Jul 25 – Jul 31, 2027 · Your only job this week: follow the pages.
✨ This Week's Spark
"We are what we repeatedly do," wrote Will Durant, summing up Aristotle. Next week's menu looks just like this one, with a little more food. Welcome to maintenance — population: you.
This week at a glance
The food
Sunday: beef taco meat, big batch. Plus: beef enchilada bake. Every other night is already made or takes 15 minutes.
Maintenance
You're at goal range now — portions grow a little (add half a fist of carbs at dinner). Same beat, more food. This is the forever version.
The gym
Phase 6 — Greatest Hits — The moves that built you, at the weights that prove it. This is also your maintenance program — it simply never ends.
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.
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 7/25
Beef taco meat, big batch9PM cheesecake cup
EASY WALK
M D W 9
MON7/26
Beef tacos9PM dark chocolate + berries
WEIGHTS · DAY A
M D W 9
TUE7/27
Big crunchy taco salad9PM Yasso bar
WALK 25–30
M D W 9
WED7/28
Beef enchilada bake9PM dark chocolate + berries
WEIGHTS · DAY B
M D W 9
THU7/29
Beef taco bowl9PM cheesecake cup
WALK 25–30
M D W 9
FRI7/30
Garlic shrimp + rice9PM SmartSweets
BIKE + BALANCE
M D W 9
SAT7/31
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 52 · Jul 25 – Jul 31Grocery 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.
Michelle's Plan · Week 52 · Jul 25 – Jul 31Sunday 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.
1.
Brown the big beef batch with onion, season, stir in the beans.
2.
Portion into three containers: BOWLS, TACOS, BAKE. Rice pot alongside.
3.
Two overnight-oats jars for the walk days, and set the parfait station (granola cups scooped, berries washed, yogurt up front).
4.
Three cheesecake cups: whipped vanilla yogurt over crushed graham, berries on top, lidded jars.
5.
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 52 · Jul 25 – Jul 31Recipes · Green & Amber Pages
■ Meal · Sunday Cook Day
Beef Taco Meat, Big Batch
Stove · 25 min · feeds 4 dinners
2.5 lb 93% lean ground beef
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 tablespoons taco seasoning + ½ cup water
2 cans black beans, stirred in
Brown the beef with the onion, breaking it up.
Seasoning + water, then the beans. Simmer 5 minutes.
Tonight's taco bowls; the rest feeds tacos, taco salad, and the enchilada bake.
Your portion: Bowl: fist of rice + a big helping + salsa + spoon of yogurt + slaw. Tacos: 3 corn tortillas. Salad: over the biggest bowl of greens, crushed tortilla chips on top (a small handful).
■ Meal · Sunday Cook Day
Beef Enchilada Bake
Oven · 10 min to build, 20 to bake
A third of the taco beef
4 corn tortillas, torn
½ cup salsa · cheese sprinkle
Layer, cheese on top, 375° for 20 minutes.
Yogurt spoon + salad. Freeze the extra.
Your portion: Your square: a quarter of the dish + big salad.
■ Meal · Friday
Garlic Shrimp + Rice
One pan · 15 minutes, start to plate
Half the shrimp bag, thawed under cold water 10 min
3 garlic cloves, chopped · 1 tablespoon olive oil
Squeeze of lime · chili flakes if you want heat
Hot pan, oil, garlic — 30 seconds.
Shrimp in one layer — 2 minutes a side, until pink and curled.
Lime over the top. Done in one song.
Your portion: Your plate: all the shrimp + a fist of rice + the biggest salad of the week.
Michelle's Plan · Week 52 · Jul 25 – Jul 31Recipes · 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.
Easy bike 20 minutes (you can chat) → the list → balance moves. The moves that built you, at the weights that prove it. This is also your maintenance program — it simply never ends.
All of these: 3 × 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 52 · Jul 25 – Jul 31Gym · Day B + Friday
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 × 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.