"Do low carb weight loss plans really work?" is something would-be dieters often ask but there isn't a simple answer to the question. As with any other diet, a low carb weight loss plan has to fit in with the person's life and routine as well as food likes and dislikes.

A good low carb weight loss plan will teach you that there are "good" carbs and "bad" carbs. Good carbs include wholegrain bread, wholemeal pasta, brown rice and some fruits. Bad carbs are basically baked food which contain sugar and/or fat such as sweets, biscuits, cakes, puddings, chips, crisps and carbonated drinks which aren't low or zero calorie.

A low carb weight loss plan should include a small amount of "good" carbohydrates as they will make you feel full, give you energy and contribute to the roughage you need to keep your bowels regular.

The foods which contain the lowest amount of carbohydrates or indeed, none at all, are proteins and dairy products like meat, cream, butter, milk and cheese but bear in mind that these all contain fat and therefore cholesterol, so take care not to eat too much of any of them.

The best low carb weight loss plan will involve eating a normal amount of fish, meat or chicken as your main meal of the day with lots of fresh vegetables and a very small portion of carbohydrate, if you need it to fill up on. However, you may prefer to use your carb ration on a piece of toast or bowl of cereal for breakfast.

You can count the carbs and make up your own regime if you want or you can follow a pre-determined low carb weight loss plan like the Atkins diet. An old friend of mine has followed his own version of this diet for about thirty years and his daily intake is more or less like this:

Breakfast - 2 fried eggs, 2 rashers of bacon, 2 sausages, tomatoes, 1 piece wholegrain toast with low fat spread and Marmite, coffee with cream (no sugar).

Lunch - Tuna salad including lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onio, red pepper and pickles with a little olive oil and vinegar and a glass of calorie free fruit drink (the sort you dilute with water).

Evening drinks - A couple of cans of Pilsner beer (the sort with all the sugar brewed out) and to nibble on pork scratchings or similar.

Dinner - Chicken breast wrapped in bacon and baked in the oven served with lots of green vegetables or Bolognese sauce served with steamed shredded cabbage rather than spaghetti, washed down with a glass of red wine.

My friend swears by this and follows it all the time unless he's eating out.

The only down side to a low carb weight loss plan can be side effects which can include bad breath and constipation due the to high intake of protein.