Personal Best: Sheethal Goutham - Happiness is… eating rice and curry

Personal Best: Sheethal Goutham - Happiness is… eating rice and curry
After trading her tennis career for theatre and marketing, the sportswoman eats and works out as she pleases. But not overindulging is how she keeps fit


As a former India no 3 tennis player, who has represented the country at the Federation Cup (a premier international team competition in women’s tennis), Sheethal Goutham would follow a gruelling six-to-seven hour practice and fitness routine every day. Now, three years after she quit professional tennis, the 32-year-old follows a more relaxed lifestyle, working out when she wants to at her home gym on Nandidurga road and eating food that she loves. Yet, looking at her petite 5 ft 4 in frame, one wouldn’t know it.
Years of training has left its impact though – instilling a sense of discipline that’s hard to break out of. For instance, even though she eats what she wants, you’ll never find her overeating. She prefers having small portions through the day. “I don’t get tempted easily. Since I don’t restrict myself, I eat very happily,” she says.
The other thing that keeps her going is her passion for life. Whether its sports or her new career path – since she quit playing, Goutham has been dabbling in theatre (did a two-month course with Anupam Kher’s Actor Prepares in Mumbai and has even made an appearance in the popular play, The Vagina Monologues). Or working as a marketing and sales executive with tennis legend Vijay Amritraj’s company Second Serve Pvt Ltd., Goutham says, “I don’t see it as shuffling between the two (work and theatre) as I am passionate about both and enjoy every bit of it.” That, she believes, is the ultimate key to health and happiness.


Meal plan


Breakfast I’m a hardcore South Indian and love my idlis and dosas, poha, etc. When I used to play, I would stick to oats, muesli and omelettes. It was a requirement because I needed that much protein. Now I eat for my satisfaction but I don’t overeat.


Lunch I eat only rice and curry most of the time. My diet consists of 95 per cent rice. In my mind, rice doesn’t do any wrong. I have to feel happy when I eat and rice gives me that pleasure.

Dinner I either have ragi dosa or multigrain dosa with curry or egg curry.


Wellness mantra I drink a lot of water through the day and I eat every one-two hours but never stuff myself.


Fitness fix I love lower body workouts so I focus 60 per cent on lower body and 40 per cent on the rest of the body. I do one set of squats, one set of bicep exercises, one set of lunges, one set of triceps workout, one set of hamstring exercise, one set of shoulder, back and calf exercises. I repeat this thrice and end with some core workouts. My workouts last about 30-45 minutes. I keep sipping water through the workout and have a protein shake called Whey Isolate right after the workout.


Drink menu I am a complete coffee addict. I have to have coffee after every meal and in between meals too. I have five to six cups of black coffee every day. In fact, before sleeping also I have a cup of coffee. Somehow I feel like I’m burning calories when I have coffee.


Advice Eat what you like but don’t get greedy and over indulge. Enjoy everything and don’t deprive yourself.


Tricks of the trade It’s always about passion – be it playing tennis or theatre or my job with Second Serve. It’s what I am passionate about. I’ve never done anything as an obligation to myself. I did try coaching for about a year (after I quit playing professional tennis) but I didn’t enjoy it as much as playing tennis.



Guilty pleasure I’m not a big fan of ice-cream but I love the chocolate sauce in Corner House so I just eat the chocolate sauce with peanuts. I don’t mix the ice-cream with it.


De-stress strategy I watch a lot of movies no matter how good or bad it is. It could be Hindi or English. I also listen to music. I don’t have a particular artist of choice but I don’t enjoy instrumental. I also go out for a lot of coffee – Starbucks. Even if I have to all alone, it’s okay.


Skin splurge When I was playing tennis, I never cared. I would just put a layer of sunscreen and that’s it. I would only worry about winning my match. Now, I’m very particular about getting facials every fortnight. I wear sunscreen every two hours and drink a lot of water. I wash my face every time I step out and re-apply the sunscreen.



Secret weapon I am fighter. No matter what happens in life I will fight it. Though there are moments when I feel weak in situations, I pick myself up. I believe each one of us has the strength to fight.