Days of Our Lives Star Alison Sweeney Shares Swimsuit Photo of “Sweetest Couple”

1. Ready To Work Out

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Sweeney is used to incredibly busy days, and has learned to fit in a workout whenever she can. “My days are packed; there’s always something going on,” she says. “Often, I’m at work at 6 a.m. on the set of Days of our Lives until 1 or 2 p.m., pick up my kids from school, get a workout in, then head over to The Biggest Loser in the afternoon and shoot until midnight. The best tip I can give busy moms is to plan ahead, even if that means bringing your gym bag with you in the car, so when you drop your kid off you can go for a run in a nearby park on your way to work!”

2. LA Marathon

Sweeney is proud to have run the Los Angeles Marathon. "I definitely wasn't a runner naturally,” she says. “It came to me over time because I really wanted to run the [Los Angeles] marathon as a bucket-list thing. And I just sort of made it happen. I'm so proud of what I did. It's one of those achievements where I'm like, Yeah, I ran a marathon. Can I bring it up?' "

3. Fun Workouts

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Sweeney learned the best way to stick to a workout regimen is to find something that’s fun. “I’d been through all of the fad diets and was still unhappy with how I looked,” she says. “But instead of being negative, I decided that I needed to go after positive things. I changed my eating habits and learned more about nutrition, including the importance of portion control and making healthier choices. Going to the gym used to be torture for me; I hated every minute I was there. So I found workouts that I like to do, like spinning, yoga, and CrossFit. I also do a Filipino stick fighting called escrima, which is like a street version of fencing—it’s really fun and a challenge, and I like learning the skill.”

4. Home Cooking

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Sweeney enjoys cooking at home with her family. "I'm sort of an at-home would-be chef,” she says. “I'll make a stir-fry. I make chicken using mashed up almonds as a crust instead of breading. It's really delicious. I put a Dijon mustard coating on it and then a little bit of honey or a tiny bit of agave just to create a sweet/savory thing, and then you crust it with the mashed up almonds as a coating and bake it. It's supereasy."

5. Almonds All Day

Sweeney loves delicious, nutritious almonds. “One of my all-time favorite snacks is almonds,” she says. “I keep them on my counter, and I put some in my purse so I always have a healthy snack with me when I’m on the go. I’ll also use crushed almonds as a crust for chicken or fish—it gives it a flavorful, satisfying texture.”