A Lean & Green meal includes 5 to 7 ounces of cooked lean protein plus three (3) servings of non–starchy vegetables and up to two (2) servings of healthy fats, depending on your lean protein choices. Enjoy your Lean & Green meal any time of day — whatever works best for your schedule.
Healthy Fats Every day, incorporate up to two (2) servings of healthy fats into your Lean & Green meal. Healthy fats are important because they help your body absorb vitamins like A, D, E and K. They also help your gallbladder work properly. Reference page 20 to view our complete Healthy Fats List.
Lean & Green Meal: The "Lean"
Lean Tips: • Portion size recommendations are for cooked weight. • Choose meats that are grilled, baked, broiled or poached — not fried. • Each week, try to eat at least two servings of fish rich in omega–3 fatty acids (salmon, tuna, mackerel, trout or herring). • Feel free to choose any of our meatless options like tofu and tempeh. If you are interested in our complete list of meatless options, please refer to our 'Vegetarian Information Sheet' located on Client Answers (ANSWERS.OPTAVIA.com).
you can have your
lean & green meal any time of day Choose the appropriate serving size of any protein from the list below. We’ve sorted protein options into leanest, leaner and lean. All options are appropriate for the Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan; this just helps you make informed food choices. For a variety of OPTAVIA Lean & Green recipes, download the OPTAVIA App for access to the complete library of meals.
LEANEST: 7 oz. of protein Fish: cod, flounder, haddock, orange roughy, grouper, tilapia, mahi mahi, tuna (yellowfin steak or canned in + Add 2 servings water), wild catfish of Healthy Fats* Shellfish: crab, scallops, shrimp, lobster Game meat: buffalo, elk, deer Ground turkey or other meat: ≥ 98% lean Turkey: light meat Meatless options: 14 egg whites, 2 cups of liquid egg substitute or liquid egg whites, 5 oz. seitan, 12 oz. (1 ½ cups) 1% cottage cheese, 12 oz. non–fat (0%) plain Greek yogurt (≤ 15g carb per 12 oz.)
LEANER: 6 oz. of protein Fish: swordfish, trout, halibut Chicken: breast or white meat, without skin + Add 1 serving Ground turkey or other meat: 95% – 97% lean of Healthy Fats* Pork: pork chop or pork tenderloin Meatless options: 2 whole eggs plus 4 egg whites, 2 whole eggs plus 1 cup liquid egg substitute, 1 2 oz. (1 ½ cups) 2% cottage cheese, 12 oz. low–fat (2%) plain Greek yogurt (≤ 15g carb per 12 oz.)
LEAN: 5 oz. of protein Fish: salmon, tuna (bluefin steak), farmed catfish, mackerel, herring 0 servings Lean beef: steak, roast, ground of Healthy Fats Lamb Ground turkey or other meat: 85% – 94% lean Chicken or turkey: dark meat Meatless options: 15 oz. Mori–nu extra firm or firm tofu (bean curd), 3 whole eggs (up to two times per week), 4 oz. (1 cup) shredded reduced–fat or part–skim cheese, 8 oz. (1 cup) part–skim ricotta cheese (2–3g fat per oz.), 5 oz. tempeh
* To view our complete Healthy Fats List please refer to pages 20-22. THE OPTIMAL WEIGHT 5 & 1 PLAN
Lean & Green Meal: The "Green"
Choose three (3) servings from our Green Options list below for each of your Lean & Green meals. We’ve sorted vegetable options into lower, moderate and higher carbohydrate levels. Each one is appropriate on the Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan; the list helps you make informed food choices.
Choose 3 servings from the Green Options List:
1 serving = ½ cup vegetables (unless otherwise specified)
Example: 1 cup of lettuce + ½ cup of broccoli + ½ cup mushrooms
Lower Carbohydrate Collards (fresh/raw) spinach (fresh/raw) 1 cup
endive spring mix
lettuce (green leaf, butterhead, watercress iceberg, romaine) bok choy (raw) mustard greens
Lower Carbohydrate celery arugula cucumbers nopales white mushrooms escarole radishes jalapeño (raw), sprouts (alfalfa, mung bean) Swiss chard (raw) turnip greens bok choy (cooked)
Moderate Carbohydrate asparagus kale cabbage portabella mushrooms ½ cup
cauliflower spinach (cooked)
eggplant summer squash (scallop or zucchini) fennel bulb
Higher Carbohydrate broccoli peppers (any color) red cabbage scallions (raw) chayote squash summer squash (crookneck or straightneck) collard or mustard greens (cooked) tomatoes green or wax beans turnips kabocha squash spaghetti squash kohlrabi hearts of palm leeks (cooked) jicama okra Swiss chard (cooked)
Note: All vegetables promote healthful eating. But on the Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan, we eliminate the highest–carbohydrate vegetables (such as carrots, corn, peas, potatoes, onions, edamame and Brussels sprouts) to enhance your results. Once you’ve achieved your healthy weight, we encourage you to include ALL vegetables for long–term healthy eating.
