Mirabai Chanu Reveals Relentless Demands of Weightlifting: Training, Weight Control Consume Mind Even During Family Time

NEW DELHI: Mirabai Chanu, India's celebrated weightlifter, reveals the relentless mental dedication required for her sport. Even during moments spent with family, the demands of training and maintaining her weight remain at the forefront of her thoughts. 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 downtime, particularly after major events like the Asian Games or Olympics. I also took some rest, but then it was back to training," Mirabai shared on Game On, a podcast series. "Spending time with family is crucial, especially after dedicating so much time to training; it's essential to relax a bit."

She continued, "That aspect was beneficial, but now it's time to refocus on training. The Commonwealth Championships are next, which also serve as a qualifier for the Commonwealth Games. Our entire focus is directed towards that, and our preparations are fully aligned with it."

The sacrifices extend beyond just time. "Weight management is a constant concern," Mirabai explained. "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 extends to her diet. "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."

Mirabai confessed her love for a particular indulgence: "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,’"

Mirabai Chanu's impressive medal haul includes:

• Olympic silver
• World Championships gold and silver
• Two Commonwealth Games golds and a silver
• Asian Championships bronze