\n<\/p>\n
Alison Sweeney\u00a0isn’t craving the spotlight \u2014 she\u2019s embracing life<\/a> far away from it.<\/p>\n The longtime Days of Our Lives<\/em> star traded red carpets for desert sunsets, swapping the chaos of Los Angeles for a slower, quieter pace in Arizona.<\/p>\n Leaving Hollywood may have been the best thing she ever did.<\/p>\n \u201cI love how normal it is,\u201d the 48-year-old actress tells\u00a0FOX News Digital<\/a>. \u201cI mean, no, I don\u2019t miss Hollywood. I miss my family \u2026 but I am thrilled with my life.\u201d<\/p>\n Sweeney began acting at age 4 in a Kodak commercial and rose to fame playing Sami Brady on Days of Our Lives<\/em> \u2014 a role she held on and off for more than 20 years.<\/p>\n She also hosted The Biggest Loser<\/em> and starred in multiple Hallmark Channel films.<\/p>\n But now, she\u2019s living a world away from the spotlight<\/a>, having relocated to Arizona with her husband, David Sanov, and their two children.<\/p>\n Sweeney\u2019s time as a child actor taught her hard lessons, especially about self-image<\/a> in an industry that values looks above all.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s always someone out there who is prettier and skinnier and fancier,\u201d she once said. \u201cBut I learned how to believe in myself and find confidence from within.\u201d<\/p>\n Read More:<\/strong><\/em> Remember When \u2018Nashville\u2019 Debuted and Changed How Television Depicted Country Music?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Her family helped keep her grounded. \u201cMy parents are super grounded and real and tough and strict,\u201d she explained. \u201cI was never left out on my own to figure that out.\u201d<\/p>\n These days, health and wellness are at the forefront<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m a busy mom and I work all the time,\u201d Sweeney says.<\/p>\n One of the things I learned at The Biggest Loser is that your body is trying to communicate with you.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Rather than chasing quick fixes, she focuses on nutrition and balance: \u201cStaying active is very important<\/a>, but I do think nutrition is number one.\u201d<\/p>\n Sweeney and Sanov recently celebrated 25 years of marriage, and she says it\u2019s the little things that matter most.<\/p>\n \u201cHe charges my phone for me when I can\u2019t find it. I make him a cappuccino in the morning just to be nice,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s not about grand gestures \u2014 it\u2019s about appreciating the small ones.\u201d<\/p>\n Gallery Credit: Evan Paul<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nFrom Soap Star to Small-Town Living<\/h3>\n
Why She Stepped Away<\/h3>\n
Prioritizing Wellness Over Fame<\/h3>\n
\n
25 Years of Marriage \u2014 and Perspective<\/h3>\n
11 Country Songs That Address Depression\/Mental Health<\/h2>\n