Mirabai Chanu: Weightlifting Star's Relentless Pursuit of Perfection – Training and Diet Always on Her Mind

Mirabai Chanu, India's celebrated weightlifter, has opened up about the mental discipline required to compete at the highest level, revealing that thoughts of training and weight management are a constant presence in her life, even when spending time with family. The Olympic silver medalist in the 49kg category from Tokyo 2020 is currently focused on preparing for the upcoming Commonwealth Championships.

Mirabai Chanu discusses her training regimen on the Game On podcast.

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

However, the respite is often short-lived. "That part was good, but now it's time to face training again. Up next is the Commonwealth Championships, which will also act as a qualifier for the Commonwealth Games. Our full focus is on that, and all our preparations are currently geared toward it."

The life of a top athlete involves sacrifices. "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," she explained. "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?"

Even during meals, Mirabai Chanu's focus remains on her sport. "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, especially pizza, but acknowledged the 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.’"

Mirabai Chanu's dedication has brought her significant success, including an Olympic silver medal, gold and silver medals at the World Championships, two golds and a silver at the Commonwealth Games, and a bronze at the Asian Championships.