Mirabai Chanu Reveals Constant Pressure of Weightlifting, Even During Family Time

Mirabai Chanu: Training and Weight Always on My Mind

India's celebrated weightlifter, Mirabai Chanu, has revealed the constant mental pressure of maintaining peak physical condition, even during family time. The Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medalist, competing in the 49kg category, is currently focused on preparing for the upcoming Commonwealth Championships.

Mirabai Chanu is the newest guest on the Game On podcast.

"We do get some rest, especially after major events like the Asian Games or Olympics. I took some time off too, but then got back to training," Mirabai shared on the "Game On" podcast series. "Spending time with family is crucial, particularly after dedicating so much time to training; it's important to relax a bit."

She continued, "That aspect was good, but now it's time to get back to training. Next is the Commonwealth Championships, which serves as a qualifier for the Commonwealth Games. Our entire focus and preparations are directed towards that."

Mirabai also highlighted the sacrifices athletes make: "We don't really get to enjoy traveling. I go out sometimes, but I can't truly enjoy it with my family the way I'd like to because we have to return to training. We've already invested so much time, so we have to consider how to recover and maintain ourselves... These thoughts are always present. I constantly wonder: when should I resume training? Will I be able to perform at my previous level?"

The mental discipline extends to diet as well. "So honestly, we're always thinking about training—even while eating! We consider: if I eat this, what will be the effect? 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. "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 list of accomplishments includes an Olympic silver medal, a gold and silver medal at the World Championships, two golds and a silver at the Commonwealth Games, and a bronze at the Asian Championships.