Mirabai Chanu reveals her simple diet of boiled chana and mushrooms: ‘Sabko lagta hai weightlifters zyada khaate hongey’

However, for weight-class athletes (like Chanu) who need maximum strength at minimal body weight, eating less means keeping calories tightly controlled so they don’t move up to a heavier category. It’s not starvation but precision, elaborated Sharma.

“If we talk about weightlifters, specifically Chanu, being just 1 kg heavier could push her into a different weight class, so food intake has to be monitored almost gram by gram. For under 50 kg, staying at 49kg is the maximum leverage,” added Sharma.

 

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Is less more?

Sharing her diet chart, the weightlifter emphasised that weightlifters must maintain their weight. And to do that, a nutrition-rich diet of vegetables and proteins is what they intake.

Here’s what Chanu’s health-oriented diet plan looks like:

“Mai breakfast mei leti hu, boiled egg, boiled chana, boiled mushroom…hum bread bhi nahi le sakte, hum doodh bhi nahi le sakte, kyunki weight maintain karna hota hai,” she revealed.

Seconding this, nutritionist Sharma said a weightlifter’s ideal diet includes the right amount of protein and carbohydrates.

She shared: “A weightlifter can have peanut butter or oats + milk for breakfast. Post-training, they can have protein or paneer along with fruits. For lunch, rice/chapati in small portions with any meat, such as chicken/fish/lentils and vegetables, should be doable.

Even for Chanu, lunch is all about less-is-more. “…lunch mei zyada se zyada salad or seafood hi khaati hun… kyunki training karna hai, digest karna hai…”

The nutritionist further recommended a combination of yoghurt and fruits for evening snacks and a simple meal comprising dal/tofu/eggs, and veggies, along with light carbs for dinner.

Bread as a deal breaker?

If you are an aspiring athlete, make a note that breads and rice are seemingly out of sight. And as Chanu said, “bread aur rice nahi khaa sakte…” However, the nutritionist believes that context matters.

“For the Tarahumara tribes who run almost 50-100 km every day, their diets are primarily copious amounts of carbs and nothing much. For runners or endurance sports, bread means carbs and carbs mean fuel for long distances. Milk contains protein and calcium, which are needed for muscle recovery and bone health after repeated impact,” added Sharma.

Curating meal hours

As an athlete, Chanu starts her day at 6 am, followed by a half-hour work session till 7:30 am and breakfast at 8 am.

“Ek ghante ke liye workout karte hein hum… mobility, stretching, running, PT…fir 8 baje breakfast karke…fir 10 am – 12:30 pm tak weight training hoti hai…”

Though it may vary for everyone. “Timing looks different for endurance vs. explosive athletes. Similarly, for runners, eating carb-heavy meals before runs helps keep their glycogen stores full. Mid-run fueling (bananas, gels) prevents energy crashes. After a run, a mix of carbs and protein helps repair muscles and replenish energy,” explained Sharma.

In Chanu’s case, timing ensures she stays strong and recovers quickly without overshooting calories, which could lead to weight gain.

“Weightlifters should focus on protein intake spread across the day to build and maintain muscle density. Pre-lift, a balance of carbs and protein for energy and focus. Post-lift: quick protein (milk, whey, eggs) to aid recovery within the 30–45 min window,” concluded the nutritionist.