The mental game of 'holding out,' not eating for as long as possible, at least for me, was a really unhealthy mental place. I would inevitably lose that battle and eat too much in one sitting and end up really mad at myself.

I've been on 'Days' since I was 16, and being surrounded by such thin, gorgeous actresses made me so insecure and self-conscious.

Can you believe approximately 17 percent of American children ages 2 to 19 years are obese? How about this fact: approximately 60 percent of overweight children ages 5 to 10 already have at least one risk factor for heart disease? We are all to blame for this - parents, schools, kids - all of us.

It's not weird to look at yourself in the mirror at the gym - that's why they're there! You have to make sure that you're doing things right.

I've actually suffered from allergies my entire life. My mom had allergies, so I was aware of what an issue they can be. Many people allow their allergies to affect their lives. As a mom with two kids and two jobs, I just can't let allergies slow me down. It's a day to day thing that can really be remedied by finding the right medication.

I cook at home all the time and really enjoy it. It's fun family time and we all chip in and help out. We do a lot with our outdoor grill, a lot of chicken or shrimp, and every meal includes veggies.

I battled with my weight as a teenager, partly because there wasn't the information or conversation about how to live a healthy lifestyle.