Today I completed my second round of T:20.  I am exhausted, sore, and proud of myself beyond belief.  Here’s my review of this brand new program!

Shaun T and I have been tight for a while now.  I mean, he doesn’t know that, but we sure have spent an awful lot of quality time together in my basement!  I have used Beachbody workout products since 2007, and I think I’ve tried at least one program from each of Beachbody’s core trainers. 

But Shaun T just has some sort of special sauce, and I always find my way back to him.  Maybe it’s that he kicks my booty every single day, and that he doesn’t listen to ANY of my excuses.  Or maybe it’s that he has endless writer-downer inspirational phrases…..I don’t know.  But when I heard about T:20, I was all about it!

T20 in a Nutshell

It’s a 6-week program consisting of 20 minute workouts, 6 days per week.  Each day of the week has a specific theme, like Burn, Faster, Cut, etc.  And, the workouts are different every single day, so you never repeat a workout. The program uses a step, but it’s not used in the way your grandma used it in her step aerobics class.  Each workout features what Shaun T calls “transformers,” which are specific exercises done each week.  The goal is to count how many of the moves you can do in a one-minute time period, and track your progress week-over-week.  This charts your endurance and general improvement over the 6-week period.

The program can really be done by anyone – no need to be advanced.  And, no need to worry about falling all over the step!  It’s actually not complicated and I was able to get the hang of it pretty fast.  You can start without a step, and then work up to using the step and the 2 additional risers as you grow.  The program has a feature that allows you to keep the modifier on the screen at all times, so you can always follow modifications if needed.  Shaun T is also great about showing the next move while you are finishing the previous move, so the step is less intimidating.

Shaun T breaks up the program into three, two-week phases: Commit, Climb, and Conquer.  He provides an insane amount of motivation during each workout, and all of the program materials include motivating quotes and such.  But the amazing part to me is that he was able to take a workout program, add motivation to it, and teach participants to apply the motivation to their entire life.  He motivates you through continuing when it’s hard, pushing through plateaus, finding balance in life, stopping the yo-yo behaviors, and inspiring yourself when no one else is around to push you. 

Nutrition

From a nutrition perspective, Shaun T is very open to doing what works best for you.  The options provided in the guide are the Beachbody Portion Fix Containers or the 2B Mindset, a nutrition-based program offered by Beachbody.  He gives this flexibility to choose, but reminds everyone that they are accountable for their choices!  You have to put in the work to see the results.  I chose to combine them; I used the Plan A container program, which is designed for people under 168 pounds and comes out to between 1,200 and 1,499 calories per day.  I also used a couple of the 2B philosophies that I know work well for my body: eating my carbs early in the day, eating veggies and drinking water most, and weighing myself every single day. 

Here’s the thing about the nutrition plan though…..Shaun T also encourages sustainability.  That means that it’s okay to treat yourself and enjoy it. 

Have you ever gone through a program that requires 100% adherence for results?  And maybe you deprive yourself and make it through, but as soon as the program ends you find the nearest Taco Bell and go bonkers?  That’s exactly what this program is designed to avoid. 

Shaun T shows you – literally, on Instagram – that it’s okay to enjoy Donut Friday, and it’s okay to have cake at a party.  But don’t let those treats wreck your day, and get back on the train the next day.  He has an awesome way of changing the way we view food, and really our entire relationship with it.

Equipment

Yup, there’s a step!  It comes with two sets of risers, so you can start on the floor if you want, and move up to a flat step, and then two additional levels as you are ready.  You can use any step though – it doesn’t have to be purchased through Beachbody.

Also available are the reusable tracking calendar you can hang on your wall, and a tracking booklet.  The booklet is nice because it provides a way for you to keep track of your transformer numbers, nutrition, and what’s going on in your life – because all of that comes into play with this program.

For round 2, I ended up creating my own tracking document.  I wanted to include space for jotting down my gratitude and affirmations, which I find really important as part of my self-care routine (read about that here!). So, I changed things up just a bit. You can get a free copy of the tracker I made here. It’s set up to include 7 journal entries, so just print it 6 times and staple together, and you’ll have a new tracker to use!

Tips and Tricks

1. Just get started!  It’s 20 minutes a day.  20 minutes!  You can find that time, I promise you.
2. If you don’t already subscribe to Beachbody on Demand, you should.  Not only can you stream T:20, but you can stream thousands of other workouts. 
3. Get a Beachbody coach and join a challenge group.  The Beachbody coaches can provide you with an immense amount of support and invite you to Beachbody communities, so that you can go through programs together.  Let me tell you, that really amps up the accountability factor!  If you don’t have a coach and would like one, I am happy to connect you with my coach.
4. Get the right supporting equipment if needed.  Make sure you have good shoes – I used these Merrells and they worked great.  I like that they’re a little grippy on the bottom, and not bulky, so they worked very well for moving over the step.  I also needed extra calf support due to a previous injury, and these Calf Compression Sleeves are AMAZING.  They aren’t particularly attractive, but hey, they do the job and I’ll just add this to the many reasons I enjoy working out in my basement rather than the gym!

My Results

My goal in round one was to shed my annual Christmas Cookie Weight Gain.  I did that and more!  I lost 5 pounds in 6 weeks, which is about 4% of my body weight.  I also lost 5.5 inches! 

My goal in round two was to sustain my weight loss and firm up a bit more for my upcoming vacation to Mexico.  I added in a couple of weight training days from the LIIFT4 program, and it was exactly what I was hoping for.  The weights gave me additional tone in my arms and legs, and I ended up losing another two pounds and 2 inches!

But perhaps more importantly was the mindset I gained.  I didn’t finish a program – I completed 12 weeks total of T:20, which is an accomplishment I am celebrating on my overall health and wellness journey.  I never went hungry, never felt deprived, and I celebrated and splurged when those special occasions came up. 

You see, this program has taught me sustainability.  I am DONE finishing a fitness program and going back to my old habits.  Shaun T teaches you how to transform your mindset, and that’s more important than fitness transformation.  It means that this journey continues even though I may move onto a different program. While that may seem overly fluffy, it’s true!  I’ve never felt that my fitness routine has impacted my entire life, but this one has.  T:20 will be in my regular rotation for a long time to come!

Let me know if you have any questions about T:20 or other Beachbody programs!  Drop a comment below!