But since my heart-to-heart talk with Dr. Jay, physical fitness has become a way of life. For me, my workouts not only helped me lose weight, but even more important, they sure have helped maintain my current weight. They also make a huge difference in the way I feel.
How often do I exercise now? I don’t feel the need to make it a six-or seven-day-a-week habit. But if I’m not lacing up my gym shoes three or four times a week, I’ve definitely fallen short of my goal. In fact, I’ve gotten to the point where I often actually crave those workouts—not only enjoying the activity itself, but also the adrenaline rush afterward. You’ve probably heard about the “runner’s high”—that sense of exhilaration that can last long after you’ve wiped away the perspiration and showered. Exercise releases brain chemicals called endorphins that are known to produce a feeling of well-being. When you challenge your body—even if you’re tired after the workout—the positive aftereffects are truly amazing!
I also don’t overdo it when I work out (what would be the point of that?). I certainly don’t have to push myself to the brink of exhaustion to get something out of it, nor does my workout have to be complicated. When I get my adrenaline flowing and my muscles working to the max (or close to it), that’s all it takes—and this comes from someone who often hated exercising in the past! Recently, I saw a news story about a study involving two workout groups; it found that the women who worked out for less time but more intensely didn’t lose any more weight than women who did a lower stress workout for a longer period of time. So walking uphill on the treadmill for forty-five minutes is right up my alley (so to speak).
Some people describe themselves as being “addicted” to exercise (how cool is that!). I might not go that far, but my workouts are the best means I’ve found for relieving the stresses and anxieties of the day. No matter what mood I’ve been in before my workout, I always feel better after a spirited game of basketball or a brisk walk in the park. I’ve also found that exercise tends to dampen my appetite and strengthen my resolve to stick with my eating plan (let’s get real—after exercising for thirty minutes, you may not want to spoil the benefits you’ve achieved by splurging on a dessert that isn’t part of the diet you’re following). Exercise also elevates your calorie-burning metabolism not only during your workout, but also in the minutes and hours afterward. And as I’ve already mentioned, a good workout should give you much more energy during the day than if you had chosen to skip your exercise session.
How Much? How Often?
Over the years, I’ve tried tons of workout programs, sometimes even using a personal trainer who has helped me create an exercise plan and learn to use the equipment at the gym. And here’s what I’ve found: What works best for me is to vary my exercise routines from one session to the next, with no rigid routines that have to be followed—or else!
Maybe I’ll walk on the treadmill one day, use my stationery bike during the next workout, and walk my dog the following one (Dave and I have three dogs—Paco, Consuela, and Frieda). Then I might take a cardio-workout class at the gym on the fourth exercise day of the week. Sports can be fun, so I may play volleyball on the beach with friends, or test my skills in a touch football or basketball game for a change of pace (hmm, still no pro contracts being offered!). Dave and I also play racquetball as often as twice a week for two hours at a time (yes, this can really be exhausting!). I love skiing, too—in fact, my favorite travel destinations can be narrowed down to anyplace with a ski slope!
I also spent two years learning to kickbox (how ’bout that!). I started kickboxing when Patrick Muldoon told me about a kickboxing gym that he had been going to in Santa Monica. I figured it was something I had to try, and I stuck with it for a couple years and got a lot out of it. But eventually, it became impractical to keep it up; the commute to the gym just got to be too taxing, and I looked for ways to exercise closer to home. Before long, I started going to a boxing gym just ten minutes from home. Austin Peck told me about it, and I took one-on-one classes there. I actually put on the gloves and sparred in the ring with a trainer! Can’t you just picture me?! I wasn’t quite ferocious enough to strike fear into the hearts of Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, but it sure was great fun and wonderful exercise.
By varying my workouts as much as possible, it keeps them from becoming repetitive and routine. And whether I’m in the mood to be alone or with other people, to be indoors or outdoors, there’s always a form of exercise I can do.
I’m certainly not a jock, but I realize that I don’t have to be. I love to take long walks, and let me tell you, almost everybody can walk (even you, even me!). It doesn’t matter how young or how old you are, whether you’re overweight and out of shape or have the finely tuned body of an Olympic athlete. You don’t need expensive clothing or costly shoes to walk, either, nor do you need to join a gym. An hour-long brisk walk (moving at about three to four miles per hour) burns 300 to 400 calories, which can really add up, day after day. And here’s what you’ll find: Once you’ve been walking for a while, it gets easier. You’ll be able to walk farther as you get in better shape.
Well, now that I’ve given you an idea of my favorite types of workouts, here’s some additional food for thought: Formal exercise isn’t always necessary. Any kind of movement helps; even cleaning the kitchen (ugh!) or gardening burns calories and adds to your overall fitness, a little at a time. But that’s not all. Stairs are everywhere, and if you walk up a flight or two instead of taking the elevator, it all counts. Park farther away from the mall entrance next time! It all contributes to your overall fitness. In my own case, I love gardening, and the calories it burns do accumulate. Swing dancing is another one of my passions, and it’s a fabulous form of exercise.
Taking a ride with Ghost
When I’m ranking my preferences for physical activity, I’ve told you about nearly all of them, with one exception: Let’s not forget the ponies! I’ve been horseback riding since I was a little girl, and when you’re really working with your horse, whether it’s a mare or a stallion, it’s a great form of exercise and an awesome experience! When I was a kid, I took horseback-riding lessons almost every other day (I was so allergic to horses that I had to take allergy medicine just to get through the lessons—but that’s how much I loved horses!). Today, I’m lucky to have my own horse, Apparition (with the nickname Ghost!).
For all the years of great experiences riding and competing, I will never forget the most embarrassing moments. One time, on a very (and I do mean very) hot day in Los Angeles, I was at a local horse show. I was wearing the usual competitive riding attire—long britches, long-sleeved shirt, wool coat—they weren’t exactly perfect duds for a 100-degree afternoon. To make the situation worse, I wasn’t drinking as much water as I should have. Well, you can guess what happened: In the middle of the course, all by myself in the ring and with all eyes on me, I began feeling weak, dizzy, and then very faint. Before I knew it, I had toppled off my horse and hit the ground with an ungraceful thud. Ouch! What I remember most about the incident was my mom and my trainer Nancy bringing me Gatorade and then helping me back onto the horse. The saying is completely true—you have to “get back on the horse” right away; otherwise you never will. I got onto his back again, jumped the jump, and learned a good lesson about myself. I may be afraid—but I won’t let it stop me! Afterwards, I took off my coat and poured water on my head. Then I felt OK. But I was SO embarrassed!
Getting Motivated
OK, we all agree that exercise is important, whether we’re doing it to lose weight or just to stay healthy. But as I mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, sometimes the couch looks awfully inviting. Motivating myself to get moving is still occasionally a challenge, and judging from some of the letters I get, many of my fans have the same problem—how to get inspired to put on the walking shoes and get going. One letter writer described it this way:
Dear Alison—I was an active child and teenager involved in many sports, and many of the same activities you enjo
y. But as an adult, I’ve always had trouble finding the motivation to start a diet and exercise program because the results aren’t always noticeable right away. Once I start to see some positive results, I can get motivated and get going, and I don’t always need that extra outside push when it comes to exercising.
How did you get in such good cardiovascular shape, and did you do any strength training along with your workout? And who did you turn to for support when you found yourself having a tough day or not wanting to exercise (other than your husband)? Was getting started ever a problem for you? How did you get yourself motivated in the beginning and stay motivated throughout? I would greatly appreciate any feedback or advice you might have for me. I look forward to watching your continuing quest for optimum health.
Sincerely, Kimberly
There are times when in only an instant, I can weave out of thin air an excuse for not exercising! Maybe I didn’t sleep well the night before, and I’m so tired. Or perhaps it’s too hot outside (or too cold or too rainy). Or maybe I have to get up early the next morning to catch a flight. But when your choice of an exercise is convenient and just seconds away, it makes it harder to procrastinate, and much tougher to delay or dawdle. Unless I’m truly sick or injured, it’s so much easier to stick with a workout program when it’s readily available.
One of the best aspects of walking is that it’s so convenient. It’s harder to make excuses to stay on the couch when walking is on the agenda. Yes, there are days when I just don’t feel like getting into the car and driving to the gym; it turns exercise into a bigger production than I’m prepared for. But to get ready for a walk through my neighborhood, all I need to do is put on my walking shoes and step out the door. Could it get any easier?
Sure, I still have days when I’d just rather not exercise. But here’s something that I’ve found: I love to read, and I’ll often get caught up in a book for hours. So rather than just reading while sitting in a comfortable chair, I’ll slip on a pair of sweats and climb onto the exercise bicycle with my book, usually for thirty minutes at a stretch. I can read just as well when my feet are pedaling, and before I know it, I’ve finished twenty-five or fifty pages and have barely been aware that I’ve worked out (except for the beads of perspiration that have dripped onto the book!). The time goes by so fast!
Here’s an additional component of this entire issue of motivation, and it has to do with your partner (Husband? Wife? Friend? You fill in the blank). While I know that my workouts help me maintain my weight where I want it, my husband Dave has never had a problem with weight. He has a very high metabolism that always seems to be in fourth gear. He can eat anything he wants and exercise as much or as little as he has time for, and he’s not going to gain a pound. (As I’ve told him, “If we could bottle what’s inside your body, we’d be multi-billionaires!”) If I let it, it would drive me crazy knowing how easily Dave maintains his weight and how I always need to stay vigilant. But I’ve got to admit, Dave does work hard at staying healthy, and he motivates me to keep going. We exercise together whenever possible. Sometimes we’ll take long walks on the beach or just through the neighborhood. It’s a great way for us to spend time together.
If you enjoy walking like we do, change your route every day—it’s a great way to become reacquainted with sections of your neighborhood that you might not have seen for a while, and you’ll enjoy the change in scenery. (By the way, I know where Dave’s enthusiasm for exercise comes from: His parents walk almost every day, keeping a steady pace both up and down the hills near their home. They’re very inspirational!)
Staying Fit! Staying Slim!
There are plenty of other calorie-burning and fitness strategies that take almost no time, but go a long way toward keeping you fit. Here are just a few that are easy to fit into the day’s activities, some of which I’ve already mentioned:
When you’re shopping—whether at the supermarket or the mall—park your car at the far end of the parking lot and walk the equivalent of a block or two to get to the store entrance.
When you’re visiting an office building, use the stairs rather than the elevator (if you need to go up more than just a couple floors, get off the elevator two or three floors before your stop and take the stairs the rest of the way).
Take advantage of every opportunity to walk—for example, when you need to pick up some milk at the convenience store, walk instead of drive. You can also walk while you talk, using a cordless phone or a cell phone when calling friends. Two of my coworkers, Bryan Dattilo (Lucas) and Peter Reckell (Bo), often bicycle into work from their homes. Talk about getting your cardio in! It keeps them both incredibly fit!
When you’re looking for something to do on a weekend afternoon, take a family hike through the nearby mountains instead of taking in a movie.
You get the point, right? With a little creative thinking, you can work exercise into your days without any real strain.
Defining Health and Fitness
Before I close this chapter, let me make another very important point. I probably define health and fitness a little broader than many other people. Health and fitness mean more than just exercising regularly and keeping my body in shape and well-toned, as important as that is. It means more than working out or choosing my diet carefully. To feel truly healthy, both physically and psychologically, I’m committed to being as happy and content as possible in every aspect of my life. That means pursuing a career that brings me fulfillment. It means caring about others and making time for friends, even if it’s just a group of us hanging out and talking late into the night. It means minimizing the stress that I know can take a toll on my body—making sleep difficult, and over time leading to illness and depression.
It means being more accepting of myself, with all my strengths and all my weaknesses. It means setting goals and working hard to achieve them. It means being willing to change as my life evolves. It means trying to make every year better than the last one…and not beating myself up when I indulge once in a while!
Chapter 15
We took this shot in front of the plane. Dave and I fly all over the place with our plane for mini-vacations. In fact, we often take our puppies with us.
I’m always fascinated by some of the questions that viewers of Days of Our Lives ask me in their fan mail—or, for that matter, what reporters ask in interviews for newspapers or the soap magazines. Of course, I understand the curiosity of fans about what goes on at Days; in fact, that’s one of the reasons I wrote this book. For most Days fans, missing even a single episode would be unimaginable. For them, watching Days is a serious commitment—it’s something they can’t seem to live without. They never miss the show, and if they’re at work or out-of-town on weekday afternoons, their VCR is preset and ready for action.
Judging by my mail, fans want to know just as much about me and the show’s other actors as about the heartaches and happiness that our characters are experiencing. Where did we meet our real-life spouse (or boyfriend), and if we’re single, who are we dating? Who are our friends, both on and off the set? Where do we like to shop? What lipstick was I wearing in that scene on Tuesday in Salem Place? What do we do for fun? What advice do we have for their own romantic problems?
Riding a moped around Tahiti with Dave on our honeymoon
Because we’re invited into America’s living rooms five days a week, many fans feel that we’re part of their family, and that they know almost everything about us, or at least want to. They’re never hesitant to ask questions or offer advice. It’s really quite a unique relationship.
In this chapter and the next one, let me describe all you’ve ever wanted to know about Alison Sweeney that I haven’t written about thus far—well, maybe not all! And don’t worry—if there are questions I haven’t answered in this book, I’ll keep reading and answering your fan mail. And if these pages spark any new questions, drop me a line and I’ll do my best to fill in the blanks.
My Home Life
I’m amazed at how mu
ch fans know about my life with my husband, Dave. While I’m used to having the spotlight shine on me, Dave’s the kind of guy who is quite content staying out of the public eye, and as I’ve mentioned, he works in a profession (law enforcement) that has nothing to do with show business. So while he’s not particularly eager for attention, he’s married to me and so he knows that some of it comes with the territory. We can’t go out in a public place and expect that we’ll always be able to enjoy a quiet dinner without a fan approaching from another table and asking for an autograph or a photo. Neither of us minds it—a Days viewer may appear and just want to spend a few moments with us. For the most part, however, Dave and I lead a very normal, very private life. (Let’s face it, after acting in a soap opera all day, where the story lines and our characters’ behavior can border on the unusual—including the predictable hell-raising of Sami—I need the calmness and stability that Dave brings to my life.)
When did I meet Dave? Well, we’ve known each other for as long as either of us can remember—literally! My mother and Dave’s father worked together for many years; both of them are violinists whose talents you’ve probably heard on many motion picture soundtracks. Our families have always been friendly, and so I knew Dave when we were growing up. In fact, when I was about ten years old, I had quite a crush on him, although I’m sure he didn’t know it; he was older (about fourteen years old at the time) and, of course, he couldn’t be bothered with a kid like me when he was meeting girls his own age. Before long, Dave went to college; we lost contact for a while, but we saw each other again at a party at his parents’ house in 1997—he was twenty-four at the time, and I was about to turn twenty-one. There was definitely a lot of chemistry there—and if you’re wondering, there still is!!!—and I just couldn’t take my eyes off of him. Before that night ended, I invited him to my twenty-first birthday party. One thing led to another…and here we are, living happily ever after!
All The Days Of My Life (so Far) Page 18