Alison Sweeney Shares Inspiring Stories of "The Biggest Loser"

In an exclusive interview in the current issue of OK!, Biggest Loser host Alison Sweeney tells OK! why the eighth season of the hit NBC weight loss show is "The most emotional season ever." Alison, who is married to police officer David Sanov and has two children, Ben, 3, and 9-month-old Megan, and also stars on Days of Our Lives, shares with OK! the inspiring stories of this season's contestants as well as her own.

The theme of this season is second chances?

Yes, the theme is second chances because everyone came to campus with their own stories of chances they missed and this is everyone’s second chance.

Why do you think Daniel could do better this time than last season?

We wanted to give him a second opportunity to finish what he started. Daniel lost 125 lbs by the finale last season but he was still 324lbs, so he has a long way to go. He’s lost a lot of weight but he still has his journey and we wanted to be a part of it.

Daniel got voted off pretty early last season, do you think he’s more focused this season?

Yeah, I think it was hard for him to get into the idea of being competitive and give himself that credit before. He was able to do the work, but he never believed in himself. This season he had experience and was the one everyone turned to for advice and that really boosted his confidence since he sees the perception of him by other people differently. One of the hardest things about losing weight is the mental part.

Abby’s husband and child were killed in a car crash and she has a really sad story. How’s she doing?

She has a very different journey than everyone else. A lot of times people come onto campus and they have the meeting with the doctors and find out how healthy or not healthy they are and how close to death they are and that really scares them and motivates them. For Abby, she explained to me one night that her story is different because death doesn’t scare her, death would be the easy way out. Each day she has to wake up and decide she doesn’t want to die. So, being unhealthy because she could die is not the motivation for her. It’s a choice she makes every day and I don’t know if I could do it.

Is there anything you’ve ever done you would have liked a second chance on?

I feel like everything I’ve been through so far in my life has taught me a lot and I don’t think I would be the person or the mother I am without the lessons I’ve learned. I don’t have any regrets and wouldn’t want to undo anything I’ve done.

Are you back to your pre-baby weight?

I’m working hard at it and learning to take a compliment. That’s not my strong suit b/c I think women in particular are raised to be humble or modest and brush off compliments but I work really really hard to get in shape and so now when I get a really nice compliment the other day and this time I said, “Thank you, I’ve been working very hard.” It was nice.

What are you enjoying most about this chapter of your life being a married working mom?

I just have such a full life I’m so happy with and excited by my life and I love both of my jobs. My jobs are something that I’m passionate about and I’m so lucky and I’m fortunate and I can pay that forward to my kids. My parents loved their jobs and it gets passed on to the kids and I want my kids to have that, to know they can do whatever they want to do in their lives too. So, it’s great to know that I can be that example for my kids.