Mirabai Chanu Reveals Relentless Focus: Training, Weight Consume Thoughts Even During Family Time

Mirabai Chanu: Training and Weight Management Dominate My Thoughts, Even with Family

Mirabai Chanu, India's celebrated weightlifter, reveals the relentless mental focus required to excel in her sport. Even during family time, the pressures of training and weight management are ever-present. The silver medalist in the 49kg category at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics is currently preparing for the upcoming Commonwealth Championships.

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

"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 sacrifices extend beyond time. "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."

The mental game is constant. "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."

Even cravings are subject to intense scrutiny. "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 achievements include 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.