I have visited India twice in the past year, and both times I was openly told that I am fat, need to get out and exercise and control my eating. And I agree with this view to an extent.

I am a size 12/14, depending on the company making the clothes. I do an hour of exercise five days a week— 30 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of weight lifting. I usually eat small meals twice a day. But I am no super model.

And the concerns of the people who talked to me about this subject were genuine. They felt that talking to me for 20 minutes warranted them the trustworthiness to give me advice. Indians are very open with their constructive criticism—it is part of their culture.

The last time I went to India, I went during winter break with some 'ballers'—my parents. Since Indian clothing always costs 400% more in America because of price inflation, this was our chance to get nice outfits for special occasions for dirt cheap—at least by American standards.

My sister and my mom, both who wear size six clothing, were able to try on all kinds of new and different styles. All the styles being offered to me were plain, bland and ugly. And I was getting annoyed.

I am not a XXL woman, yet that was the size listed on the clothing the salesman presented to me. I asked one of the men helping us if there was a larger size in the outfit that my sister was wearing at the moment, and he said that her outfits revealed the stomach. But the one she was wearing at that point was covering her entire torso and I reminded him of that. I was getting quite frustrated and embarrassed by this point. His response was that she is slim and I am not.

I was fuming, and hot, angry tears welled up in my eyes. All the extended family present rushed to cover up my red, wet face.

Soon after the whole scene was patched up, someone ordered a sandwich and everyone was pressuring me to eat some. We were about to eat dinner within the hour.

Why would I want to put extra calories into my body after just being called fat in front of twenty or so people?

My question is, "How can these Indian women be slender, beautiful and polite by eating what they are offered with so much sweetness?"