As I was unloading my groceries at FoodMaxx, on the east side, of course, I watched how the customer behind me put her hands on my cart as if it were hers. When she realized what she was doing, she apologized and after noticing what was in my cart she asked if I was on a diet. I looked at her and replied no and her response was "I saw that you had rice cakes." After letting her know that I just love rice cakes, she continued with "I just figured that you were on a diet because I saw the almond milk, rice cakes and Special K cereal and that is all diet food." I just laughed and said "Nope. No diet."

It was interesting that she referred to the items in my cart as diet foods. Diets are like fads; they are only around for a short period of time and they do not last forever. To the women who stood behind me and assumed that I was on a diet due to my cart, know that I am not on a diet and everything in my cart I’ve been eating for years and was raised on some of it. For the record, I love me some La Villa and pizza. First of all, please don’t judge me by what you see in my cart or how I look because that is the worst thing individuals can do to one another because our superficial judgments are usually wrong.

My food choice has typically been based off my fast and busy lifestyle, as well as my efforts to be a responsible spender. I don’t have time to always cook a meal and I'd rather chew on healthier choices like fruits and vegetables or rice cakes, rather than a bag of chips or candy bars. My grandpa lives with me and he is elderly. I'd like to keep him around longer, which means I can’t feed him food that will clog his arteries or give him health problems. Just because we try to maintain a healthy lifestyle doesn't mean that we're better than anyone else and if we're being honest, four bell peppers for $1 is a great deal and everyone loves a great deal. Am I right?

My point is this: if you look at me and you looked at my cart filled with almond milk and rice cakes, you might assume that I was on a diet. In reality, it’s a lifestyle. A healthier choice here and there can go a long way. I feel that it's incredibly important to treat my life and my body with respect and give it the proper nutrition that it deserves. Yes, I took offense to the woman's statement. Can't a woman of my size eat or make healthier choices in life without anyone judging or making rude comments like “She knows she needs to be on a diet?” Don't judge others, because you never know the amount of work they're putting in day in and day out.

Women are supposed to cheer each other on, but instead, we continue to judge one another by our outer looks or the choices we make on a daily basis. Why is this? Are we competing with each other to be the one noticed most often? I can tell you that the ones who stand out are the ones who don’t try and compete, but rather live to be original. That woman at FoodMaxx judged my choice of food, which meant she was obviously judging me, but it’s okay because it’s my life and not only do I make my own decisions, I live with them. Do unto others as you'd have done unto you, and just remember that while it pays to eat healthy, a carne asada burrito here and there never hurt anybody.