Michelle's Plan · Week 21 · Dec 20 – Dec 26This Week

Week 21 — Turkey Chili Week ❄️

Dec 20 – Dec 26, 2026 · Your only job this week: follow the pages.

✨ This Week's Spark

On a cold walk, your body quietly burns extra fuel just keeping you warm. Minnesota winter has been on your team the whole time.

This week at a glance

The food	Sunday: turkey chili. Every other night is already made or takes 15 minutes.
The gym	Phase 3 — New Tools — Four new machines join the rotation to wake up new muscles — including the hip machine, which is secretly balance training.
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 21 · Dec 20 – Dec 26The 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 12/20

Turkey chili9PM cheesecake cup

EASY WALK

M D
W 9

MON12/21

Chili night + side salad9PM dark chocolate + berries

WEIGHTS · DAY A

M D
W 9

TUE12/22

Chili on a baked potato9PM Yasso bar

WALK 25–30

M D
W 9

WED12/23

Chili night9PM dark chocolate + berries

WEIGHTS · DAY B

M D
W 9

THU12/24

Chili taco bowl9PM cheesecake cup

WALK 25–30

M D
W 9

FRI12/25

Garlic-butter cod + potatoes9PM SmartSweets

BIKE + BALANCE

M D
W 9

SAT12/26

Dinner out with Rick9PM 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 21 · Dec 20 – Dec 26Grocery 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, 2 lbCOSTCO

Frozen cod, 2 piecesCOSTCO

This week's pantry

Kidney/black beans × 2 cans (15 oz)CUB

Crushed tomatoes, 1 can (28 oz)CUB

Chicken stock, 2 cupsCOSTCO

Produce

Yellow onion × 1 + garlic, 2 clovesCUB

Russet potatoes × 3CUB

Salad kits × 2 (Caesar or Sweet Kale) + plain slaw mix, 1 bagCOSTCO

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 21 · Dec 20 – Dec 26Sunday 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.

Brown and simmer the turkey chili — 40 minutes, one pot.

Rice pot + wash potatoes; portion the chili when it's done.

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 21 · Dec 20 – Dec 26Recipes · Green & Amber Pages

■ Meal · Sunday Cook Day

Turkey Chili

One pot · 40 min, mostly simmering · makes 6 bowls

2 lb 93/7 ground turkey
1 yellow onion + 2 garlic cloves
2 cans kidney or black beans, rinsed
1 big can crushed tomatoes
2 cups stock · 2 tablespoons chili powder · 2 teaspoons cumin · 1 teaspoon oregano

Brown the turkey with the onion and garlic.
Everything else in; simmer 30 minutes with the lid half on.
Cheese sprinkle + yogurt spoon per bowl. 3 fridge, 3 freezer.

Your portion: Your bowl: two big ladles + a fist of rice OR over a baked potato + side salad.

Good to know: Chili taco bowl night: a ladle over rice with slaw and salsa on top.

■ Meal · Friday

Garlic-Butter Cod + Potatoes

One pan · 15 minutes

2 cod pieces, thawed
1 tablespoon butter + 1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves · lemon or lime
Leftover potatoes, halved

Potatoes cut-side down in the hot pan first, 4 minutes.
Push aside; butter, oil, garlic, then cod — 3 minutes a side until it flakes.
Squeeze citrus over everything.

Your portion: Your plate: both cod pieces + a fist of potatoes + big salad.

■ 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.

Michelle's Plan · Week 21 · Dec 20 – Dec 26Recipes · Green & Amber Pages

■ 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.

■ 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.

Michelle's Plan · Week 21 · Dec 20 – Dec 26Recipes · Green & Amber Pages

■ 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 21 · Dec 20 – Dec 26Gym · Phase 3 — New Tools

■ Weights · Monday · 10am

Day A — Phase 3 — New Tools

Easy bike 20 minutes (you can chat) → the list → balance moves. Four new machines join the rotation to wake up new muscles — including the hip machine, which is secretly balance training.

	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	One-arm dumbbell row ▸ One hand on the bench · pull the weight to your hip · no twisting	The middle of your back	The cable row, light
3	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
4	Leg extension machine ▸ Light weight · pause 1 second at the top · lower slow	Front of your thighs	Straighten one knee at a time, seated, no machine
5	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
6	Farmer carry, two dumbbells ▸ Walk tall, 30 steps · your grip works hard	Grip and posture	Lighter dumbbells

All of these: 3 × 8–12. 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 21 · Dec 20 – Dec 26Gym · Day B + Friday

■ Weights · Wednesday · 10am

Day B — Phase 3 — New Tools

	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	Hip machine (legs apart) ▸ Sit tall · press out slow · don't slam it back	The sides of your hips — your balance muscles	Side-steps with a band around your ankles
5	Band pull-apart ▸ Arms straight ahead · pull the band to your chest · squeeze your shoulder blades	Back of shoulders, better posture	Lighter band
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: 3 × 8–12. 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.