• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Shop
  • About
  • Contact
  • My Cookbook
my new book!
Display Search Bar

The Paleo Running Momma

Run Fast, Eat Clean, Live Messy!

  • Browse Recipes
  • By Course
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Dips, Dressings and Sauces
    • Lunch & Dinner
    • Sweet Treats
    • Veggies & Sides
  • By Dessert
    • Breads & Muffins
    • Brownies & Bars
    • Cakes & Cupcakes
    • Chocolate
    • Cookies
    • Crisps, Cobblers, & Crumbles
    • Fruit
    • No-Bake
    • Pies & Tarts
  • By Special Diets
    • Egg Free
    • No Added Sugar
    • Nut Free
    • Vegan
    • Whole30
  • By Ingredient
  • By Holiday/Season
    • Birthday
    • Christmas/Winter
    • Easter/Spring
    • Summer/BBQ
    • Thanksgiving/Fall
  • View the Full Recipe Index

2.17.15

Running and Anxiety Part II – Crossing the Line

Sharing is caring!

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Right.  Try telling that to a runner.  No, wait.  Try telling that to a runner who tends toward anxiety and see what happens next.

If a little is good, then more must be better.

Maybe true, and you won’t know until you test it, right?

If more isn’t helping, even more must be better.  In different shoes.

Here is where the line has been crossed.

image

 

Where It Goes Wrong

Last week in Part I I spoke about the powerful positive effect that running (and other exercise) can have on anxiety management and how relieving it is to be engaged in something that allows us to feel truly like ourselves.  Both biologically and psychologically, we’re put in a place that we don’t want to leave.

Thinking about my own experiences, I can see now that it’s the feeling of power and strength that becomes addictive. It’s a feeling we not only want to keep, but want to build on in the hopes that “more” will make the experience even better.

We set goals and set out to accomplish them.  We probably don’t realize that our anxiety is already activated just by setting the goal, but rather we experience it at first as strong motivation, excitement, and determination.  It doesn’t have to go badly at this point, but if we aren’t careful and self aware, our anxiety can take over, and, the “thing” (running) that was helping us feel good may now become the focus of our fear and anxious feelings.

While what I write here might seem black versus white or healthy versus unhealthy, the changes can be subtle and gradual enough so that they aren’t noticeable in the moment.

I’ve found myself on many points of the spectrum at different times in my life as a runner.  Currently, I feel like I’m somewhere in the middle headed toward the healthy side.  At my worst, leading up to my experience at the Marine Corps Marathon in 2013, my anxiety had completely taken over my running.  A combination of compulsive behavior, lack of knowledge and experience, and a fear of “giving up” led to my worst injury – severe posterior tibial tendonitis.

I healed from the injury and began to approach my running in a healthier way, but, it has only been within the past 6 months or so that I’ve fully recognized and started to understand these feelings and how they led to that breakdown.

How We Fall

We don’t “fall” in just one way, but rather through a combination of factors influencing our decisions around running. I believe one of the first things that can start to trigger anxiety in a bad way is fixating on numbers in order to attempt to measure our running in various ways.

It could be weekly mileage, daily mileage, percentage increase in weekly mileage, calories burned, pace, pace improvement, the number of days of “workouts” versus easy runs, or the number of days run per week or rest days per week/month.   I focused on many of these numbers and “needed” to get them right.  I felt a sense of relief when I “got it in.”

Looking back I can recognize that I started going overboard when I tried to only take one rest day every other week in the fall of 2012.  It sounds completely absurd to me now, but I became fixated on so many “running numbers” and would set arbitrary goals that had nothing to do with my improvement as a runner, but were only satisfying an obsessive/compulsive tendency.

If we keep going with anxiety leading us, the idea that we need to run a certain number of fill-in-the-blank, begins to take over our training and even our lives.

I know there were many times I ran even though I was sick or feeling pain simply because I anticipating that the feeling of NOT running would be worse than whatever pain I experienced running.  There were times I ran only because I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to the next day.  To remain calm  I would “hoard” miles by running whatever number I thought I needed to before I was potentially stopped from doing so.   Other days I ran longer than planned because I told myself I should use all my free time to run as many miles as possible.

All of these things made it impossible for me to stick to a normal training plan.  I would rewrite a training plan several times and never actually follow it, always doing more.  It made me feel good to be “ahead” of my training plan.   But, just like “banking time” at the beginning of a marathon backfires, banking miles is also a bad idea.

I was scared that if I didn’t get in a certain number of miles, I might never run again and I would lose all my fitness.  My thinking was extreme and not at all logical.  I think somewhere deep down I knew I was overtrained and was scared that if I stopped, I’d never start again.  One thing I DID realize was that I didn’t trust myself and felt I needed to be pushed too far in order to accomplish what I wanted to.  The thing that made me feel strong and confident was now exposing my weaknesses and insecurities.

What Happens

It amazes me how long people can go on, myself included, in a phase in their running lives when anxiety is in the lead. Many injuries can be managed for a long time before the body really breaks down, and runners who are slaves to anxiety will put up with and even welcome a lot of physical and emotional pain before slowing down their running.

But what happens before your body and mind completely break down?  Why slow down or stop?  A few things I’ve noticed with myself that I don’t like thinking about come to mind.

First, running is treated like the priority above ACTUAL priorities.  I was always TOO aware of how various activities, events, etc would impact my running, to the point where I was sort of always worried about things coming up.  I think this is one of those signs that only the runner, and perhaps close family members, will be able to see.

When life revolves around running, and you have other things in your life that are truly more important than running, something is wrong!  I could not and did not want to see that this was happening to me for a long time.  I would think to myself “once this race is over, things will be different” and then they wouldn’t change.  Instead, I would get scared of slowing down, that my “runner identity” would be taken away.  Beneath that, I was avoiding of all the “real stuff” in my life that was making me anxious to begin with.  I wrote about some of those things here.

Second, you can’t ignore some signs that you’re struggling.  It can happen slowly, or seem slow at first before many signs pop up together, indicating the breakdown of the body and mind as a result of overtraining and anxiety.

Injuries persist or don’t heal even after resting (or we realize the elliptical, bike, or barre class isn’t rest, and we cannot REALLY rest), we’re sleeping poorly, feeling exhausted, possibly losing weight or even gaining, feeling more anxious, depressed, confused, and the sense that we’re doing something very wrong but don’t know how to fix it.

We might still think that a new training approach or plan, a new race goal, or even new shoes or working on form will help.  But, if we’re truly caught in the throes of unhealthy and obsessive running, no motivator, pick-me-up, advice, or treatment will work.  We have to address the root of the problem.

How We Can Continue Running in a Healthy Way

I don’t believe that if you’ve been in an unhealthy pattern with running that you need to stop running forever!  If we started out in a healthy way and only gradually moved to the other side, I think it’s possible to get back to a good place, though it will require a lot of honesty and hard work (and not the kind we’re used to!)

Next Week in Part III of my series I’ll talk about keeping our running a positive tool for anxiety management, even if you’re over on the unhealthy side of the spectrum.

Have you experienced a period of unhealthy running/exercise?  

What helped you recognize that your running/exercise had become unhealthy?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You Might Also Like...

  • Running and Anxiety Part I - Relief
  • Running and Anxiety Part III - Staying Healthy
  • Weekly Running and Yoga Recap
Previous Post
Next Post

About Michele

More than a little into running and paleo recipes (yoga now too!) but I'm not here to rain on your grains (or anything else) so come along for the ride! I do a little too much of everything (except cleaning), and I enjoy laughing at myself. As long as I'm the one making the jokes, that is. Just kidding. So bring me your angst, your appetite and your frying pan and climb aboard!

Reader Interactions

Reader Reviews & Comments

  1. Skinny Fitalicious says

    February 17, 2015 at 7:52 am

    I feel like you were righting about me. This was exactly me before my injury. That feeling of hoarding miles and feeling anxious I wouldn’t get them in tomorrow. All me. And not wanting to take rest days too. Crazy how it overcomes you. I feel like I’m more aware of it now. But I still struggle with anxiety of not being able to workout.

    Reply
    • Michele says

      February 17, 2015 at 9:56 am

      I still struggle with it too, but I think like you the awareness of it is very helpful, along with a true desire to stay healthy. I don’t think people with this tendency need to quit exercise altogether, but it will always take some effort to stay on the healthy side where exercise is a positive tool.

      Reply
  2. SuzLyfe says

    February 17, 2015 at 7:55 am

    Another great post. I think that for many, running becomes a “safe” place, whether it be one filled with anxiety or otherwise. We become almost addicted to the worry as a substitute for what we should actually be concerned with. Taxes? Sorry, I have to go foam roll the crap out of my calf, it felt a little bit icky on my run today. Poverty? My hamstring might not be ok for my marathon next month. We can hide from the real world in our anxiety regarding our running.

    Reply
    • Michele says

      February 17, 2015 at 9:54 am

      Spot on! It’s tough to recognize in the moment and even when we recognize it it’s really tough to stop it. For me, money, health and the future scare the crap out of me and running is a distraction that’s made me feel strong. In small doses, fine, but it can easily get out of control without the awareness.

      Reply
  3. Strength and Sunshine says

    February 17, 2015 at 9:13 am

    Knowing how I feel after just one run, I have no idea how people run high mileage everyday. I need to do other things and I think that having such a wide mix of fitness in my life, I don’t become too obsessed with one certain thing.

    Reply
    • Michele says

      February 17, 2015 at 10:00 am

      With the exception of elite runners, running high mileage every day is just unnecessary and probably unhealthy. Having a wide mix of fitness is good both mentally and physically I think. Also I’ve found that focusing on non-fitness and food related outlets can be really helpful too! When I’ve gotten caught up in running I’ve forgotten about other interests like reading and music.

      Reply
  4. jillconyers says

    February 17, 2015 at 10:01 am

    Yes, I’ve been to that unhealthy place and the recognition, more than likely, was an injury and/or an overall feeling of no matter how far or how fast it wasn’t enough.

    Great read Michele.

    Reply
    • Michele says

      February 17, 2015 at 10:03 am

      I remember feeling the same way after qualifying for Boston (and I was already caught in it) just almost panicking about needing a new goal. Glad you related, I think many people how found themselves there at some point!

      Reply
  5. Lisa @ Running Out Of Wine says

    February 17, 2015 at 10:05 am

    When I think back since I started working out regularly I think that I had the most unhealthy relationship with exercise before I started training for races regularly. I actually think that the training gave me a better guideline of working out and always included rest days. Before that, I was definitely in a “more is better” mindset of exercising. I would spend hours at the gym and sometimes work out 7 days a week. Once I followed a training plan I was varying my time spend working out more. I still think I can go overboard with mileage and I can definitely relate to “banking” miles while training, but overall I think running has helped me to develop a more positive relationship with exercising. There is still plenty of room for improvement and I think the past few months have taught me alot as I have stopped training for anything and started making smarter decisions for the long-term.

    Reply
    • Michele says

      February 17, 2015 at 4:22 pm

      Thinking about long-term is so key. When we’re ruled by anxiety it’s really tough to realistically consider the long term so we often just ignore it. Running really can be a healthy thing when we train appropriately and don’t let it control us. As you said though it’s an ongoing learning process.

      Reply
  6. Vanessa says

    February 17, 2015 at 11:15 am

    Hello! I have just recently found your blog, and this post really spoke to me. I struggle with general anxiety, and exercise is one of the areas that teeters between bringing relief and inducing more anxiety. In order to set a new goal for myself I thought I would try jogging instead of walking (I am so novice I can’t even call it running, ha ha!!). Sure enough, trying to figure how often and how long to jog became a source of anxiety. Your post and the other comments make me realize I am not alone. Thank you for advice on how to healthily incorporate running in to your routine. I look forward to your next installment!

    Reply
    • Michele says

      February 17, 2015 at 4:24 pm

      Hi Vanessa, glad to hear from you and happy to hear that you related and found this helpful. I decided to write about it after realizing that SO many people experience this or something similar. You are definitely not alone! I do think there are ways we can keep it helpful and healthy and I’ll talk about that in the post next week 🙂

      Reply
  7. danielle says

    February 17, 2015 at 11:25 am

    i have totally had my bouts with anxiety and with over-exercise… my husband likes to point out how much i workout currently, but he has no idea how much i used to work out! the funny thing is that we met while training for an ironman, and i’m sure you can guess that those races involve some serious training. well, he is just one of those people that can skip working out all week and then run a marathon no problem. of course not fast, but he’s got amazing strength. i have to train, and when i did both ironman races, it was perfect for me to have an excuse to always be training. it certainly fed my addiction of “more is better” mentality.
    these days i just try to give myself limits, like 30-60 minutes of workout X and workout Y or something. i love moving my body and it always makes me feel good, so finding the happy medium is key.
    love this series, Michele. so thought provoking 🙂

    Reply
    • Michele says

      February 17, 2015 at 4:28 pm

      My husband is similar in that he doesn’t run consistently but can run a 15k on no training at all. I always say that there’s no way I could do that, and that’s one of the reasons I train hard, but, that may partially be a justification 🙂 I agree that always having a race to look forward to justifies the hard training. Agree that setting limits and realizing the tendency to push too hard and reject it is helpful for people like us. Glad you’re enjoying this!

      Reply
  8. suzysuzyheather says

    February 17, 2015 at 11:40 am

    It’s so great that you’re self aware enough to recognize all this! That’s the key to managing underlying anxiety issues. For me, anything that crosses over into my daily life, affecting the way I sleep, eat, work, relationships, etc becomes something that I need to address. Like, go to a counselor, a doctor, etc. Otherwise, it’s something that I manage. It isn’t black and white, it’s a dance in and out and around the grey areas as we wander through this crazy life!

    Reply
    • Michele says

      February 17, 2015 at 4:31 pm

      So true that addressing the underlying problems is the key to managing all of it, and it does require that honesty that can be tough! Definitely not black and white as you said, and nothing is! Sounds like you have a good awareness too, I suppose we have to discover that at some point to move forward.

      Reply
  9. Amanda @ .running with spoons. says

    February 17, 2015 at 12:35 pm

    It’s great that you wrote about this, Michele. I’ve definitely been in a place where I was addicted to exercise and doing -way- more than I should have been. And what you said about things gradually moving from a healthy place into an unhealthy one so that you don’t even realize it is spot on… I honestly didn’t even see a problem with it until my body literally shut down on me. Exercise is a great way to relieve stress, but it’s also a big -source- of stress for the body, so finding that sweet spot is key to maintaining physical and mental health… even though the process of learning it can be a big pain in the butt 😆

    Reply
    • Michele says

      February 17, 2015 at 4:36 pm

      You are so right with all of that – finding that sweet spot really is the goal and yet so difficult for some people, myself included for sure! And I do believe it’s possible to learn and move forward, but that process is definitely not always pretty and a pain in the butt like you said.

      Reply
  10. tara says

    February 17, 2015 at 2:13 pm

    i love this post ! i thought of two things immediately upon reading.
    1. funny how the thing that makes me “good” at running is the fact that i am so type a and determined and goal oriented/one foot in front of the other person is ALSO the thing that makes it so bad for me since i’m not into resting much, have anxiety about mileage, etc.
    2. for me….i noticed this first in someone else. a girl i go to the gym with was just in my mind seriously nutso about running. it was all she did, she never took rest, ran in awful conditions, etc. BUT she ran marathons. my boyfriend pointed out i was the same way at times and i said no that’s silly i ONLY run up to a half. how could i be doing anything bad to my body by not resting if i was only doing “half” of what others were doing, etc. i really had to stop and realize how truly stupid that sounded coming out of my mouth. it was a semi eye opener at the time.

    I’m so glad you are writing about this !

    Reply
    • Michele says

      February 17, 2015 at 4:40 pm

      I can relate to all that you said! I’ve often thought how it’s the same traits that make us “good” that also have the most potential to hurt us. I also think it’s easier to see things in others. I’ve noticed myself feeling “bothered” by certain people for displaying behaviors that were really going on with me, it’s funny that it can be hard to realize that we’re projecting.

      Glad you’re enjoying and relating to this 🙂

      Reply
  11. kiwiyogirunner says

    February 17, 2015 at 11:02 pm

    Exercise very much helped me deal with anxiety in the past, but I absolutely took it too far in the beginning and it became a cause of anxiety for me. Now I wonder if I’m almost too relaxed about it! So hard to find that balance sometimes! Glad you are feeling like you’re in a better place these days.

    Reply
    • Michele says

      February 18, 2015 at 4:30 pm

      It’s tough to get rid of black and white thinking and be comfortable with balance. I think we’re all striving 🙂

      Reply
  12. Meghan@CleanEatsFastFeets says

    February 17, 2015 at 11:04 pm

    I come from a world where people don’t work out at all or not enough, so it’s strange to be a part of the HLB community where two a days is par for the course and one rest day a week is the norm. It seems excessive, and I’m glad you pointed out how easily and innocently this can happen, especially for folks who like to feel in control. Penning my daily to do lists help give me that sense of control, although I’ve long since learned I need to be happy whether I cross everything off it or not. Nowadays they give me structure without pressure so long as I manage my expectations.

    Reply
    • Michele says

      February 18, 2015 at 4:35 pm

      Managing expectations and being comfortable even if it doesn’t all get done is hard, especially for those who feel that urge to control. I think seeing behaviors in others in the HLB community helped me look at my own from another perspective and it helped my awareness. There are a lot of mixed messages, I know I’ve sent some myself without realizing, and it can be really confusing to find that balance we all seem to want to strive for. Hint to myself – It’s hard to feel balanced when you are acting extreme!

      Reply
      • Meghan@CleanEatsFastFeets says

        February 18, 2015 at 6:49 pm

        It is hard. It’s damn hard but being aware of something and being willing to correct and act upon it takes a lot of courage. Too many people embrace their current situation because it’s easier. Give yourself a pat on the back or a swat on the ass for being willing to like internally and make adjustments if necessary. I applaud you for this.

        Reply
        • Michele says

          February 18, 2015 at 7:45 pm

          You are too awesome and too kind 🙂 Thanks! And you are right, this stuff is tough!

          Reply
  13. Nicole@TheGirlWhoRanEverywhere says

    February 18, 2015 at 12:21 pm

    I like to focus on long term and the bigger picture-This helps to keep me in a good place. I can’t imagine taking only one rest day every couple of weeks…Oh my! That must have been such an overwhelming time for you. The “run all the miles” gets to me sometimes, but i’m pretty good at managing it..having a plan to stick to makes me feel in control of what I’m doing and in the end, that’s what seems to work for me.

    Reply
    • Michele says

      February 18, 2015 at 4:48 pm

      Focusing on the big picture and long term health is great for perspective. When I was overtraining I was super focused on qualifying for Boston (or so I thought) but then after I did I was so confused and feeling empty because I had lost the big picture completely. In the beginning it was like a game to see how much I could run, I just didn’t think about reality until it hit hard.

      Reply
  14. Daisy @ Fit Wanderlust Runner says

    February 18, 2015 at 7:05 pm

    A few years ago I lost my niece to cancer. She was admitted and passed away at the hospital I work at. I used running and exercise to cope with the loss and I decided to also sign up for a triathlon. I was working out like a beast going before work for about an hour and half and then after work for another 2.5 hours. I looked so unhealthy and friends started noticing. I kept telling myself that this was how I could deal with my issues but I went overboard. I see it now but it was hard to realize at the time. Thank you for sharing this post. It really hit home.

    Reply
    • Michele says

      February 18, 2015 at 7:49 pm

      Thanks for sharing your experience of such a terrible and sad thing to have gone through. I do think so many people turn to exercise when life gets tough thinking it will help, and then because the real pain isn’t addressed it can spiral. Glad you related to this but so sorry for what you went through!

      Reply
  15. cottercrunch says

    February 18, 2015 at 9:59 pm

    i definitely get this friend. I used to be a number girl and running insane amounts. But oh how times have changed, and it was due to an illness and injury. Anxiety went out the door. But one step at a time, you will find the right CALM path

    Reply
    • Michele says

      February 19, 2015 at 2:22 pm

      One step at a time, you are so right. And I think we have to really choose health as well, not just pretend to choose it (to ourselves) like I’ve done in the past. It’s one step forward and one back but headed toward a much better place 🙂

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. . link love 2/22 . - . running with spoons . says:
    February 22, 2015 at 8:30 am

    […] Running and Anxiety – Crossing the Line via The Paleo Running Momma. Running (or any exercise), can be a great way to relieve stress, but don’t let yourself reach a point where it’s causing you more stress than it’s removing. […]

    Reply
  2. One Year Of Blogging - Happy 1st to Paleo Running Momma says:
    March 31, 2015 at 7:52 am

    […] Running and Anxiety Part II – This is something I began to understand a lot more about over the course of the year, and writing all three parts of this series was a great experience. […]

    Reply
  3. Reflections on my Running Addiction | The Paleo Running Momma says:
    September 15, 2016 at 5:00 am

    […] to running.  I don’t believe that’s being dramatic – I’d run myself into very unhealthy mental/physical territory out of a desire to escape things going on in my real […]

    Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

Hi! I’m so happy you stopped by! My name is Michele and I’m a Paleo eater and recipe creator, runner, mom of 3, and the gal behind Paleo Running Momma! Over here you’ll find real-food, clean eating family favorites that you’ll be excited to share with your loved ones. I hope you stay awhile, eat, savor, and enjoy!

Read More

Free Recipes

Subscribe to email updates for new recipes delivered to your inbox!

Footer

Weeknight Ideas

M
Get the Recipe
One-Skillet Teriyaki Meatballs {Paleo, Whole30}
These easy one-skillet teriyaki meatballs are perfect for weeknights.
T
Get the Recipe
Instant Pot BBQ Chicken {Paleo, Whole30}
Packed with flavor and perfect over a sweet potato or greens!
W
Get the Recipe
Glazed Sheet Pan Chicken with Butternut Squash and Apples {Paleo, Whole30}
The perfect no-fuss, one-pan paleo and Whole30 dinner.
TH
Get the Recipe
Crispy “Breaded” Paleo Chicken Cutlets {Whole30}
Quick, simple, and perfect to make ahead of time!
F
Get the Recipe
Loaded Taco Sweet Potato Sliders {Paleo, Whole30}
Packed with flavor and perfect over a sweet potato or greens!

New Recipes

Delivered to your inbox!

Sign Me Up!
Who’s up for one-bowl paleo breadsticks this wee Who’s up for one-bowl paleo breadsticks this weekend? These easy Italian breadsticks are loaded with flavor, Italian herbs and garlic, and have the perfect chewy texture.
They’re great when you’re craving bread but want to keep things clean!  Gluten-free, grain free, dairy free and perfect for dipping 🍕link to the recipe is in my bio 😄https://www.paleorunningmomma.com/paleo-breadsticks-one-bowl-gluten-free-dairy-free/
#paleobaking #healthybaking #paleobread
Happy Valentine’s Day 💕🍫aka an excuse to h Happy Valentine’s Day 💕🍫aka an excuse to have chocolate all month long and not mad about it!I present you with the best paleo chocolate cake with chocolate “buttercream” frosting!  A reader favorite and the only blog recipe that also made it to my cookbook - Paleo Baking at Home.  Link to the recipe is in my bio so go make this ASAP (or save for a needed chocolate fix 🍫) P.S. if you haven’t preordered my book yet (releasing March 10!) the link is also in my bio or just search on amazon!
https://www.paleorunningmomma.com/paleo-chocolate-cake-chocolate-buttercream/
#paleobaking #paleobakingathome #chocolatecake #paleotreats
Counting down to Valentine’s Day with more choco Counting down to Valentine’s Day with more chocolate 🍫 and we’re making donuts today!  Double chocolate frosted paleo donuts that also happen to be nut free 💕and can be made in a muffin pan too 😄 gluten free, dairy free, kid approved and so fun! Link to the recipe is in my bio ❤️ https://www.paleorunningmomma.com/chocolate-donuts-gf-paleo/
#donuts #chocolate #paleotreats #chocolatedonuts #paleobaking #healthybaking
Brand new on the blog today - chocolate covered ch Brand new on the blog today - chocolate covered cherry fudge brownies 🍫💕 I made these egg free, vegan and paleo and DANG did they rock my world last week. Planning to make them again for Valentine’s Day because hello chocolate heaven magic!  Chocolate covered cherries were my favorite as a kid and the fudgy brownies speak for themselves. Link to the recipe is in my bio 😍https://www.paleorunningmomma.com/chocolate-covered-cherry-fudge-brownies-paleo-vegan/#paleobaking #chocolate #vegan #veganrecipes #vegandesserts
Totally guilty of chocolate AND cheesecake spammin Totally guilty of chocolate AND cheesecake spamming you this week 💕 for Valentine’s Day 💕 and today it’s a paleo + vegan espresso chocolate chip cheesecake!This creamy rich cheesecake has a chocolate cookie crust topped with a cashew based espresso chocolate chip cheesecake layer.  Dairy-free, gluten-free, egg free, refined sugar free. Link to the recipe is in my bio ☕️🍫 https://www.paleorunningmomma.com/espresso-chocolate-chip-cheesecake-paleo-vegan/
#vegandesserts #vegancheesecake #veganrecipes #veganbaking
Every time I make vegan cheesecake I’m amazed th Every time I make vegan cheesecake I’m amazed that it’s possible to make “cheesecake” so legit without any dairy!  Today’s chocolate raspberry mini cheesecakes are no exception - soooo good!These mini vegan cheesecakes have a chewy chocolate layer topped with a super creamy sweet raspberry cashew cheesecake layer.  Top them with a chocolate drizzle and you’re good to go for Valentine’s Day!  Gluten free, no bake, dairy free, egg free, vegan.  Link to the recipe is in my profile 💕🍫 https://www.paleorunningmomma.com/chocolate-raspberry-mini-vegan-cheesecakes-no-bake/#vegancheesecake #vegandesserts #paleovegan #paleotreats #chocolate
Happy Monday!! I have a new IG-only recipe for you Happy Monday!! I have a new IG-only recipe for you today that couldn’t be more perfect for a Monday morning (especially to kick off Valentine’s Day week 💕💕) a yummy Paleo Mocha Latte! ☕️🍫 #ADI added some @ancientnutrition collagen for more protein too. I used the plain version but you can go double-chocolate with their chocolate flavored collagen!I add their collagen protein to my coffee daily for the bonus skin and joint benefits plus extra protein 👍Here’s the recipe for the best paleo mocha latte!
Makes 2 servings
10 oz strong brewed coffee, hot (or espresso, if preferred)
1 cup almond milk, or nut pods creamer, heated in the microwave or a saucepan
2 Tbsp raw cacao powder
2 Tbsp maple sugar (or coconut sugar)
2 scoops Ancient Nutrition Multi Collagen Protein (use the chocolate flavor for double chocolate!)
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract optional
Extra cacao powder or shaved dark chocolate for garnishAdd the prepared coffee or espresso, the milk or creamer, cacao powder, maple sugar, collagen, and vanilla to a blender and blend until all is dissolved, then continue to blend until frothy.  Divide between 2 cups and garnish with extra cacao powder or shaved chocolate if desired.  Enjoy!
New today!! These double chocolate muffins are inf New today!! These double chocolate muffins are infused with lots of orange flavor, drizzled with an orange glaze and of course loaded with tons of rich dark chocolate!
Made with almond flour, they have a texture like traditional wheat flour muffins but are totally grain free, dairy-free, and paleo friendly.  Great for snacks, breakfast and brunch!  Link to the recipe is in my profile 😄https://www.paleorunningmomma.com/double-chocolate-orange-muffins-paleo/
#paleobaking #chocolate #paleotreats
Follow on Instagram
Back To Top
© 2021 The Paleo Running Momma
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Policies
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design. Developed by Once Coupled.
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest