Sun-kissed (but not too much, just a little smooch), without dark circles under the eyes, full of glow and health – I love my face after vacation. No makeup needed. This morning looking in the mirror as my altar I took a solemn oath: no more late night working, less coffee and more sleep. I've also lost four pounds but I'm not even going to promise myself that I'll keep it this way.

With four pounds more or less, I'm happy with my body. It took a long time to finally acknowledge it, believe it, live with it and enjoy it. It's always been two extremes with my diet. Either if it tastes good, spit it out or a balanced diet is a cookie in each hand. Now I'm somewhere in the middle, though often it is like walking on a tightrope trying not to fall back into either of the extremes.

One of the people who inspired me and still motivates me to be myself is Christina Hendricks (as Joan Holloway/Harris in one of my favourite television series Mad Men). I'm talking about the way she looks mainly. I wouldn't want her character to work in my office as a colleague . You don't want to pick on Joan, she'll snap back at you in the twink of an eye. But I love her character's witty dialogues, especially between her and Peggy.

It's the 1960s era and I love it. I would wear any of Joan's outfits to the office now. They are elegant and feminine. I like the way she uses jewellery to make accents. She often wears pencil skirts with brooches and a pen necklace to outline her hourglass shapes. Even Lynne Featherstone, the equalities minister, said, "Christina Hendricks is absolutely fabulous," praising her no-skinny model type image.

That would be another way of falling into extremes though. Skinny or curvy, you are to appreciate what you have. Another pinch of wisdom from Pamela Redmond Satran: every woman should know that she can't change the length of her calves, the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents... But I swear every time I look at Christina (Joan) I think if I were a man... What? I think I'll stop here .