Alison Sweeney Talks Motherhood to Working Mother

Days of our Lives actress and The Biggest Loser host Alison Sweeney is featured in the current issue of Working Mother Magazine.In the accompanying interview, the busy mom of Ben, 4, and Megan, 1, talks motherhood, being a working mom and her own struggles with weight.

Here are some of the highlights:

On striking the balance between parenthood and career:
"It’s hard to strike that 50-50 mark each day, but if I look at a whole week or month, I feel that overall I get to spend a lot of time with my children. And when I’m with them, I give them my full attention. When I go to work, I give work my full attention and commitment. Everyone has doubts occasionally, but it’s important to know you’re doing the best you can. And if you regret a decision, make a different choice next time."

On dealing with separation anxiety:
"There was a period when he didn’t want me to leave. At first, I made
the mistake of sneaking out. But his pediatrician said I should say goodbye. He reassured me that children behave that way even if you’re a stay-at-home mom going to the grocery store. He told me to allow Ben to go through the separation and to see that I always come back. Now we have a routine where we blow kisses. "

On working fitness into her daily routine:
"I eat healthy meals—my husband is a great griller. I schedule going to the gym into my days. I do a lot of cardio, especially spin classes. I also run, hike and do circuit training and yoga. I typically work out four or five days a week. Of course, sometimes it’s three days, sometimes it’s seven days. In my new book, The Mommy Diet [available in October], I encourage moms to take care of themselves."

On best surprise of becoming a mom:
"You can’t comprehend until you’re a mom how much your kids take over your whole world. Every decision I make, I’m always thinking how it will affect my children. I’ve gotten to the point that if I’m in the car by myself and I see a fire engine, I’ll say, “Hey, Ben, look at that,” and start waving at the truck. Then I realize I’m driving alone. [She laughs.] And the firefighters are probably thinking something totally different from what I was intending."



Source: Working Mother