One year I was given a birthday present I'll never forget - a cooking lesson from Jamie Oliver.

I first had a version of this at a Japanese monastery during a silent retreat-don't ask, it's a long story.

Beauty fades! I just turned 29, so I probably don't have that many good years left in me.

I'm very, very lucky in that I have a partner who is willing to do it with me in a really collaborative way. Fortunately, even though we couldn't stay in a romantic relationship, our values are very much around the importance of family and the importance of those relationships.

Physically, it completely changed me. I found strength that I never thought I had. And mentally, I mean, it's taught me just patience and letting go, and it's really changed my whole psychological outlook, I think.

I'm hard on myself, so I'm working on shifting perspective toward self-acceptance, with all my flaws and weaknesses.

People who are criticizing... don't really get it, because if they did, they would like it.