Dining Out Paleo: The Counter

                                                 

The Counter
695 6th Ave
San Diego, CA 92040
http://www.thecounterburger.com







Our family supports the Autism Society of America San Diego Chapter because, well, we live with autism.  Our son is 11 years old and was diagnosed with high functioning autism/Asperger's syndrome at age 3.  The ASA in San Diego has a WONDERFUL Parent Education Series on Autism Through the LifeSpan.  Its a free series and I encourage attendance to ANYONE who wants to learn more about helping those in the spectrum grow and thrive.





The Counter is a new family-style, build-your-own-burger restaurant in the Downtown area of San Diego.  In an area that is drowning in hipster themed whisky bars and charcuteries, it's a much needed addition.  The restaurant owners partnered with the ASA to donate 100% of their proceeds on their "Soft Opening" to the ASA's programs.  Getting to go to a new restaurant before anyone else?  Good.  Supporting ASA's programs?  Better.  FINDING OUT THAT THEY HAVE PALEO OPTIONS????  AMAZING.





The Menu and it's dietary information can be found on their website.  Our very chipper and attentive waitress Amber, informed us that their entire staff had been trained on different dietary needs, including Paleo, "because there are so many people into CrossFit".  At that moment, I was ready to commit to coming to The Counter at least once a week.  And I hadn't tried the food yet.  The ordering process is fun, you go down a checklist, marking what items you want on your burger.  With options like "Burger in a Bowl"($1.00 extra), organic greens and grass-fed beef it's a pretty safe place to eat paleo.

Our waitress was especially attentive to our son, after tactfully                 finding out that he was in the spectrum.  He has an affinity for Shirley Temples, and while the restaurant doesn't have cherry flavoring to put in Sprite, she suggested using Grenadine (from the bar) and ended up making his favorite Shirley Temple of all time.









From the appetizer menu we ordered a 50/50 plate of french fries and                    sweet potato fries (sweet potatoes ARE paleo, however these fries do contain soy which is a no-no). The fries were delicately cut and extremely good.  They came with a horseradish aioli.  We also ordered the Grilled Veggies.  They were very good, thinly cut and grilled only to the point to bring out a sweetness.  This appetizer is Paleo Friendly IF you ignore the corn.







To illustrate the fact that I am a solo-Grok in this family, my son made a "burger" from his pretzel bun and french fries.  I commend those families living with autism who have gone gluten-free.  That is something I just couldn't imagine doing, as processed carbs are 90% of what my son eats.








I ordered a "Burger-in-a-Bowl" with a 1 lb grass fed patty, cooked medium rare.  Their burger patty sizes are post-cook weight.  So when you order 1lb of meat, you get a FULL 16oz.  I added tomatoes, olives, artichoke hearts, pickles and a fried egg to my burger.  I also chose the garlic aioli, although the "burger-in-a-bowl" had so much flavor that I ended up forgetting about it.  It was really well put together, the meat was cooked perfectly.  When I pushed through the yolk and runny gold ran out into my salad, I was definitely a happy paleo girl.





I couldn't order milkshakes like the hubby and daughter, but I COULD order a "Skinny Margarita".  A drink that is already offered on their menu, it's Patron Silver, agave nectar, and fresh lime juice.  Imagine my delight that my Paleo drink of choice was something the bartender already knew how to make.  The milkshakes were reported to be good.





The Counter definitely has my vote as one of the most Paleo-friendly eateries.  The price point of the menu items are definitely competitive for the Downtown area.  For 2 appetizers, 4 meals, 2 milkshakes and 1 alcoholic beverage, our tab was $85.  That's a huge meal for us, but 100% of the proceeds were going to the ASA, so we let our hair down.  Being able to eat without worrying about ruining my carefully planned diet, knowing that they support families with autism, and the level of customer service and quality of the food definitely adds up to a return visit.  Besides, hubby can't wait to try the Oversized Chocolate Chip Cookie, which is reported to be larger than our daughter's face.

Ok, I'm Paleo, now how do I lose weight?

As of this posting, I've lose 11.5 pounds in 52 days.  Some people go Paleo to improve their health or for allergy reasons.  I started the Paleo Diet to lose the weight that I was holding me back from being the best runner I can be.  If you're interested in losing weight on the Paleo Diet, this posting is for you.

HOW DO I START THE PALEO DIET?

The Basic guidelines for Paleo are as follows:

• No Processed grains (breads, pastas, cereals, etc)
• No processed sugar, No starchy vegetables (corn or white potatoes)
• No processed oils (no vegetable oil, corn oil, soybean oil, peanut oil, canola oil), 
• No legumes (peanuts, beans, chickpeas, etc)
• No Dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt, butter)

But you can say YES to:

• meat (grass-fed and nitrate free if possible)
• vegetables (with exception of corn and potatoes.  sweet potatoes and yams are ok!)
• fruits
• non-processed oils (olive oil, sesame oil, avocado oil)
• fat (lard and renderings from meats)
• Tree nuts (no peanuts)

For most people, the first 2 weeks of paleo are both exciting and terrifying.  You're fine the first 2 or three days, enjoying eating bacon and meat while watching your waist shrink.  Then the sugar cravings hit.

I HEARD THAT YOU FEEL SICK WHEN YOU START THE PALEO DIET....

For a week, sometimes two, you will go through sugar and carb withdrawal.  I think its important to supplement with any high carb veggies (like sweet potatoes and carrots) and fruits.  It'll help stabilize your blood sugars and improve your moods.  There are lots of ways to ease into Paleo, but I think going cold turkey but not following any calorie or carb guidelines worked the best for me.

Once you notice that the midday headaches, sugar cravings and mood swings have slowed down, then its time to focus on your nutrition.  I aim for a balance of 50% calories from fat, 25% calories from protein, and 25% calories from natural carb sources.   This is based on 1600 calories allotted per day.  You can find YOUR allotted daily calories using this calculator.

CAN YOU MAKE THIS EASIER?  

I know, you're probably already sweating because of all the math involved.  A Paleo dieter's right-hand man will be their food diary.  You can do it the old fashioned way, with a calorie counter book and a notepad.  I prefer to utilize all the technological advancements of modern times and use the LoseIt! app on my iphone.  Loseit! is also available on the web, and the app and website can talk to each other and will back up your logs.  ANY food tracker/calorie counting app or website will be valuable.  Find one that fits your needs and preferences.  I will suggest that you use one that allows you to put in your calories burned from exercised.  Those negative calories count!!  You are burning calories when you exercise, which means you're allowed to put them back in, with food, like bacon.

An example of my Daily Food Journal

An Example of my balance of calories

CAN I EXERCISE ON THE PALEO DIET??

It seems to be widely accepted that you shouldn't exercise during the first week, but as a runner I couldn't put my training on hold.  I say that as long as you feel you can handle the exercise and you are replenishing your calories that you burn, feel free to do your favorite workouts.  I don't suggest starting any new regimen while you're going through sugar withdrawal.  You're already going to feel awful, why make it worse with sore muscles?

ANY OTHER TIPS?

Another guideline I try to follow is limiting myself to 100 g of carbs a day.  That's it.  On a good day, I'll hit it after dinner.  On a bad day, I'll hit it at lunch and then it's only meats, nuts, nonstarchy veggies and fats for the rest of the day.

Low carb doesn't mean low taste

I tackled the Paleo Numbers game aggressively once my Sugar withdrawal was over.  I also started Paleo to lose weight.  If you are eating Paleo to be healthier, to eat the way your body is designed to eat, then don't worry about the numbers.  If you are happy with the weight loss your seeing WITHOUT working the numbers, then by all means, don't worry about them.  But if you ever hit a plateau, or aren't seeing the loss that you think you SHOULD be seeing, I'd recommend trying the above techniques.


I welcome any questions about losing weight on the Paleo Diet!  You can also feel free to share YOUR techniques about weight loss during Paleo.

My Favorite Paleo Recipes: Bacon Acorn Squash Patties

I'm a frugal Grokette . . . I don't like the idea of having to buy "special" foods (that are also usually expensive) in order to be healthy and lose weight.  I love that SO many of my favorite foods are already paleo friendly.  I am so thankful for nitrate-free bacon.  But every once in a while a recipe crosses my path that forces me down the unfamiliar aisles of my local whole foods store.  So yesterday I bought both coconut flour and Kale chips yesterday.

Not to get too sidetracked (because this recipe is AMAZING) but those kale chips were the best thing that happened to me yesterday.  They are SO nacho cheesey without using ANY dairy!  Oh, call me a happy happy paleo girl.  

Now back to the recipe.  I love the recipes that are posted by Juli from paleOMG.  I also love her blog's name, which is the name every paleo blogger wishes they got to first.  She writes in a very conversational tone, and you get the sense that she's going through the experience WITH us, and not trying to LEAD us.  It's very comforting.  She also looks amazing because does Cross Fit.  I wish I could WANT to do crossfit.  The only torture I'm interested in is 13.1 miles.  

So this is one of her latest recipes and after I read it, I forwarded it to my paleo friends and one of them immediately made it for dinner that night.  This was their response: "OK, so we had these for dinner and they are probably the best things I've eaten on this diet. I ate four".  So, I had to try it myself and was also equally impressed and had to force myself to save some for lunch leftovers.  (sorry about the lack of an "after" pic . . . they were too good and kept getting eaten before I could take a picture)

BACON ACORN SQUASH PATTIES from paleOMG

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 10 mins each patty

Ingredients

Patties cooking in bacon grease

• 1 large acorn squash, cut in half, seeds removed
• 4-6 strips bacon, diced
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons coconut flour
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut your squash in half and place your squash open side, face down on a baking sheet.
3. Roast your squash for 25-30 minutes.
4. Once your squash is soft when you poke its skin, remove it from the oven to cool.
5. Then cook your bacon in a medium pan until cooked through, and place on a paper towel to soak up the excess fat.
6. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in your pan after your bacon in done cooking.
7. Scoop out your acorn squash into a bowl and add your bacon, eggs, coconut flour, and salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly until eggs are broken up completely.
8. Use a spoon to scoop out a large spoonful of mixture and add to your hot bacon fat pan.
9. Cook each patty for 3-5 minutes then use a spatula to flip it over and press down and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
10. You just want to create a crust on each side of the patty.
11. Repeat.
12. Serve with your favorite protein. (I served mine with an herbed pork tenderloin)
13. Makes 4-8 patties.

Nutritional info*: Calories 107  Fat 4.2g  Sat Fat 1.6g  Chol 50.3g  Sod 339.6g  Carb 15.2g  Fiber 4.6g  Pro 4.2g

*All nutritional info was not provided in the original recipe.  I use the Recipe Calculator at Sparkpeople.com to calculate nutritional value.

Carb Up Paleo-style

No Pasta.  No bread.  No tortillas.  No potatoes.  HOW DOES A PALEO RUNNER CARB UP????

It's widespread knowledge now that runners love their Pre-race Pasta Parties.  That's because you need to store up carbs for an endurance run of over 2 hours.  For some, that's a marathon. For slow little me, that's a half marathon.  In 10 days I'll be running the San Jose Rock N Roll Half Marathon.  That means I'll be traveling and staying paleo will be a challenge to both me and my momma (who may or may not realize that my specific dietary needs will be travelling with me).  But we're going to try, and I follow some pretty simple guidelines for runners who are Paleo.


WHY do you need to "Carb Up?"

The process I refer to as "carb up" is also known more commonly as "Carbo Loading".  It increases the glycogen in your muscles.  Glycogen in how your body stores "energy" in the form of carbohydrates in your muscles.  Muscles NEED that energy to function and if you plan to exercise for more than 90 minutes, you should plan to carbo load.


How can a Paleo Runner Carb Up without breads or pasta?

Most endurance runners carbo load using carbohydrate sources that are found in the low glycemic index.  Examples are Whole wheat pastas, bananas, sweet potatoes.  These foods contain carbohydrates but don't cause a sugar crash like foods that are in the high glycemic index.  Candy, baked goods, apples are examples of foods that aare int he High GI.  The difference is sometimes referred to as "good carbs" and "bad carbs".

Image found at the Dreamfield's pasta website

By eating a large quantity of foods that are in the low GI, runners can insure that the carbs they take in will be stored as fuel and not just used up and cause them to crash.

Paleo runners have the benefit of having trained their bodies to ONLY use foods in the low glycemic index.  Our diet does not allow any processed carbohydrates, grains or sugars.  While whole wheat is a good source of a low GI carbohydrate, it isn't the only one.  By eating things like sweet potatoes, bananas, gluten-free waffles or pancakes (usually made with coconut flour), a Paleo Runner can successfully increase their glycogen stores without resorting to breaking from their Paleo lifestyle.

I usually carb up before a long run with sweet potatoes and fruit.  These are foods I enjoy and normally have to watch my intake in order to maintain weight loss.  One of the benefits of endurance running IS the carboloading cycle and you should enjoy it!!  I start my load process two nights before my race, at dinner.  I then have a carb heavy breakfast the next morning (day before the race) and then eat light for the next 3 meals.  I do not restrict my calories during this time.

What are the benefits of doing a Paleo Carb Up?

The first benefit is NOT breaking from your Paleo lifestyle.  I know for me, when I have taken a quick break for a special meal or to try add foods back in to my diet, I've experienced quite a bit of pain due to Gastro-intestinal problems.  This is VERY common for followers of the Paleo Diet.  Your body no longer has the forced immunity to the effects of the foods on your body now that you're "cleansed".  Race day is NOT the day to be experiencing gas, diarrhea or nausea.

You also have the benefit of all the carbo loading without the bloating.  Pre-race carb up used to leave me feeling big and heavy.  Now I still feel good in my race gear.

Paleo Carb Loading also allows you to be certain the foods you're using to increase your glycogen stores ARE in the low glycemic index.  You can't use the excuse that you can eat a candy bar or a donut because you're going to run a marathon the next day.  I personally think it makes it easier to  continue eating healthy while training and racing.


What about DURING your races?

During an endurance event of over 2 hours it is VERY important to have access to carbs and electrolytes to replenish those that you're using.  I have not found a reliable and Paleo-friendly source of these . . . yet.  I like a combination of caffeine and carbs during my runs, to keep the pep in my step.  So I still use Gu Jet Blackberry and Gu Peanut Butter.  I also still prefer Cytomax sports drink over any Paleo-friendly "gatorades".  I do have to deal with the side effects of putting those processed sugars, legumes, and carbohydrates into my body.  Luckily, they dont' show up until AFTER the race.

In his book, Paleo Diet for Athletes, Dr Cordain does encourage endurance athletes to continue to use whatever forms of endurance supplements they find works for them.  He also encourages athletes to use a 30 minut window AFTER the event to ingest large amounts of carbohydrates, even if they're non-paleo options.

You will still feel the effects of these supplements and your post-race meal.  For me, its worth the pain to enjoy a meal that I miss from my non-Paleo days.  My favorite post-race carb replenishment is a California Burrito.

Post-race burritos are SO good!

If you have any questions about the process of carbo loading or about staying paleo while training and racing, feel free to ask me!  I am happy to share my experiences with you.  I also welcome any stories of successful AND failed attempts at racing Paleo.

My Favorite Paleo Recipes: Lemon Garlic Herb Pork Chops

Strictly Paleo....ish! is a lacto-paleo blog.  Lacto-Paleos can and DO eat dairy products.  For those of us who are strictly paleo for reasons of lactose sensitivity or because we feel we aren't meant to ingest animal milk, we don't eat dairy.  (As a personal admission, it gives me terrible GI side effects.  Not the best thing for a runner, you know?)  Lucky for us, the blogger at Strictly Paleo....ish! does include the occasional dairy-free recipe offering since his flavor combos are excellent.  Another interesting side note about this blogger: He lives in Sweden.  There seems to be quite a growing community of Groks living in that part of the world.  

I originally found this recipe on Fast Paleo, one of my favorite Paleo recipe sources.  And in case you wondered, I served it with riced cauliflower on the side.  

Lemon Garlic Herb Pork Chops

Prep time: 2 hours  Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients 

• 4 Pork Chops, boneless (about 1-inch thick)
• 3 tbsp Olive Oil.
• Zest from one Lemon.
• Juice from one Lemon.
• 2-3 Cloves of Garlic, minced.
• 1 tbsp dried Thyme.
• 1 tbsp dried Basil.
• 1/2 tbsp crushed Black Pepper.
• 1 tsp Sea Salt, flakes.

Cooking Steps

Make 3-4 cuts through the fat cap of each pork chop, and put them in a large plastic bag.

Mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl, and then pour it in the bag with the pork chops.

Try to get the air out of the bag and seal it close to the opening, leaving it with as little air as possible but still space for the pork chops to move around a bit.

Start “massaging” the bag, until the pork chops are evenly rubbed and covered with the marinade.

Place in the fridge for at least a few hours before grilling them over direct heat.

(Take them out of the fridge when you light the grill, so they are room temperatured when you start to grill them.)

Preheat grill to Medium and grill pork chops for 10 minutes on each side.

Nutritional info*: Calories 256.5  Fat 17.6g  Sat Fat 4.3g  Chol 51.1g  Sod 613.2g  Carb 5.1g  Fiber 2.0g  Pro 20.8g

*All nutritional info was not provided in the original recipe.  I use the Recipe Calculator at Sparkpeople.com to calculate nutritional value.

Run with Me, Save Money

If you're local to the San Diego area, or plan to be here in Early February, I invite you to come run with me!  Check out the Electric Run, taking place in Del Mar, CA

The Electric Run on February 2nd is more show and participation-art than run. One Million watts of light and sound will transform the 5k course into an electric wonderland! You are invited to be part of the art. Get creative and light yourself with glow sticks LEDs and whatever else your imagination can conjure up.!
Register now and save $5 using the coupon code ELECTRIC5.
Offer expires September 30th, 2012.

Why run Paleo?

When you tell people that you're on the Paleo Diet you inevitably get asked two questions: What is the Paleo Diet? and Why did you decide to do that?  

I've been running for 4 years.  I took up running because my Daddy (an amazing Ultra Runner) invited me to come run the Disneyland 5k.  He was running his first half marathon and my momma (an amazing trail runner) was going to run her first 5k. When someone offers to pay for your entire trip to Disneyland AND your race fee, you do it even if you have never run more than a mile in your whole life.

Surgery and radiation left me swollen
and gave me a radical scar in May 2010.

Running the Disneyland 5k
Sept 2010

I took a brief break in late 2009-early 2010 to deal with thyroid cancer.  But returned to Disneyland, this time with 2 old friends who had found a love for running as well.  I finished the 5k and thought "I'd like to try a half marathon."  

circa 2006, at 230 pounds

Ran my FIRST half marathon with my
mommy on her birthday June 2011

As you can see, my body had already gone through an amazing transformation.  I started my journey in  2006  at 230 pounds.    I used a modified South Beach diet and CURVES for Women workout, then tried Herbalife, then settled on a calorie restrictive diet (1200 calories) and working with a personal trainer. Through all those efforts I lost 85 pounds.

Four half marathons and multiple
5ks in 10 months

I ran 4 half marathons and tons of 5ks between June 2011 and April 2012.  And while my activity level continued to increase, my weight did too.  Slowly, over a year, I put twenty pounds back on.  I truly feel that RUNNING MADE ME FAT.  And it was due to the excessive amounts of carbs and sugars that my body was asking for because it wanted quick energy to replace what I was burning on my long runs.  I was starting to feel the effects of the excess weight on my body and seeing it in my pace.  I needed to do something since my calories in vs calories out approach wasn't working anymore.




A friend mentioned that they may start the Paleo Diet since they were in the same place as I was, carrying around weight that had been previously lost.  I had heard of it, and it sounded radical, a fad diet.  Intending to debunk their idea I headed to the internet.  What I found was a very divided opinion on the validity of the Paleo Diet.  But after being sent the Beginner's Guide To Paleo , I found myself standing on the side that thought it made sense.  Low Carb diets had worked for me in the past, why not try the "Whole Foods" approach as well.  It couldn't hurt to try it for 30 days.

In a recent race, running with
 my daughter

I wish I had taken before and after pictures during my first 30 days.  I dropped 10 pounds and lost a whole pants size.  My abdominal fat has always been a problem area and it immediately began to decrease.  I always notice a drop in SIZE before I lose any actual weight.  My leg muscles grew even more developed, helping my speed.  I finally started seeing some PRs again!  But even more amazing, I FELT better.  I had more energy, my environmental allergies decreased, my skin looked great.  I couldn't deny these results.  And so at the time of this post I'm on day 47 of the Paleo Diet.

When I'm asked those questions about Paleo and my choices, I answer, "Paleo is eating Whole Foods that our bodies were meant to utilize.  No processed oils, sugars, grains, legumes, soy or dairy*." And I chose to go Paleo because I wasn't living up to my full potential.  My dietary habits were in the way of success.  Check back later to hear about my techniques for carbing up before a long run.  It's a challenge on the Paleo Diet but not impossible! I've now completed 2 long training runs while Paleo and plan to stay Paleo for the San Jose Rock N Roll Half Marathon on October 7th, 2012.

And if you have your OWN answers to people's questions about Paleo, I'd LOVE to hear them!

SwimBikeRunPlay

My friend Denice writes a blog as a Triathlete.  She's not paleo, but she IS amazing.  Her first Tri . . . yeah she won 1st in her age division.  Let me say that again, her FIRST Tri event, she WON FIRST PLACE in her age division.  Knowing amazing people like her in a face to face way is very motivating.  Before she exploded into the Triathalon world she was a smiling face at the gym I frequented.  Now she's sponsored and practically a celebrity.  Her blog is SwimBikeRunPlay, and I encourage you to check her out!

My Favorite Paleo Recipes: Beasty BBQ Sauce by Civilized Caveman Cooking Creations

I am "recipe dependent" as a good friend once told me.  While I can combine flavors to make simple meals on my own or add ingredients to create variations on a dish, I lack the imagination needed to create a whole new flavor or dish.  But thanks to the Almighty Internet and wonderful people like George at Civilized Caveman Cooking Creations I have a WORLD of Paleo recipes at my fingertips.  Not all recipes turn out to my liking, but sometimes I stumble upon something SO good that it becomes a weekly staple.  The Beasty BBQ Sauce on CCCC is just such a recipe.

And in case you're wondering, we're having this on top of George's Beasty BBQ Babyback Ribs for dinner tonight.

Mise en Place 

Civilized Caveman Cooking Creations' Beasty BBQ Sauce

Makes 4 Cups

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 60 Minutes

Serving size*: 1/2 cup

Ingredients:

Finished and ready for my ribs

• 3 Tomatoes, Diced
• 1 White Onion, Diced
• 4 Cloves of garlic, Diced
• 1 6 Ounce can of Tomato Paste
• 1 Cup Beef Stock
• 2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
• 2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Tbsp Sweet Paprika
• 1 Tsp Sea Salt
• 1 Tsp Cayenne

Process:

1. Combine all ingredients above in a sauce pan and place on stove over medium heat stirring frequently
2. Once your sauce starts to boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 60 minutes
3. Once your sauce has simmered, turn off the heat and pour your sauce into a blender or food processor and run until you get a nice smooth sauce consistency
4. Return to the pan to keep warm or place on the food of your choice

The ONLY changes I made to his recipe were to use a hand blender to puree the sauce once it was done cooking.  I just dislike making MORE dishes to clean AND my food processor is TINY.  Like 3 cup tiny.  I also don't care to add pineapple to my sauce, as he suggests.  I found the sauce to be on the sweet side (with a WHOLE lot of spiciness as well!) without the added fruit and carbs.  I use this sauce on ribs, hamburgers, pulled pork and I love it enough to just dip celery sticks in it too! 

Nutritional info*: Calories 56.5  Fat 2.1g  Sat Fat 0.3g  Chol 0g  Sod 623.1  Carb 8.1g  Fiber 2.0g  Pro 2.1g

*All nutritional info was not provided in the original recipe.  I use the Recipe Calculator at Sparkpeople.com to calculate nutritional value.

Running Drunk

Ever run a race hungover?  I try not to, but when a Navy Ball is on the night before a race, you sometimes give in and indulge.  I just finished my first official* 10k, the Girls on the Go 10k in San Dimas.  (See my review of the race here)  I partied Paleo-style with NorCal Margaritas and my gluten-free/dairy-free menu selections and went to bed “early”.  Early enough to sleep off my alcohol and get 6 hours of rest.  When I woke up in the morning I felt CONSIDERABLY better than I thought I would.  I’m only 45 Days into this new Paleo lifestyle, so I’m still discovering new benefits.  NOT having a hangover due to excessive drinking and eating?  Yeah, BIG benefit.  Running my first 10k strong and fast (for me)?  BIG BENEFIT.  While Paleo has created certain restrictions on my life, it’s given me the freedom to indulge in paleo-friendly foods without feeling the after effects of hangovers and bloating. 

I’d be interested in hearing other paleo peeps’ stories of races after a night of debauchery . . .

*I'm a half-marathoner and so have run 6 mile training runs before, I just had never signed up for a 10K before.