Mirabai Chanu Reveals Relentless Focus on Training and Weight, Even During Family Time

Mirabai Chanu, India’s celebrated weightlifter, reveals the relentless mental demands of her sport, stating that thoughts of training and weight management are constant, even during family time. The silver medalist in the 49kg category at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics is currently focused on preparing for the upcoming Commonwealth Championships.

"We do get some rest, particularly after major events like the Asian Games or Olympics. I took some time off, but then returned to training," Mirabai shared on the podcast series Game On. "Spending quality time with family is crucial, especially after dedicating so much time to training – it’s important to unwind."

She emphasized the importance of the upcoming competition: "That aspect was positive, but now it's time to concentrate on training once more. Our primary focus is on the Commonwealth Championships, which also serves as a qualifying event for the Commonwealth Games. All our preparations are currently directed towards that."

Chanu also opened up about the sacrifices she makes when it comes to travel and leisure: "We don’t really get to enjoy traveling. I do go out sometimes, but I can’t really enjoy with my family the way I’d like to—because we have to get back to training. We’ve already given so much time to it, so we have to think about how to recover, how to maintain ourselves... these things are always on my mind. I keep thinking: when should I restart training? Will I be able to perform like I did before?"

The mental discipline required is ever-present. "So honestly, we're always thinking about training—even while eating! We think: if I eat this, what effect will it have? Will I gain fat? Will my weight go up? Because of this, we can’t even eat what we want to.

She confessed her love for junk food, particularly pizza, but acknowledged the constant need for restraint. "I love junk food—especially pizza! Everyone knows that. But I still can’t eat it. Even when I’m not training, I really feel like eating it, but I stop myself and think, ‘If I eat this, how will tomorrow’s training go?’ I have to maintain my weight, especially keeping it at 50 kg. It’s very tough—training and staying at that weight. So, even when I want something, I have to stop myself and say, ‘Not now, focus on the competition first,’" she said.

Beyond her Olympic silver, Mirabai Chanu boasts an impressive array of accolades, including gold and silver medals at the World Championships, multiple golds and a silver at the Commonwealth Games, and a bronze at the Asian Championships.