This is no joke. Are you ready, really ready, to lose weight and build health, fitness, and your body best?

Are you ready to peek over your shoulder in the mirror and look hot in those pants?

Then eat 20 carbs a day.

"What? 20 carbs a day? Are you crazy, Dr. Leslie? Don’t carbs make you fat?"

Yes and no.

Yes, I am a bit (or a lot) crazy.

No, carbs don’t make you fat. More calories in than out make you fat.

But you’re right – carbs do get a bum rap. So it’s confusing. Let’s get carb clear, shall we?

All carbs are not created equally.

There’s the bad-guy carbs – refined foods, like white sugar, white flour, white rice, quick oats, boxed cereals, 99% of all breads. Lots of calories. No nutrients. They turn into fat in your body.

Yikes! Who wants more fat? Lose those bad guys and those pounds right along with them. Out, out, out! Off, off, off!

But get in, in, in with the good-guy carbs – your newest best friends: fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains (like brown rice, not breads), and beans (like black or kidney beans).

Broccoli has 58% carbs, Romaine lettuce 54%, green beans 76%, potatoes 92%, carrots 87%, bean sprouts 64%, spinach 54%, apples 95%, oranges 91%, bananas 92%, kidney beans 70%, and brown rice 85% carbs.

Yet, 4 cups of lettuce is only 32 cals, 1 cup of broccoli, 46 cals. 1 cup of brown rice, 173 cals.

One egg-McMuffin is 280 calories. One quarter-pounder with large fries – 910 cals. One chicken enchilada – 330 cals. Tuna, no mayo, sandwich – 720 cals. Ham with mustard on rye – 560 cals. You get it.

Good-guy carbs come in those foods that give you the most nutrition for your calorie buck – loaded with nutrients, low in calories. Once you get carb clear, it’s a no-brainer – fill up on carbs to trim off the fat.

Good-guy carbs also give you energy. Your brain is fueled almost 100% by the glucose from good-guy carbs. No, your zip and thinking power don’t come from protein.

Protein in your body is like the engine in your car. Carbs are the gases that make it run. Without gas, you stop. Pretty simple.

Rev yourself up with at least 20 of those energizing good-guy carbs a day. It’s a piece of cake (little joke – that’s a bad-guy carb) if you follow "10+10 for Life."

Center your day around those whole, fresh fruits for breakfast and snacks, a 10-veggie salad for lunch and dinner, along with other vegetables, whole grains like brown rice or barley, and beans.

Count up the carbs (10+10=20) to count down the pounds. Bingo, bango.

Here’s to you and your 20-carb solute to weight loss and your body best. And I solute you for working hard (and playing) to create that body you can be proud of.

Now’s the time to feel good about you – go for it!

"Extra cals are not your pals, gals."

~ Dr. Leslie