u/Dizzy-Salamander-535

Hi everyone!

I'm 24F, around 5'8"- 5'9", and I weigh only 43 kg. I've been trying to gain weight for a long time, but nothing seems to work.

One thing almost everyone has told me is that I need to increase my protein and calorie intake. The problem is that I've tried a few different protein powders, and I just can't tolerate them. The taste makes me want to throw up, and the chalky/powdery texture leaves me feeling nauseous for hours. I've had to stop using every one I've tried because of this.

Can anyone recommend protein supplements or powders that are:

• Easy to drink with a smooth texture (not chalky or gritty)
• Mild or pleasant tasting
• Healthy and preferably made with good-quality/natural ingredients
• Helpful for meeting daily protein and calorie goals

If you've struggled with the same issue and found something that worked, I'd really appreciate your recommendations.

Also, if anyone has tips for healthy weight gain in general foods, meal ideas, shakes, or anything else that helped you, I would love to hear them.

Thanks in advance!

This is going to be long, TLDR added in end.

I (25F) have been in a relationship with my boyfriend (29M) for almost six years. We have known each other for 7 years.

When I met him, he was serving in the defense. Unfortunately, he had to leave due to a medical injury. After leaving, he wanted to switch into a very specific career. I don't want to mention the exact field because it would make us way too identifiable, and I'm worried someone we know might recognize this post.

The problem was that his parents were completely against that career choice. And they refused to support him in any means at all. He was 21 back then. They forcefully enrolled him in a college instead. He attended for about a year before dropping out because it simply wasn't what he wanted. And after dropping out his father threw him out of the house over a mere argument of 50 rupees which he was not able to return to his dad.

Since then, he's spent years trying different things just to survive financially. None of those jobs were in the field he actually wanted, and none of them really worked out. Around the same time, he was diagnosed with a couple of mental health conditions after leaving the defense, and they've definitely affected his ability to progress consistently.

For almost the entirety of our six-year relationship, I've been the primary financial provider.

On my side, I was still in college when we started dating. I began freelancing alongside my studies, and over the years I managed to grow it into a career that pays well enough for both of us to live comfortably.

We were long-distance for the first few years. Eventually, he moved to my city because he was working remotely, and we've now been living together for the past few years.

Throughout that time, he's switched between different jobs and career paths, trying to find something that would work.

Now here's where things get complicated.

He has finally decided to pursue the career he originally wanted all those years ago. I'm genuinely happy that he's finally taking that step because I know how important it is to him.

The downside is that it's an industry where the entry-level pay is extremely low. He's currently working around 10 hours a day and earns roughly ₹10,000 a month (which is actually slightly better than the typical starting salary in that field). There also isn't much financial growth or promotion for at least the first couple of years.

On top of that, because of his mental health history, I'm scared he'll eventually lose confidence, leave this career too, and fall back into another depressive spiral like he's done in the past.

Here's why I'm conflicted.

We want to get married within the next couple of years.

Outside of the career situation, he is honestly the most wonderful partner I could ask for.

He cooks for me, takes care of me, supports me emotionally, listens to me, motivates me, and has genuinely played a huge role in helping me become the person I am today. My confidence, personality, and career have all improved because of his support. He's patient, kind, doesn't lie, isn't manipulative, and there are genuinely no toxic traits I can point to. He's what people would probably call a complete green flag.

Ironically, I've become the toxic one.

Because I've spent years carrying the financial responsibility, I've become impatient. I've started keeping tabs on money, resenting every time he switched careers, and constantly worrying about whether he'll actually stick with this one. I hate that I've become this version of myself.

To make things harder, I come from a very toxic family. I know my parents would never agree to this marriage because they would only see his unstable career and financial situation.

The confusing part is that, personally, I don't mind having a husband who stays at home. I'm confident in my own career and believe I can continue scaling it to a point where both of us can live comfortably in the city we want to live in.

One of the biggest contributions my boyfriend has made to my life over the years has been emotional support. He's always been the person I could come home to, talk to, and rely on whenever work got overwhelming. That support genuinely helped me become more successful.

Now that he's working around 10 hours a day, he's understandably exhausted most of the time. We barely get quality time together anymore, and I feel like I've lost the biggest strength our relationship had. From a purely practical standpoint, I sometimes find myself wondering what the point is of him working such long hours for around ₹10,000 a month when, financially, we're still primarily relying on my income anyway.

Part of me wonders if we'd actually be happier if he stayed home, helped out more with the house, supported me emotionally like he used to, and allowed me to focus on scaling my career even further.

The problem is that he doesn't want to be a house husband. He wants to build a career of his own, and I completely understand and respect that. I would never want to force him into a role that he doesn't want for himself.

The truth is, I'm confused about what I even want anymore.

The field he's finally entered is also one where a lot of people eventually go independent and start their own businesses. I've suggested that possibility to him a few times because I feel like it would suit him better in the long run, but for reasons I don't fully understand, he doesn't feel ready for that yet.

I feel guilty because I don't want to become an obstacle to the career he's always wanted. He's waited years to finally pursue it, and I don't want to be the person who tells him to give up on his dream.

But at the same time, this situation is hurting us.

He's gone most of the day, comes home exhausted, and we barely spend meaningful time together anymore. The emotional support that was one of the strongest parts of our relationship has almost disappeared, and I can feel myself spiraling because of it. It's gotten to the point where my own mental health has taken a hit, and it's starting to affect my work and career too.

Another thing weighing on me is that I'll have to tell my parents about this relationship within the next year or two because discussions about my marriage have already started at home. I know they'll strongly oppose this relationship because of his career and financial situation. They have started talking about marriage prospects and I am least interested in that.

To be honest, my family is toxic enough that if I was absolutely certain about this relationship, I wouldn't even mind eloping. That isn't what scares me.

What scares me is not knowing what the right path forward is.

I don't want to break up with him. I love him deeply, and outside of this issue, I genuinely believe he's an amazing partner.

But I also don't know how we're supposed to build a stable future together if things continue like this.

How do I support his dream without sacrificing my own mental health? How do we find a balance that works for both of us? Is there something I'm missing, or am I ignoring an incompatibility because I love him?

TL;DR: Been with my boyfriend for almost six years. He's an amazing, kind, emotionally supportive partner, but he's struggled with career stability after leaving the defense due to a medical injury and dealing with mental health issues. He's finally entered the career he's always wanted, but the pay is extremely low (around ₹10k/month) and the work hours are long, which has taken away the emotional support and quality time that were the foundation of our relationship. I've been the primary financial provider throughout our relationship and don't mind earning more, but he doesn't want to be a stay-at-home partner either. My parents will likely oppose the relationship because of his career, and I'm feeling increasingly anxious because we want to get married in the next couple of years. I don't want to leave him, but I also don't know how we're supposed to build a stable future together. What would you do in my position?

Same as heading, any leads are appreciated, thank you!

EDIT : Coming for a job interview, not much in hand, need affordable options

Hi everyone,

I'm 24 years old, around 5'8"–5'9", and I weigh a little over 45 kg. I've always been on the thinner side, but lately I've been trying really hard to gain weight and I'm getting frustrated because nothing seems to work.

I don't have an eating disorder and I'm not intentionally restricting food. I do have a small appetite, though. I eat a regular Indian diet with both vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods, chicken, eggs, vegetables, rice, roti, etc.

I consulted a dietitian, but the plan was way beyond my budget (₹30,000- 40,000 for 3 months), and there wasn't any guarantee that it would actually help. Since then, I've tried creating meal plans using AI tools and reading about calorie surplus, protein intake, and weight gain strategies.

The problem is that I struggle to actually eat enough calories every day. I understand the theory, but in practice I get full quickly and can't consistently hit the calorie targets people recommend. As a result, my weight barely changes.

I'm mainly looking for advice from women who were naturally very skinny and eventually managed to gain weight in a healthy way.

EDIT : I am a doctor, so my daily physical activity is decent with climbing a lot of stairs and walking 8-10k steps easily.

I recently finished my final year MBBS exams and started internship a few weeks ago. The problem is that somewhere during medical school, I realized that I don't actually want a career in medicine.

By my third year, I had become pretty certain of it. I also started building a small company on the side. It wasn't some overnight success, but over the last couple of years it grew steadily and started generating enough income to support me. For the first time, I felt confident about my future outside medicine. Around that time, I moved out and started living independently.

The more time I spent building something of my own, the more I realized that medicine wasn't what I wanted.

Now internship has started, and I feel completely trapped.

The stipend in my college is extremely low and nowhere near enough to support me financially. To sustain myself, I need to keep the company running and continue working on it. The problem is that internship is making that almost impossible.

The hours are unpredictable, seniors call interns at odd times, and there seems to be a culture of making interns stay even when there isn't much actual work to do. Maybe this is normal everywhere, but it feels incredibly draining. I constantly feel like my time is no longer mine. There is unnecessary policing all the times and even after working 12+ hours a day the seniors complaint to the professors and consultants that the interns are not working at all.

As a result, the business has started suffering. I've lost clients, missed opportunities, and watched things that I spent years building slowly deteriorate because I simply can't give them enough attention anymore. Financially and mentally, it's becoming harder to manage.

What makes this even more difficult is that I don't see medicine as my future. If I genuinely wanted to become a doctor, maybe I could tell myself that internship is just a temporary sacrifice. But I don't. I've spent the last four years seeing the reality of the system, the work culture, and the lifestyle, and I know this isn't the path I want for myself.

I've spoken to my parents about it. Their perspective is that I've already come this far, so I should just complete internship and get the degree. I understand where they're coming from, and part of me knows they're probably being practical.

But emotionally, I feel completely exhausted.

Every day I wake up dreading the hospital. I'm constantly anxious about the things I'm neglecting outside of it. I feel stuck between a career I don't want and a business that I might lose if things continue like this. I have no idea what to do, i am just lost and hopeless and i feel like ending it all.

Hi founders,

I'm looking to connect with a handful of D2C brands and offer a free social media review.

A little about me. I'm a woman founder running an all-women creative agency. For the last 4 years, I've worked with D2C brands across India on creative direction, content strategy, and social media marketing. The work I've been part of has generated 100M+ impressions across platforms.

Lately, I've been wanting to work with brands in newer categories and expand my portfolio. Instead of cold pitching people, I thought I'd do something more useful.

I'm offering a free 15-minute call where we'll go through your brand, your content, and what's currently working (or not working).

After the call, I'll share:
• A quick SWOT analysis of your social media presence
• Feedback on your positioning and messaging
• Content opportunities you might be overlooking
• A few actionable ideas you can implement immediately

There is no catch and no obligation to work together afterward.

If we do end up being a good fit and you decide to onboard us later, I'll offer 20% off our services for the first two months.

I genuinely enjoy looking at brands and figuring out how they can stand out without relying on recycled trends or pumping out content for the sake of content.

If you'd like a review, drop your website and Instagram handle in my DM.

I'll take on a limited number, so it'll be first come, first served.

Hi founders,

I'm looking to connect with a handful of D2C brands and offer a free social media review.

A little about me. I'm a woman founder running an all-women creative agency. For the last 4 years, I've worked with D2C brands across India on creative direction, content strategy, and social media marketing. The work I've been part of has generated 100M+ impressions across platforms.

Lately, I've been wanting to work with brands in newer categories and expand my portfolio. Instead of cold pitching people, I thought I'd do something more useful.

I'm offering a free 15-minute call where we'll go through your brand, your content, and what's currently working (or not working).

After the call, I'll share:
• A quick SWOT analysis of your social media presence
• Feedback on your positioning and messaging
• Content opportunities you might be overlooking
• A few actionable ideas you can implement immediately

There is no catch and no obligation to work together afterward.

If we do end up being a good fit and you decide to onboard us later, I'll offer 20% off our services for the first two months.

I genuinely enjoy looking at brands and figuring out how they can stand out without relying on recycled trends or pumping out content for the sake of content.

If you'd like a review, drop your website and Instagram handle in my DM.

I'll take on a limited number, so it'll be first come, first served.

Hi founders,

I'm looking to connect with a handful of D2C brands and offer a free social media review.

A little about me. I'm a woman founder running an all-women creative agency. For the last 4 years, I've worked with D2C brands across India on creative direction, content strategy, and social media marketing. The work I've been part of has generated 100M+ impressions across platforms.

Lately, I've been wanting to work with brands in newer categories and expand my portfolio. Instead of cold pitching people, I thought I'd do something more useful.

I'm offering a free 15-minute call where we'll go through your brand, your content, and what's currently working (or not working).

After the call, I'll share:
• A quick SWOT analysis of your social media presence
• Feedback on your positioning and messaging
• Content opportunities you might be overlooking
• A few actionable ideas you can implement immediately

There is no catch and no obligation to work together afterward.

If we do end up being a good fit and you decide to onboard us later, I'll offer 20% off our services for the first two months.

I genuinely enjoy looking at brands and figuring out how they can stand out without relying on recycled trends or pumping out content for the sake of content.

If you'd like a review, drop your website and Instagram handle in my DM.

I'll take on a limited number, so it'll be first come, first served.

24F. Left medicine to get into creative direction.

Since then, I've worked with 50+ brands and my work has generated 500M+ impressions across platforms.

One thing I've realized is that I genuinely enjoy building ad creatives. The hooks, concepts, angles, scripts, creative strategy - figuring out what makes people stop scrolling is the part of the job I keep coming back to.

I've also created 300+ ad creatives for a D2C brand doing ₹2Cr+ annually, and I'd love to do more of that.

So I'm looking for D2C founders who are open to experimenting and trying fresh creative approaches.

Happy to create one free sample creative so you can evaluate my work. The sample is for review only and can't be used commercially unless we decide to work together.

I'm also open to working on a concession basis for the first few creatives if there's a good fit.

If you're building a D2C brand and looking for someone obsessed with creative, send me a DM with your website.

Experimental brands preferred.

24F. Left medicine to get into creative direction.

Since then, I've worked with 50+ brands and my work has generated 500M+ impressions across platforms.

One thing I've realized is that I genuinely enjoy building ad creatives. The hooks, concepts, angles, scripts, creative strategy - figuring out what makes people stop scrolling is the part of the job I keep coming back to.

I've also created 300+ ad creatives for a D2C brand doing ₹2Cr+ annually, and I'd love to do more of that.

So I'm looking for D2C founders who are open to experimenting and trying fresh creative approaches.

Happy to create one free sample creative so you can evaluate my work. The sample is for review only and can't be used commercially unless we decide to work together.

I'm also open to working on a concession basis for the first few creatives if there's a good fit.

If you're building a D2C brand and looking for someone obsessed with creative, send me a DM with your website.

Experimental brands preferred.