The end of your second week is a more crucial reevalutation point than the end of the first week. By this time, you will have really settled into the training, supplement, and nutrition regimen. Today’s numbers matter even more than those you logged on Day 7.

Here are my bullet points for what you should do to evaluate your progress. Also consider my suggestions if you’re not seeing the results you expected at this point.

YOUR DAY 14 TO-DO LIST

WEIGH YOURSELF: Do this right after you wake up—before you take in any fluids, protein or food. Do it before you shower! The key is to see how much your weight has shifted since you began my 8-Week Fat-loss Figure Trainer.

Remember I told you that weight isn’t the best measure of your progress in terms of fat loss, but it is a key marker in determining how you should move forward. Multiple other factors also contribute to weight loss. These include how much water, body fat and muscle mass you’ve dropped. The goal is NOT to lose weight, but to use it as a metric for how well your fat-loss program is working. The longer you follow my program, the clearer this distinction will become.

Here are my Day 14 tips you should consider, based on your change in weight:

* I have added weight—cut your calorie consumption to 13g per pound of bodyweight per day, and bump up your steady-state cardio sessions to 30 minutes 5 days a week. Pay strict attention to every food you’re consuming, and make sure there are no errors in your program. Really be honest with yourself: Why are you adding weight if you’re cutting calories and consuming foods that support the loss of body fat? Also get another calipers test to check to see if you’re losing body fat.

* I haven’t lost any weight: Get another calipers test to see if you’re losing body fat. If you are, then hold steady. If you aren’t then cut calories to 14g per pound of bodyweight each day. It’s possible that you’re adding muscle mass while losing body fat—people tend to add mass more quickly than they’re able to shed body fat. You can bump up your daily cardio session to 30 minutes a day if you don’t think that’s what is happening for you.

* I’ve lost 1-3 pounds: I recommend that you don’t make any shifts to your cardio, training, or nutrition program. This is about what you should expect after cleaning up your diet, cutting calories a bit and training with intensity. In fact, it’s okay if you’re lost 4 pounds over 14 days.

* I’ve lost more than 4 pounds: You may be losing weight too quickly, and this may be a sign that you’re burning muscle mass. It’s unlikely that you’ve burned more than 4 pounds of body fat in two weeks. Reduce your cardio to 15 minutes per day, and up your calorie consumption to 16g per pound of bodyweight each day for the next week or two of Phase One. That means if you were targeting 2100 calories you’ll shoot for about 2250. Go with a little more slow-digesting carbs, especially earlier in the day.

TAKE PHOTOS: Take your photos today to keep up the record of your progress. You should take these photos the same way you did during your prep and on Day 7. That means wearing the same clothes, using the same photographer (even if that’s you). Shoot yourself from the same angles in the same place with the same lighting. And position your body as you did for your “before” photos.

UPDATE YOUR JOURNAL: Make sure that you’ve recorded all of your workouts throughout the week. Also make certain that you’ve included all of the foods and supplements you’ve taken during the week. This record is a huge benefit in helping you figure out if you have any weaknesses in the big picture while you’re following my 8-Week Fat-loss Figure Trainer.

CHEAT MEAL

Get in your cheat meal today. Remember this is not just a reward: It’s a benefit moving forward. It doesn’t matter what time of day you take in this meal—choose the time that works best for your life. Remember that larger meals helps rev your metabolism and restock muscle glycogen for the intense training you’re getting back to tomorrow.

Still, this meal should only be about 5 calories for your target weight. That means, if you’re trying to get to 140 pounds as your end goal, you can go with up to about 700 calories for this meal.

As far as foods go, I don’t want you to go with just fast-digesting carbs (sugar-based foods). You can consume foods such as pizza, pasta or hamburgers that contain protein, dietary fats and carbs. Choose the foods that you’ve been craving that fall within my parameters.

REST ACTIVITY

As I said on Day 7, you can also perform some activity today. Just because it’s a rest day, that doesn’t mean you need to sit home on the couch. Take your kids to the park; enjoy the day or the evening with your significant other. It’s okay to make this an active family day or date night. The key is to give your body a break from your typical weight-training and cardio routines.

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