Mirabai Chanu Reveals Relentless Demands of Weightlifting: Even During Family Time, Training and Weight Management Remain Top of Mind

Mirabai Chanu: Training and Weight Always on My Mind

Indian weightlifting sensation Mirabai Chanu reveals the persistent mental demands of her sport. Even during family time, the pressures of training and weight management are constant companions. The silver medalist in the 49kg category at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics is currently focused on preparations for the upcoming Commonwealth Championships.

"We do get some rest, particularly after events like the Asian Games or Olympics. I also took a break, but then returned to training. Spending time with family is important – especially after dedicating so much time to training. It’s necessary to relax a little," Chanu shared in a recent episode of the "Game On" podcast series.

"That aspect was good, but now it's back to training. The Commonwealth Championships are next, also serving as a qualifier for the Commonwealth Games. Our complete focus is on that, and all our preparations are centered around it."

Chanu continued, "We don’t really enjoy traveling. I sometimes go out, but I can’t fully enjoy myself with my family because we have to return to training. We've invested so much time in it, so we have to think about recovery and maintenance. These thoughts are always on my mind. I keep wondering: when should I resume training? Will I be able to perform at my previous level?"

She admitted, "So honestly, we're constantly thinking about training – even while eating! We consider: if I eat this, what will the effect be? Will I gain fat? Will my weight increase? Because of this, we can’t even eat what we want to."

Chanu confessed her love for junk food, particularly 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, thinking, ‘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.’"

Mirabai Chanu's impressive list of achievements includes an Olympic silver medal, a gold and a silver at the World Championships, two golds and a silver at the Commonwealth Games, and a bronze at the Asian Championships.