Alison Sweeney Weight: 'I Don't Need to Have a Perfect Body'
Alison Sweeney grew up on TV, more specifically on the soap opera "Days of Our Lives." Now Sweeney is host of "The Biggest Loser" and spoke about her own dramatic weight loss.
"I'll train with 'The Biggest Loser' contestants sometimes," Sweeney told Self magazine. "I work out much harder when people are watching. A team or a group class can have the same effect."
Of course, Sweeney has the added benefit of working with Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper, whenever they're available. Sweeney and Michaels are actually good friends in real life and offer parenting and nutrition tips. Sweeney is also part of a network of Hollywood mothers who get together and offer one another support.
"One day, Jillian had me do pull-ups," Sweeney said. "I was supposed to do 10, and by the time I got to 4, I was really struggling. I said, 'I can't!' Then she told me, 'Well, now you have to, and you're not leaving until you do.' I learned a lesson: I can finish what I start, and it's important to get to the other side. The confidence you gain will take you through the rest of your life, never mind the rest of your day."
"I don't need to have a perfect suntanned body," Sweeney added. "I just want to be able to run around without clutching a towel because I feel self-conscious about how I look. If my body's good enough for that, it's good enough for me!"
Sweeney struggled with her weight when she was younger, but decided to get healthy before she got pregnant with her first child, son Ben. She has been married to husband David Sanov since 2000, and they also have a daughter named Megan.
She has been on "Days of Our Lives" in the role of Samantha "Sami" Brady since 1993. The role has earned her four Soap Opera Digest Awards and fan-voted Daytime Emmy Award. Sweeney had a few guest-hosting gigs but settled with "Biggest Loser" since 2007.