Alison Sweeney

Alison Sweeney
Alison Ann Sweeney is an American dramatic actress, reality show host, director and author. Sweeney is best known for her portrayal of Samantha "Sami" Brady on the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives, a role she has played under contract with the show since January 6, 1993. In this role, she has earned a Daytime Emmy Award nomination, four Soap Opera Digest Awards and a Fan Voted Daytime Emmy Award. In 2007, she became the host of The Biggest...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionSoap Opera Actress
Date of Birth19 September 1976
CityLos Angeles, CA
CountryUnited States of America
I battled with my weight as a teenager, partly because there wasn't the information or conversation about how to live a healthy lifestyle.
I cook at home all the time and really enjoy it. It's fun family time and we all chip in and help out. We do a lot with our outdoor grill, a lot of chicken or shrimp, and every meal includes veggies.
I save my dreams and hopes for my kids. When I'm making a wish under a bridge or tunnel, it's always for them.
I wasn't eating the right kinds of calories. I didn't know about healthy carbs such as brown rice and lentils. Now I eat small meals throughout the day: oatmeal with cinnamon to start, fruit and yogurt as a snack, and vegetables or with chicken or tuna, and a healthy carb, like a yam, for lunch.
People think, 'Oh, I'm loving myself by sitting on this sofa for four hours.' Love yourself enough to get up!
I love almonds as a snack, and in the morning, yogurt is a fantastic go-to. Sometimes I mix them together.
I'm addicted to a really tough workout. I like to be drenched in sweat when I'm done because I feel accomplished.
What's wrong with extreme dieting and hard-core fitness plans is that they don't take into account the rest of your life.
I'm a working mom, not a professional athlete, but I am a runner and that's a special club.
I eat a lot of fruit after I run. I find that hydrates me better than just drinking water. I have fruit already cut up for after a run, so when I'm done I can chow on cantaloupe or watermelon. It's so satisfying, and that probably keeps me from being too hungry for other things.
I started running outside when I was at 'Biggest Loser.' Then I got runner's knee, and thought I was never going to be able to shake it. When I overcame that and ran the L.A. Marathon, it was such an amazing thing, and now running is such a part of my routine.
I was recently asked about the business side of 'Biggest Loser,' but as long as we entertain people, we can keep coming back and making a difference. It's a delicate balance, but one feeds off the other. I feel so good about the show - it's uplifting and inspiring and entertaining at the same time.
Kids don't eat fast. They take their time; they talk and laugh. Sometimes it's really annoying, because you're like, 'Come on, it's bedtime!' But try it: You'll fill up before you know it, because it takes 20 minutes for your brain to know your stomach is full.
My husband and I have known each other since kindergarten. I had a crush on him in school, but we never dated. Then we saw each other again after high school, and there was something instantly familiar about him. I'm a very shy person and was very closed off. But he allowed me to be myself. And there's a safety in that.