‘I don’t diet’: Shamita Shetty’s simple fitness formula

Shamita Shetty’s secret to her fit life is to avoid complicated meal plans or regimes.

Shamita Shetty made her film debut in Aditya Chopra’s star-studded Mohabbatein, in 2000. In addition to acting, the 40-year-old runs an in interior design house. This year she was a finalist on Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi, and her next film, The Tenant, is due out soon. A look at how she keeps so fabulously fit.

I work out least four times a week and eat simple and healthy food. I don’t diet. That’s my fitness mantra.

Weight training is my go-to exercise. It makes me feel good physically and emotionally. It’s the only form of exercise that lets me see visible results in my body, quickly. Also when you weight-train, it boosts your metabolism, so you end up burning more calories even when you’re not working out.

When I’m travelling, I try and get in at least three days a week of circuit training, which is a kind of quick aerobic workout focusing on strength and endurance. If you don’t have much time, circuit training works best.

My approach to food is very simple. I eat what I want, but in moderation. I eat meat for protein. I do not avoid carbs as I have low blood pressure. But I choose complex carbs and I follow a gluten-free diet.

One thing I am very particular about is sugar intake. Sugar is like a drug; it’s difficult to give up when you have it in excess. I’m generally very aware of how much refined sugar I’m taking in, in the day.

I drink a lot of water, a minimum of 2 litres. It flushes out toxins.

My favourite health snack is nuts. Every day I have at least a handful of a mixture of almonds, Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, pine nuts, walnuts and sunflower seeds. They are rich in nutrients and are a great energy boost if you are on a low-carb diet.

I generally avoid fried foods and ready-to-eat packaged foods. But I love chocolate. That’s my guilty pleasure.

(As told to Madhusree Ghosh)