Paleo does not equal low carb, so you will find a lot of different levels around here. I am a low carber as well (on again off again but I should be!). If you want to try low carb, and get into ketosis, then you would need to have your carbs very low initially (whatever works out to 20-30g for you). The rest follow that. I also know that on very low carb diets you can sometimes have more calories and still lose. I would say 1500-1800 could work if you go into ketosis. You will also find you are not as hungry so you may not need that much. I am about to start a very low carb phase tomorrow myself. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions, I have ben at both Paleo and Low carb a while now.

Have you seen this professional before? Because my experience is they promote the standard grains and dairy and whatnot. Most of them don't know enough about Paleo or Low Carb except scare tactics to get you away from them. I was referred to one after I was diagnosed with Celiac disease and it was an absolute joke! I was better off online. That has been the experience of people I know as well. I hope you have a good one with a more open mind!

Oh and 80g is lower, but keto is about 20g. My sweet spot is 30-40 total, sometimes more, sometimes less, but that's what's working for me.

I've met her before once when she helped assist my doctor, she's pretty young and was in the top of her class, but who knows.

Being top of her class doesn't mean much. If anything, it would lead me to believe she'd be less useful for someone looking to do low-carb.

I figure it can't hurt, regardless of what she says I'll keep eating paleo.

I only wish it were true that it couldn't hurt. And, if you're not going to change, why bother talking to her? Surely you expect some of her advice to inspire change(s) of some sort.

Mostly I am curious as to what she recommends regarding macro settings, but I'm also beginning to think that's something I may have to work out on my own with time.

This is the smartest thing you've said so far.

Well, yes I do expect her to inspire me, much like my doctor inspired me to try paleo and helped me quit cigarettes. By my book, no it can't hurt, what I was doing before is what hurt and based on your comments, your life wasn't all unicorns and rainbows either until you got healthy eating meat 24/7 so don't be so quick to judge me sir.

Don't get all defensive and angry. I wasn't trying to insult you. If anything, I trust you to make better choices about what is right for you than anyone else. That includes me and it includes the nutritionist. I advocate self-awareness and self-empowerment. Do your own research and make your own decisions on what works based on your experience. I don't think you're stupid. Actually, I think the opposite. I think you're smart enough to work out what's right for your body on your own.

If anything, I encourage you only to not be misled back to something that you know wasn't working for you (higher carb and low fat diets that are typically encouraged by nutrionists). Paleo is a fantastic concept. Keeping your food as real as possible allows you to easily recognize which foods your body handles best. It was paleo (well, primal) that helped me figure out that the food I considered essential was the very food that caused a lot of my problems.

I do think macros matter, to a degree. But, the right macros for me and the right macros for you could be very different. It's why you don't see me telling you what you should pick. You experiment, you figure it out. You're the best person for the job.

Edit: The little *zing* towards my eating meat only 24/7 is one of the reasons I didn't bring it up for a long time and don't mention it often. I have thick skin, so it doesn't bug me, but some people will dismiss what I say because they think I'm some crazy fool. My being a crazy fool doesn't change the fact that you're still the smartest person when it comes to knowing what is right for you.