this jar actively help your cholesterol.

■ Meal · Mornings

Egg Scramble Plate

10 minutes

2 eggs + ½ cup egg whites
Handful of chopped peppers and onions from Sunday
Cheese sprinkle · salsa on top
1 low-carb tortilla, or a fist of potatoes

Soften the veggies 3 minutes. Eggs in, gentle stir until just set.
Cheese, salsa. Tortilla on the side or wrap it all up.

Your portion: Your plate: the whole scramble + the tortilla OR the potatoes — pick one.

Michelle's Plan · Week 4 · Aug 23 – Aug 29Recipes · Green & Amber Pages

■ Meal · Mornings

Protein Pancakes — weekend treat

15 minutes · Saturday or Sunday morning

½ cup oats · 1 ripe banana · 2 eggs
1 scoop vanilla protein · splash of almond milk · pinch of cinnamon

Everything in the blender until smooth. Rest 2 minutes.
Small pancakes on a medium pan, flip when bubbles pop.
Top with berries and a small drizzle of honey — not the syrup bottle.

Your portion: Your stack: 3 small pancakes. Yes, pancakes are in the plan.

■ Dessert · The 9pm Sweet

Cheesecake Cups

10 min on Sunday · makes 3 · about 170 calories each

Per cup: ¾ cup vanilla Greek yogurt
1 graham cracker sheet, crushed
Small drizzle of honey · a few berries

Crushed graham in the bottom of a small jar.
Yogurt whipped with honey over the top. Berries. Lid. Fridge.
9pm: spoon, couch, show. Your gummies go with it. This is the plan working, not breaking.

Your portion: The 9pm rotation: cheesecake cup · Yasso bar · SmartSweets · dark chocolate + berries.

Michelle's Plan · Week 4 · Aug 23 – Aug 29Gym · Phase 1 — Learn the Moves

■ Weights · Monday · 10am

Day A — Phase 1 — Learn the Moves

Easy bike 20 minutes (you can chat) → the list → balance moves. Weeks 1–2: just 1–2 light sets of each. We're grooving form, not setting records. By week 4 you'll own these.

	Exercise (tap the name for a video)	It should feel like	If it hurts, do this instead
1	Leg press ▸ Feet high on the plate · knees point the same way as your toes · don't lock your knees straight	Thighs working, knees quiet	Stand up and sit down from a high box, holding weights
2	Seated chest press ▸ Shoulder blades back and down · handles at the middle of your chest	Chest and arms, not shoulders	Push-ups against the wall, hands wide
3	Seated cable row ▸ Sit tall · pull to your belly · squeeze your shoulder blades together	Upper back doing the work	Pull a band anchored at the rail
4	Shoulder press with dumbbells, seated ▸ Back against the pad · press up · keep your shoulders down, don't shrug	Shoulders, no neck strain	Lift light dumbbells to the front instead
5	Leg curl machine ▸ Lower slowly — count to 3 on the way down	Back of your thighs	Lie on the mat and lift your hips (bridges)
6	Suitcase carry ▸ One heavy-ish dumbbell in one hand · walk tall 20 steps · switch hands	Your side muscles fighting the lean	Lighter dumbbell, walk next to the rail

All of these: 2 × 10–12. Stop each set 2 reps before it gets ugly.

Balance moves — 5 minutes, by the rail

Staggered-stance hold (One foot half ahead of the other, 30 seconds each side) → Single-leg stand at the rail (Fingertips down, 20 seconds each side) → Dead bug (8 each side, slow, low back stays down) → Bird dog (8 each side, steady hips). Using the rail is smart, not weak.

The rule — every workout, forever

Muscle burn is fine; a mild ache that's gone by morning is fine. Sharp pain, swelling, limping, or worse-the-next-day = stop and use the "do this instead" column. The swap IS the workout. And if evening medicines leave a morning foggy — dizzy or unsteady = easy bike only today. Still counts, still check the box.

Michelle's Plan · Week 4 · Aug 23 – Aug 29Gym · Day B + Friday

■ Weights · Wednesday · 10am

Day B — Phase 1 — Learn the Moves

	Exercise (tap the name for a video)	It should feel like	If it hurts, do this instead
1	Goblet squat to a bench ▸ Hold one dumbbell at your chest · sit back until you touch the bench · stand tall	Thighs and seat	Higher bench, or no weight
2	Lat pulldown ▸ Wide grip · pull down to your collarbone · don't lean way back	The wide muscles of your back	Pull-downs with a band
3	Chest press on the incline bench ▸ Bench tilted up a little · press up and slightly back	Upper chest	The chest press machine, light
4	Step-ups onto a low box ▸ Whole foot on the box · push through your heel · rail at your side	The stepping leg does the lift	Lower box, or no weights
5	Face pull (cable or band) ▸ Pull toward your forehead · elbows high · squeeze	The back of your shoulders	Pull a band apart at chest height
6	Farmer carry, two dumbbells ▸ Walk tall, 30 steps · your grip works hard	Grip and posture	Lighter dumbbells

All of these: 2 × 10–12. Stop each set 2 reps before it gets ugly.

Core — 5 minutes

Dead bug × 8 each side → Side plank from your knees (15 seconds each side) → bird dog × 8 each side → once more through.

■ Bike + Balance · Friday · 10am

Bike Day

Bike 30 minutes: 5 easy → 20 a little breathy but could still chat → 5 easy. Then Monday's balance moves, twice through, plus 2 farmer-carry laps. Done by 11.

WALK days: 25–30 easy minutes at a chatting pace. Not a workout — a habit. It still checks the box. · Tap any dotted exercise name on your phone or tablet to watch a short how-to video.