Ask Jeannie 🐴

Good to know, Michelle — that helps! Two of your leg-day machines don't ask anything of your arms at all: the leg press (feet do all the work, hands just rest on the pads) and the leg curl machine (lying or seated, just your legs doing the lifting). Go ahead and use those with real weight, same as always. The others on your leg days — goblet squat, step-ups, and the carries — have you holding a dumbbell in your hand, so for those, keep doing the no-weight versions we already set up: bodyweight squat to a bench, step-ups with no weight, and skip the carries for now. Once your two weeks are up, add the dumbbells back in everywhere. — Jeannie

Smart to listen to your doctor on this one. For the next two weeks we'll do the exact same leg work, just with no weights at all. Swap the leg press for stand-up-sit-downs from a high box, no hands. Swap the goblet squat for a bodyweight squat down to a bench — sit back, touch it, stand tall. Keep doing step-ups on the low box, just leave the dumbbells on the rack. And swap the leg curl for hip bridges on the mat — lie back and lift your hips slow, that works the back of your thighs just as well. Your standing calf raises at the rail are already weight-free, so those stay exactly as they are. Your balance moves — single-leg stands, dead bug, bird dog — and your Friday bike day don't use weights either, so keep those going just like normal. In two weeks, pick right back up in your regular Phase 1 routine, dumbbells and all. — Jeannie

So sorry about that, Michelle — let's skip the links altogether and I'll just tell you how to do each one. Leg press: feet up high on the plate, knees pointing the same way as your toes, don't lock your knees straight — you should feel it in your thighs. Leg curl machine: lying or seated, lower the weight slow, count to three on the way down — that's the back of your thighs working. Sit-to-stand from a box or sturdy chair: cross your arms, stand up without swinging, sit back down slow — no hands, just your thighs and seat. Box squat: same idea as a goblet squat but no weight in your hands — sit back until you touch the bench, stand back tall, arms out front or crossed. And for balance: single-leg stand at the rail, fingertips down for 20 seconds each side, and bird dog on the mat, 8 slow reps each side keeping your hips steady. That covers your two weeks of lower-body-only work, no clicking required. — Jeannie I've also let Matthew know the links aren't opening for you so he can take a look at what's going on with them.

Of course, Michelle — here's a lower-body-only routine you can do without lifting anything with your arms, for as long as you need. Stick with this week's effort, 2 sets of 10 to 12 reps each: leg press — feet do all the work, hands just rest on the pads, no lifting — https://musclewiki.com/exercise/machine-leg-press?model=f. Leg curl machine — ankles only, lying or seated — https://musclewiki.com/exercise/machine-seated-leg-curl?model=f. Sit-to-stand from a sturdy chair or box — arms crossed, stand up and sit back slow, no weight at all — https://www.youtube.com/shorts/pIAzucMjibQ. And a squat to a bench, same as your goblet squat but skip the dumbbell — hold your arms out front or crossed instead — https://musclewiki.com/exercise/dumbbell-box-squat?model=f (the video shows a dumbbell, just leave it out). Friday's bike and balance day stays exactly as it is too — pedaling doesn't ask a thing of your arms. If you'd like a couple of gentle finishers, the single-leg stand at the rail (https://www.youtube.com/shorts/HwJUXz6jnkg) and bird dog (https://musclewiki.com/exercise/bird-dog?model=f) are both hands-free and easy on you. If whatever's keeping your arms resting for these two weeks came from your doctor, follow their word over mine on anything here — that one's theirs to call. Once your two weeks are up, just hop right back into wherever your regular week lands you. — Jeannie

No fussing needed, Michelle — there's no calorie math here, so nothing to "count" in that sense. Just tap the check-in box for whichever meal slot the burger filled (sounds like dinner), and tap the 3pm and Movement boxes too if you had anything or moved at all today — skipping still counts. The ranch is tracking your rhythm through the day, not grading the exact menu. A cheeseburger and onion rings out isn't a slip from the plan, it's just a day you ate out — pick your next card back up tomorrow like usual, no need to make up for it anywhere. — Jeannie

No fussing needed, Michelle — the ranch isn't grading your exact menu, just your rhythm for the day. Tap the check-in box for whichever meal slot that noon pizza filled (breakfast, most likely, since that's your midday food time), and tap Dinner and Move too if you ate again later or got any movement in — the 3pm check-in box counts even if it was just a skip. The cake is exactly what your 9pm bonus button is for — it's never required, just tap it because you enjoyed a treat on purpose. Nothing to make up for and nothing to subtract elsewhere — eating out and a slice of cake are already part of the plan's spirit, not a slip from it. — Jeannie

That's just fine, Michelle — nice job getting out there! Biking is already part of your plan, not something outside it — Friday's official workout is bike + balance, so your legs know exactly what to do with it. Today's card called for an easy walk, and an easy bike ride covers that same ground: legs moving, heart gently up, no strain. Ride about as long as you'd have walked and you've done the day's job. Keep it up! — Jeannie

Go ahead and have the apple, Michelle — no need to wait until tomorrow. Fruit is one of the closest things to a free food on your plan, so a piece of fruit after your 9pm sweet if you're truly still hungry is just fine, it won't undo anything. That said, real hunger an hour after dinner and dessert is worth a little notice — if it's happening most nights, that can be a sign your dinner portion could stand to be a touch bigger, which is an easy, no-guilt fix. For tonight though: enjoy the apple. — Jeannie

You are so welcome, Michelle. It's a joy helping you along this year — keep those questions coming any time, big or small. — Jeannie

Michelle — first, I'm sorry. You asked about browsing your weeks ahead on Monday, I told you I'd passed it to Matthew, and it turns out that message never reached him. You should never have had to ask twice, and I've had my saddle adjusted so that can't happen again. Now the good news — BOTH things are fixed: ‹ › On your WEEK page there are now two big arrow buttons. Tap › to peek at any week ahead — all 52 of them, with every dinner, breakfast, snack, and workout — and tap ‹ to come back. There's a little “back to this week” button so you can never get lost. 📅 And “The whole year” button works now (it was pointing at a door that didn't exist — my fault) — one tap opens all 12 fridge calendars. Go have a wander through October — the soups are waiting for you. — Jeannie 🐎

You remember right, Michelle — the first version of your site had every week and every month sitting right there on the home screen to flip through. The new app doesn't have that yet, and I want to be straight with you: even the one button meant to help you look ahead, "The whole year" on your This Week page, is actually broken right now and won't open anything when you tap it. That's not something I can fix from my end, so I'm sending this straight to Matthew. For today, your "Open the full week packet" button on This Week still gives you everything for the current week — menu, grocery list, and workouts — and your printed fridge calendar covers what's coming up this month. I know that's not the full look-ahead you're used to, and I'm sorry it's still missing — Matthew will hear about it clearly this time. — Jeannie

Tonight's card (Wednesday, week 1) is actually the Chicken Enchilada Bake — the rest of your salsa chicken layered with torn corn tortillas, black beans, salsa, and a sprinkle of cheese, served with a spoon of yogurt and a salad. No rice on that one, so there's nothing to swap out tonight. But if you're thinking ahead to a rice night — like a taco bowl or the Mediterranean chicken bowl — swapping your fist of rice for a cup of frozen vegetables is a fine trade. Same idea, same size portion: fill that spot on your plate. Just steam or microwave them plain and pile your usual protein and toppings on top. — Jeannie

Not yet, and that's alright — right now, week 1, you're only doing 2 sets of 10 to 12 reps for each move. These first two weeks especially, keep it even lighter if you need to, just 1 or 2 easy sets while you get the feel of each machine. We're not setting records yet, just learning the moves. The third set gets added later, around week 9, and the plan changes gently a few more times after that as you get stronger. So for now, 2 sets is exactly right — no need to add a third. — Jeannie

Done, Michelle — no more keeping track in your head. Your fuelings are now written right into everything: 🥞 This month you're already following it: 3 a day week one, 2 a day week two, then 1 a day with your 8:30 coffee. 📅 And here's the part you asked about: your leftover box carries you at 1 A DAY all the way through WEEK 10 (mid-October). It's printed on your fridge calendars, on every weekly sheet, and your Food page in the app shows each day's count so you never have to remember. Week 10 is the finish line — when that box is empty, the Optavia chapter closes for good, nothing wasted, and it's real food all the way from there. — Jeannie 🐎

No need to wait on anything, Michelle — you can start using those up your own way today. Your printed calendar already builds in a taper for the first month: this week at 3 fuelings a day, next week 2 a day, then the two weeks after that at 1 a day, which comes to 49 in total by the time real food takes over. If you've still got 42 left when that taper runs out, just keep doing the same thing — 1 fueling a day, standing in for whichever slot you want that day: your 8:30 coffee, your 3:00 check-in, or your 9pm dessert if it's a shake, bar, or pudding-style one. A fueling is built to stand alone, so no eggs or extras needed, same as you found out with your first batch. Keep at that pace daily and your 42 will be gone in about 6 more weeks. I've sent Matthew a note in case he wants the printed calendar to spell out '1 a day' for a few extra weeks since you've got more on hand than the plan assumed — but you don't have to wait on him, just carry on the same rhythm starting now. — Jeannie

That one's on us, not you — the button for it is actually broken right now. Your site used to let you flip ahead through any week or month whenever you wanted, and when the new look went live that page and its browsing button got tucked away. The one link left for the whole year's calendars is pointing at the wrong page, so tapping it does nothing for you at the moment. I've sent this straight to Matthew so he can bring back an easy way to look ahead and fix that link. For today, the app still gives you everything for THIS week — full menu, grocery list, and gym cards — any time you tap 'Open the full week packet.' — Jeannie

That's just what I wanted to hear — I'll tell Matthew to keep the morning pop-up right where it is. And yes, that's me you're noticing — every check-in you tap brushes a little more dust off my coat, so the more of your day you fill in, the shinier I get. You're the one making that happen. — Jeannie

Michelle — you may have noticed something new this morning: a little FACT OF THE DAY card that pops up the first time you open the app each day, then waits for you further down your Today page. A new one every single day for the whole year — bees, horses, Minnesota, gardens, all of it. Be honest with me: do you like it? Is the morning pop-up a nice hello, or would you rather the fact just sit quietly on the page without jumping out at you? There is no wrong answer — this is YOUR ranch, and Matthew tunes it to exactly how you like it. Type your honest take right here and I’ll pass it along. — Jeannie 🐎

Done, Michelle — I swept out those repeated taco questions, so your history shows each question just once now. That happened because the Send button got tapped a few times while the page was thinking — and I have fixed that too: the button now says “Sending…” so one tap is all it ever takes. Nothing else changed, and every answer is still here. — Jeannie 🐎

I don't have a delete button to give you, Michelle — I can only answer questions, not tidy up the list itself. That part needs Matthew, so I've sent him a note about it. In the meantime, please don't worry about it — a few repeated questions (I noticed your taco question landed three times, probably just from tapping send more than once) don't cause any harm or mix anything up on my end. — Jeannie

Sure can! A plain bag of lettuce (romaine, spring mix, whatever you like) works just as well as the kit — you're only skipping the dressing packet and the little toppings that come in the bag. Just add your own dressing lightly (a drizzle of olive oil and vinegar, or a squeeze of lemon, works well), and feel free to toss in cherry tomatoes, cucumber, shredded carrots, red onion, or a little cheese, same as you would with the kit. Make it a big bowl like the kit gives you — that's doing the job of your veggies for the night. — Jeannie

Fruit at dinner mostly shows up on your "plate" nights — the chicken salad plate and egg salad plate — where it sits alongside a scoop of the salad and a few crackers, and it's your pick, whatever looks good that week (apples, grapes, berries, whatever's in season). Most other dinners lean on the big salad instead of fruit, so you don't need to add fruit on top of those — the salad is doing that job. If you'd like a piece of fruit with dinner on other nights too, that's a fine add — a small piece (an apple, a small handful of grapes or berries) won't throw anything off. — Jeannie

The workhorse is a Taylor Farms Caesar or Sweet Kale salad kit from Costco — those show up as the big salad on most dinner nights, and the trick is to use only about half the dressing packet so it's not swimming. On taco and burrito-bowl nights you'll also see a plain no-dressing slaw mix (just shredded cabbage and carrots, Taylor Farms or Dole — check the bag doesn't say KIT, or it'll come with dressing you don't want). On Greek nights it's a chopped cucumber-tomato salad instead, dressed simply with olive oil, lemon, and a pinch of salt. Beyond that, feel free to load any of them up with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, shredded carrots, a little cheese, or leftover chicken/shrimp/beef from that night's dinner. — Jeannie

Tacos are a great pick for eating out tonight — that's exactly what your one eating-out-a-week slot is for. Order 3 tacos if you can, corn tortillas over flour (that's what you'd use at home), with chicken, steak, or shrimp, and go easy on the cheese and sour cream so the salsa and pico do the flavor work. If it comes with a side, ask for a salad or extra veggies instead of rice and beans — that keeps it close to your home taco nights (3 corn tortillas + toppings + a salad on the side). No need to overthink it — order what sounds good and enjoy your night out. — Jeannie

Michelle! You did it — all four boxes, a complete day. And I hope you caught what happened when that last box got checked… let's just say I've been eyeing that apple on the fence post all week, and YOU are the one who finally got it to me. Every complete day earns me another one — and if you ever want to watch again, just tap my picture on a finished day. Tell me honestly — what did you think of that little show? Matthew tinkered on it for you and I know he'd love to hear. Type it right here. — Jeannie 🐎

Black beans — the low-sodium canned kind, rinsed. They're the same beans in your bowl tonight and in the enchilada bake later this week, so it's one can doing double and triple duty. Just spoon some in alongside your chicken, salsa, and slaw when you build your tacos — no need to measure exact, a good spoonful is right. — Jeannie

Still eat after — your 10 o'clock gym time actually lines up just right with the plan. The everyday rhythm is coffee at 8:30, then breakfast at 11:30, so that coffee (with your almond milk or creamer) is meant to be your something-in-your-stomach before you head out, and the real breakfast — parfait, oats, or eggs — comes after, once you're back around 11. That's exactly why Monday's breakfast card says 'after the gym.' No need to eat a full breakfast beforehand. If you ever feel shaky or lightheaded working out on just coffee, that's worth mentioning to your doctor, but plenty of folks do just fine with coffee-then-workout-then-breakfast, and that's how yours is built. — Jeannie

Sure, that works just fine — same cup, same spot at 9pm. Look for it on the same line as your vanilla, Oikos Triple Zero or Two Good, just the blueberry flavor, so it stays the no-added-sugar kind. One thing to know: the vanilla is what makes the cup taste like cheesecake against the honey and graham — swap to blueberry and you'll get a lovely blueberry yogurt cup instead, just a different flavor, not a cheesecake flavor. Same ¾ cup of yogurt, same graham and berries, same portion either way. — Jeannie

Go right ahead — that's a lovely little topping. A tablespoon of mashed avocado is a small, healthy fat, exactly the kind your plan likes to see — avocado is one of the good swaps in place of the saturated stuff, which sits well with you being on a statin. It won't throw off your portions at all, so spread it right on the shredded chicken and enjoy. — Jeannie

6:00 is the spot on your calendar — that's your everyday rhythm: 8:30 coffee, 11:30 breakfast, 3:00 check-in, 6:00 dinner, 9:00 dessert. It lines up with what you told us too, that 6pm tends to be when you're hungriest, so the plan just built dinner right into that natural spot. It doesn't have to be exact to the minute — give or take half an hour is perfectly fine, just aim for early evening so dinner and your 9pm sweet don't run too close together. — Jeannie

Good Culture low-fat (that's the 2%, not the 4% full-fat) is what's on your grocery list — the 24 oz tub from Costco. Low-fat is the one to reach for, it's still creamy with about 14g protein a serving, but lighter on saturated fat, which matters with you being on a statin. If you can't find Good Culture, Daisy's low-fat (2%) is a fine swap too, just steer clear of their regular 4%. Same scoop, same spot, whether it's in your parfait or tucked into the turkey lasagna. — Jeannie

Good morning, Michelle — it’s the first Sunday of the month, which makes it weigh-in morning: after the bathroom, before coffee, then forget the number until next time. Write it on your weekly page like always. And if you’d like, tell me the number right here — I’ll keep it in my private book (just you and me, that’s the rule) and fold the trend into your month report so you can see the whole story, not one morning. Either way — the scale is one page of the book. Your check-ins are the book. — Jeannie 🐎

You're right, and I mixed you up — sorry, Michelle, let me untangle it. There are two different things here. Your Optavia fuelings (the taper ones — 3 a day at first, stepping down to 2, then 1, until they're gone) are each a little meal all on their own, made to stand alone, so no eggs needed with those, not ever. The 2-hard-boiled-eggs advice was about something else entirely: YOUR OWN protein shakes, the ones you've got in the cupboard that you wanted to use up — not Optavia. If you use one of those in place of your regular parfait breakfast, a plain shake alone is lighter than the parfait, so I said pair it with 2 eggs to round it back out to a full breakfast's worth. So: Optavia fueling, no eggs needed, it's complete as is. Your own protein shake standing in for breakfast, add the eggs if you want the fuller meal, or skip them and just know it's a lighter breakfast that day. Sorry again for the mix-up! — Jeannie

Good question, let me clear that up. A shake alone is lighter than your usual parfait or oats breakfast, so the 2 hard-boiled eggs are there just to fill it back out to a full breakfast’s worth of protein — they're not optional homework, they're part of what makes the shake a real swap instead of a smaller meal. If you'd rather skip the eggs some mornings, that's fine too — just know it's a lighter breakfast, and you could lean on a bigger 3pm snack or add a little fruit alongside the shake to fill the gap instead. And remember the eggs aren't your only option — an oats jar in place of the shake works too, no eggs needed there at all. Use whichever combo gets those shakes and bars gone without you feeling shorted at breakfast. — Jeannie

Hi Michelle, it’s Jeannie. Before your plan starts Sunday, I want to make sure you know its favorite rule, because it’s the opposite of every diet you’ve ever been on: DESSERT IS NOT ENDING. Dessert is ON the calendar. Look at any night on your fridge calendar — 9:00, the amber box: a cheesecake cup, dark chocolate and berries, a Yasso bar. That’s not a cheat and it’s not something you have to earn. It’s printed there because you having a sweet at 9pm — sitting down, enjoying it on purpose — IS the plan working. You’ll make your own little cheesecake cups every Sunday. Chocolate is on Mondays and Wednesdays because you asked for it. And eating out — Saturdays are yours, out with Rick if you like. A slice of carrot cake at a restaurant is a dessert, not a goodbye. Order it, share it, savor it, check your box. The old plans ended because they kept taking things away until you couldn’t stand it. This one never takes dessert away — not this Sunday, not at your goal weight, not ever after. There is no last dessert. There’s just tonight’s, and tomorrow’s. — Jeannie 🐎

Yes, that fits right in — using up the fuelings is already built into your plan, not something extra. Week 1 (starting Sunday, Aug 2) has you at 3 fuelings a day: one at 8:30 with your coffee (that can stand in for breakfast on days you'd rather not do the parfait/oats/eggs), one at 3:00 for your check-in, and one wherever it helps — and if it's a dessert-style one like a brownie or pudding, that's a fine stand-in for your 9pm sweet too. The trick is to let the fueling BE that slot's food, not stack it on top of the regular one. From there it steps down on its own: Week 2 is 2 a day, Weeks 3-4 are 1 a day (the last box), then they're done and it's real food the rest of the way. If today feels like a better day to start than waiting for Sunday, go right ahead. One thing already on your Week 1 page worth knowing: coming off Optavia, the scale often ticks UP 2-4 pounds the first week or two — that's your body refilling, not fat, so don't let it rattle you. — Jeannie

Daisy works just fine — just reach for their low-fat (2%) cottage cheese, not the full-fat 4% kind. Good Culture low-fat is what's on your grocery list because it's a clean, simple label (milk, cream, salt, live cultures, no gums) with about 14g protein a serving, and Daisy's low-fat is a very similar clean label, so it's a fair swap at the same portion. The one thing to watch is sticking with low-fat rather than their regular 4%, since that's the one that sits lighter with your statin. Same scoop, same spot in your parfait or lasagna, whichever brand you grab. — Jeannie

Overnight really does mean overnight — give the jar at least a few hours in the fridge so the oats and chia soften up, but the whole point is you make these on Sunday and they're good all the way through the week, lid on, fridge cold. So the very first jar needs that one overnight rest before it's ready, and after that every jar you grab has already had plenty of time — just pull one out and eat it cold, no waiting needed. — Jeannie

One graham cracker sheet, crushed up, comes out to about 2 tablespoons of crumbs — give or take a little, it doesn't need to be exact. That's the amount that goes in the bottom of each cheesecake cup on your Sunday prep. No need to measure precisely, just crush the one sheet and tip it in. — Jeannie

Reach for Oikos Triple Zero or Two Good, vanilla, at Cub — they run about $1 to $1.25 a cup in the multipacks. Those are the ones picked out for you because they're flavored but don't have added sugar, so they fill that little vanilla-yogurt-dessert spot without working against everything else you're doing. Either brand is fine, whichever one's on sale or easier to find that week. — Jeannie

Perfect timing to use those up! Your protein shake already has an official spot — it's the built-in swap for your parfait breakfast, so pair a shake with 2 hard-boiled eggs and that's breakfast done, no prep needed. Protein bars fit nicely into your 3:00 check-in — that slot is just 'snack if hungry,' so grabbing a bar there instead of making anything is exactly what it's for. Work through them however you like: shake some mornings, bar at your check-in other days, same as any other swap on the plan. Just glance at the label and pick the ones with more protein and less sugar when you have a choice — that's the only thing to watch for. — Jeannie

I don't have anything on file about Rise & Puff specifically, so I can't vouch for that one — but here's what to look for. Your grocery list calls for Mission Carb Balance tortillas (Cub or Walmart, about $4.50-5 for 8), and the reason is the fiber: they run about 15g fiber per tortilla, which is what makes them sit lighter than a regular flour tortilla even though the label carb number looks similar. So flip the bag over — if Rise & Puff shows fiber up around that same 10-15g per tortilla, it's a fine swap, same spot in your breakfast scramble or wrap. If the fiber number is low (more like 1-3g), it's really just a regular tortilla by a fancier name, and I'd stick with Mission Carb Balance instead. And don't worry about hunting down an exact 'carb number' to hit — your plan works off portions, not counting, so one low-carb tortilla (or a fist of potatoes instead, your choice) is the right amount either way. — Jeannie

That line is about your Sunday prep, not something you do every morning. On your cook day, when you set up the parfait station, you scoop granola out into small individual cups ahead of time — about 2 tablespoons each, one cup per parfait you'll make that week. Then each morning you just grab a pre-scooped cup and sprinkle it over your yogurt and berries, no measuring needed in the moment. It's just Sunday-you doing a favor for weekday-you. — Jeannie

The graham cracker is just there for a little crunch at the bottom of your cheesecake cup, so a small crushed spoonful of Seven Sundays cereal in its place would work fine — same spot, same job. Keep it to about the same amount as the one crushed graham sheet, so the cup stays yogurt-and-berries forward and doesn't turn into a cereal bowl. Either way it's a small treat portion, so no need to overthink it. — Jeannie

Sure, that can work as your parfait topping instead of granola — just keep it to the same small scoop, about 2 tablespoons, sprinkled over the yogurt rather than a full cereal bowl. Before you buy, flip it over and check the added sugar line: your granola (Purely Elizabeth) is picked because it only runs about 6g added sugar a serving, which is low as these things go, so you want Seven Sundays to land close to that, not double it. If it does, it's a fine swap — same spot in the parfait, same portion, just a different crunch. — Jeannie

Purely Elizabeth is the one on your grocery list — it's at Costco, about $11 for a 34 oz bag, and it's low sugar as granolas go, around 6g added sugar per serving, where a lot of other granolas run double that or more. The trick with any granola, even this one, is to use it as a topping and not a bowl — 2 tablespoons scooped over your yogurt parfait is the right amount, the same little cups you already prep at the start of the week. Stick to that portion and you're right where the plan wants you. — Jeannie

Low-fat is the one to reach for — that's what's already on your grocery list (Good Culture low-fat cottage cheese, the 24 oz tub from Costco). It's the sweet spot: still creamy and full of protein, about 14g per serving, but lighter on saturated fat than the 4% full-fat kind, which matters with you being on a statin. Skip the fat-free version if you can — it tends to go watery and thin, and low-fat gives you the better texture for the same protein punch, whether you're eating it plain, in a parfait, or as the secret layer in your turkey lasagna. — Jeannie

For toppings, go ahead and load it up: cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, shredded carrots or the plain slaw mix, a little shredded cheese, leftover chicken, shrimp, or beef from that night's dinner, and on taco-salad nights a small handful of crushed tortilla chips on top. As for how much lettuce — the plan isn't asking you to measure cups, that's the whole point of "big salad" and "biggest bowl of greens" on your calendar, it just means fill your regular dinner bowl generously. If you like a number to picture, about 2 to 3 cups is a good normal size, but greens are about as close to free as food gets, so more is always fine. — Jeannie

Your salad kits already do most of the work here — the Taylor Farms Caesar or Sweet Kale kits from Costco come with their own dressing packet, and the trick is to use about half the packet, not the whole thing, so it's not swimming. For the chopped cucumber-tomato salads on Greek nights, just drizzle olive oil and a squeeze of lemon with a pinch of salt — no bottle needed. If you want a bottled dressing for your other big salads, Primal Kitchen (Caesar or avocado lime, at Costco) is worth keeping around — it's avocado-oil based instead of the seed-oil, sugary kind, which sits better with your cholesterol numbers. A simple olive oil and balsamic vinegar mix is the free, just-as-good backup. — Jeannie

Go right ahead — that's a great swap. Chili is already one of your loved foods, and a chicken queso chili is close kin to the white chili on your plan, so it fits the spirit just fine. Dish up a normal bowl (about the size of your other dinner bowls), and add a big salad on the side like you would with any dinner — that's what keeps the plate balanced. If it's on the heavier, cheesier side, just go a little lighter on the bowl and let the salad fill in the rest. Enjoy it — no need to save it for a special night. — Jeannie