I know low-carb isn't really about calorie counting, but since I'm using fitday to track my carbs, the calories are counted.

I'm five foot six and 42 years old. How many calories are most of you eating? My carbs are between 25-30 (I'm a vegetarian and therefore in-taking a bit higher due to nuts) and my calories are between 1000-1200. If I go higher than that it's because of butter or oil.

This calorie range would be normal for me on a calorie restriction diet but I know from experience that this level of low calories won't last for me for a lifetime. I'm more of a 1600 to 1700 calorie a day eater when I'm being healthy (higher when I'm not, obviously).

Many of my fortysomething friends who are thin eat almost nothing. My sister lives on 500 calories a day with the once a month splurge. I can't relate to this kind of eating. But is that the reality of middle age? If you aren't extremely athletic that is. Obviously women doing 100 mile bike races are in a different category.

So what are your calorie ranges? The long term LC people and short term. Men obviously have a different range.