Alison Sweeney on How She Stays Healthy, Happy, and Motivated

Sorry, Linda Carter. The Biggest Loser host and Days of Our Lives actress Alison Sweeney is Wonder Woman in my book. She holds not one, but two demanding jobs, is a devoted parent to two young children, and writes novels in her spare time. I had the chance to sit down and chat with her recently to get her take on losing weight — and keeping it off, finding time to work out, and staying balanced mentally and physically.

How'd you teach yourself to cook healthy foods?
I learned to cook but not in a healthy way. As much as I love my friend [TV chef] Emeril Lagasse, healthy cooking isn’t his area of expertise. When I started losing weight, it was out of necessity that I had to figure it out. What I learned from Emeril is the idea that you don’t have to be so married to a recipe. Love garlic? Throw it in! Don’t love it? Leave it out. I saw this delicious recipe for a really rich pasta dish and homemade tomato sauce, so I made a stew out of the sauce instead of making the pasta dish. From that point on I realized it’s my kitchen, my palate, and I can make what I want.

What are some of your biggest challenges with maintaining your weight loss?
It’s as hard as dieting! Your body is accustomed to more calories, so you have to teach yourself to get used to smaller portions and healthier food choices. You have to cleanse your palate of sugar and salt, and it’s an ongoing thing, because you don’t want to slide back to what you were doing before. Don’t find yourself having one more sliver of cake or one more little brownie. It’s a slippery slope. It’s important to stay clean in your nutrition.

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What do you think about celebrities who claim to be thin without working at it? We’ve all heard the one about the model who eats cupcakes all day…
Even if that’s true, it isn’t healthy. Being healthy means eating the right foods and getting exercise.

Speaking of exercise, what’s your advice for working parents who think they don’t have time for it?
Exercise seems like it isn’t a priority when you have so much to do. Women feel like it’s selfish. I encourage women to see themselves as role models for their children. At a time when statistics for childhood obesity are scary, we need to set a good precedent and demonstrate how important it is to be active, physically fit, and healthy. It teaches kids that it's important to take time for their health.

What's your least favorite exercise and how do you make yourself do it?
For the most part, I find exercise that I like to do. I set goals for myself instead of torturing myself to see how many calories I’m burning. It’s about the achievement and thinking about it as an accomplishment. I’m grateful and appreciative of my strength. I have so much more confidence, and that carries over to other parts of my life. I didn’t always love working out. I used to go on vacation and think, “I’m on vacation. I don’t have to work out.” But changing my mind about that made all the difference. If you can think about it like, “I have time off, so I can take a yoga class! I can take a 90-minute stretching class! I can sleep in and still work out!” then it becomes a treat and a privilege.

Do you have a sweet tooth?
Of course! And I have kids, and I want to have fun and splurge. But for the most part, I find things I love that are also healthy, like cocoa and coconut roasted almonds, which are a great way to satisfy that craving and make you feel like you’re not deprived. It’s really important to live a lifestyle where you don’t feel deprived. Otherwise, you’ll resent it. Another thing I love: Greek yogurt with almonds, blueberries, agave, and cinnamon. It tastes very decadent.

Do you still eat carbs?
Absolutely! I eat oatmeal almost every day. Yes, bagels and pizza are foods you can avoid, but there are lentils, quinoa, and lots of other fantastic carbs. Carbs are a great part of a healthy diet, and balance is important to me.

RELATED: 8 Pasta Recipes That Won't Destroy Your Diet

What do you say to people who think healthy food doesn’t taste good?
You should take every opportunity to make your food taste delicious — like adding cheese to it. Dieters tend to give cheese a bad rap since it has so many calories. Obviously you don’t want to eat a pound of it, but [Biggest Loser trainer] Bob Harper told me that cheese is in a lot of things where you don’t even realize or appreciate it. Once I became aware of that, I started putting cheese on top of my food so it’s something I can taste and enjoy without immersing my food in it. Also, herbs are freebies!

Any other good diet tips?
Put your fork down. Have a conversation when you’re eating. Then you will eat less. Hey, your food will still be there!

Do you still weigh yourself?
I don’t. I go by my jeans and how I feel. But I try to be okay with it if I miss a workout or splurge a little.

Read more about Alison Sweeney's inspiring journey in our cover story from March 2013. Her book The Star Attraction is in stores now, and her next novel Scared Scriptless will be released in June.