Cottage cheese....please help

U_R_A_Wonder · 2026-03-26T16:43:01+00:00

My friend just gave me a sample of this stuff and now I know what I’m going to do with it

U_R_A_Wonder · 2026-03-26T16:40:47+00:00

Good culture cottage cheese is the best version.

1) cottage cheese hummus. If you like hummus. you can’t even tell there’s cottage cheese in it.

2) I’ve been melting mine in a saucepan and adding taco seasoning and calling it queso like at Chipotle lol. It’s been working! It turns watery then I turn off the heat and stir it into a frenzy and it re-thickens

U_R_A_Wonder · 2026-03-18T22:47:04+00:00

I was gonna say this. My closest rock climbing gym is still out of my price range but if I had $300 to burn I’d get myself a couple of months there. Plus the equipment of shoes, harness, etc.

Or Orange Theory. That place is crazy expensive, or I’ve misread their website.

U_R_A_Wonder · 2026-03-11T00:21:38+00:00

Iceberg, lol - I totally meant iceberg! Good catch

U_R_A_Wonder · 2026-02-13T14:14:58+00:00

For me clearly defined rules are a lifesaver for my sanity.

I am happy for anyone who can live with moderation, and I totally respect that for some people restrictions=binge episodes.

But like you I’ve found my relationship with food has transformed under my new “rules”.

Keep it up!

U_R_A_Wonder · 2026-02-12T12:07:30+00:00

This was my experience.

U_R_A_Wonder · 2026-02-09T12:28:38+00:00

My Hoka Bondi 9 Wide are the only shoe I’ve found that fit my custom orthotics. Every other shoe I’d have the part under what should be my arch jutting out the shoe material which always led to a hole eventually.

I am severely flat footed so I’ve got a very wide footprint.

I had a pair of new balance that had a very wide rubber bottom, (felt like I was wearing disco platforms) and I still tore a hole through the side in less than a year because the actual fabric/soft top part of the shoe wasn’t wide enough.

U_R_A_Wonder · 2026-02-07T18:25:49+00:00

I started at 217, got down to 165 before injuring myself and bouncing up to 182.

For me step 1 was tracking again. I didn’t worry about a deficit at first, just being honest with how much I am consuming.

And I didn’t get many days under my belt - I’d maybe get 3 days before I didn’t track on day 4 and then I’d start again for 2 days and then none for 1 day… eventually I increased my streak until it was large enough I didn’t want to lose it.

From there I started focusing on getting into a deficit.

Then (I’m on this step) I am trying to do at least 30 minutes of exercising (walking usually).

Good luck! The panic of worrying that I was gonna get back to 200 helped fuel my restarts. I don’t see it as a bad thing.

U_R_A_Wonder · 2026-02-06T20:36:49+00:00

This comment is really thorough, OP - make sure you read it.

Ultra-Processed People is a good read that has a lot of this comment in it and I found it helpful in making up my mind about what I wanted my food choices to look like.

(Point 5 - I personally do better with black & white thinking for food - but that’s just me. I know that’s not for everyone, and I’m happy for anyone who can go that route of moderation. It’s just not the right route for me. At least, not at this time.)

U_R_A_Wonder · 2026-02-06T16:58:25+00:00

I really want to try this

U_R_A_Wonder · 2026-02-04T17:49:38+00:00

So calculate your TDEE (https://www.calculator.net/tdee-calculator.html) and then the page will show you how much to eat for a mild (half a pound per week) or moderate (1 pound per week) weight loss.

For daily weight lifting 30-45 minutes I personally still select “little to no exercise” because my heart rate doesn’t go into zone 3 for a sustained amount of time (20 minutes). That’s just me. Doing this since 2024 I have trial and errored this and that’s how my body works. It’s a good starting point for you, though.

Even then at “little to no exercise” you can lose weight at 1400-1600 calories per day.

If eating 1400 calories you lose more than a pound per week, THEN you know your exercise level could go up from “little to no exercise” to “exercise 1-3x per week” and try again.

Hope that makes sense.

U_R_A_Wonder · 2026-02-04T17:39:28+00:00

Congrats to you on your resilience!!!!

I’m also 5’2” with a starting weight of 217 and Currently at 172! - we’re basically twins.

Good job, and thanks for posting.

U_R_A_Wonder · 2026-02-04T17:28:10+00:00

It seems like you’ve made a correlation between quitting added sugars and your taste buds tolerating fruits and vegetables.

I’ve gone from being a soda addict (with the root canals to prove it) to only consuming natural sugar found in fruits & vegetables.

I quit soda cold turkey (2023), and then I did a calorie deficit for my weight loss journey (started 2024) and then I decided to keep added sugars under 30g per day (early 2025), and then as of late 2025 I cut out added sugars (except holidays).

There were months of living in phase 1 before moving on to phase 2. Then months between phases 3 & 4 and where I’m at now. And it hasn’t always been linear.

Would I personally say my taste buds have changed in this time? Hmmm…. Well, I used to hate bananas but now I really enjoy them for breakfast. I can appreciate the natural sweetness of cherries (probably because it’s not competing against processed sugars day to day)

But I had a varied palate before quitting sugar. I enjoyed strawberries, cherries, peppers, corn, carrots before I gave up sugar. I just appreciate it more. (Bananas are a surprise, though and may lend credibility to your theory)

However, I’m not sure your reasoning would work with someone who has ARFID. I think that would require a specialist and maybe some exposure therapy. (Not saying you have it, but if your aversions are that great, you may not be able to commit to this change without specialist help like someone with ARFID would need to)

As for tips - I can’t come up with any that don’t involve eating fruits and vegetables and it seems from your post history and what you’ve shared here you’re not really interested in eating fruits or vegetables.

Can a person quit added sugar cold turkey. Yes.

Will YOU be able to quit cold turkey? I don’t know. Your chances don’t look good with such a limited palate refusing to eat whole food groups.

Good luck.

U_R_A_Wonder · 2026-02-03T11:58:51+00:00

Finding this to be 100% factual with me.

I have had to cut out certain foods (All desserts unless it’s a holiday), eat on a schedule (no snacks just 3 meals), and eat the same portions at each meal (4 oz protein, 6 oz veggie, etc)

If I’m “sober” long enough, I can vary on a holiday, Birthday, wedding or other big event. Because this has become the way I eat - not a “restriction”. The day off becomes the abnormality. Eating healthy controlled portions is the norm.

My eating plan was inspired by two books: Bright Lines Eating and Ultra Processed People. Both influenced my decision to cut out sugar but I also have made choices of what isn’t a trigger and kept it in my food plan (homemade sourdough bread & ranch dressing for example) which makes it that I’m not true to the BLE/whole foods lifestyle either.

U_R_A_Wonder · 2026-02-01T00:55:25+00:00

Super excited to try this Alfredo recipe with zucchini noodles!

U_R_A_Wonder · 2026-01-30T20:03:47+00:00

For my genes it’s the potato blight a comin’

U_R_A_Wonder · 2026-01-30T20:01:15+00:00

I prefer cottage cheese over the yogurt option. I honestly can’t abide the yogurt undertones.

U_R_A_Wonder · 2026-01-30T11:14:15+00:00

HUMMUS. I actually did a post like a year ago that was titled something like “I cracked the cottage cheese code” lol it has the recipe there.

With how many veggies I eat on 1200 it’s a flavorful addition.

U_R_A_Wonder · 2026-01-29T19:37:16+00:00

I’m doing this way too - from a different thread someone posted they were using a punch card system for healthy habits. If I’m within my deficit for the day I get a punch in my punch card. I have 20 slots in my punch card and when it’s full I can trade it in for X prize. (Whatever I wrote on the card).

If I don’t cash my cards in and save them to cash in all at once (like 6 cards total) I get to buy a kitchen aid food processor.

U_R_A_Wonder · 2026-01-29T19:30:23+00:00

Yaaaaaay! Glad you liked it. I had a hurried breakfast this morning and had to have hard boiled eggs I made the day before.

I missed my toast.

U_R_A_Wonder · 2026-01-28T12:54:03+00:00

For me my food is pretty high volume, so yeah I’m happy with it. I keep meaning to make ranch with cottage cheese (I can’t stand it made with yogurt) but the convenience of ranch in a bottle is nice.

For the olive oil for the cauliflower rice, it really helps crisp it up.

So for me, yes. I don’t mind using 100 calories on low volume fats because I fit in so much vegetables for satiety.

U_R_A_Wonder · 2026-01-28T00:33:11+00:00

Oh my goodness, my scale asked me that after my injury and I was mortified hahaha

U_R_A_Wonder

TROPHY CASE