There's been a lot of focus on my body, but it's taught me to appreciate myself no matter where I am.

I just couldn't have people thinking that I only believe thin is beautiful. Thin is beautiful, but it's not the only kind of beautiful. I didn't want people to get the wrong message because of some retouching.

I believe in trying foods from all over the world, going to markets and finding jewelry and furniture and just treating myself well. It's important for me creatively to travel.

Models walking down the street are very rarely recognized as such. It is often the same as it was for me: models were the school freaks. Way too thin and their eyes way too far apart. They were not the ideal. But then they put on fantastic clothes, have their make up done and you have this special beauty. It's a creation.

I walked into my agency and I said, "You know what? I can't do this. You're telling me I need to go on a diet? My diet is already zucchini only. What do you want me to do?" And basically, they gave me two options: either stay the way I was and do commercial work, or do plus size modeling. I remember having the usual salad but I added walnuts and salmon and olive oil and I thought, "The world didn't blow up!"I felt fantastic. I wanted to keep that feeling so I made a decision that day that I didn't care. There was more money to be made being healthy.

I was anorexic. I was in hell. Now I eat what I want, and I'm still a model. So you see, it works.

I think there's a lot you can learn from everybody; everybody has a story and a strength within them.