Mirabai Chanu Reveals Relentless Dedication: Weightlifting and Training Dominate Her Thoughts, Even During Family Time

India's celebrated weightlifter Mirabai Chanu reveals the constant mental presence of training and weight management, 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 also took some time off, but then returned to training. Spending quality time with family is crucial – especially after dedicating so much time to training – it’s important to unwind a bit," Mirabai shared on the "Game On" podcast series.

"That aspect was enjoyable, but now it's time to return to training. The Commonwealth Championships are next, and they serve as a qualifier for the Commonwealth Games. Our entire focus is on that, and our preparations are entirely geared towards it."

Mirabai also opened up about the sacrifices she makes to remain at peak performance. "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?"

"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 and the mental battles she faces. "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.

Mirabai's impressive achievements extend beyond her Olympic silver. Her accolades include a gold and a silver medal at the World Championships, two golds and a silver at the Commonwealth Games, and a bronze at the Asian Championships.