Here’s a sport for you– try keeping your eyes open during work hours after a heavy lunch.
While we are struggling with our lunch, let’s see what the man-of-the-hour Joey is up to. It’s the Fourth of July; which means we get to see Mr. Joey Chestnut in action, dominating the Hot Dogs.
Joey is the unstoppable reigning champion for the 16th time in his overall career and the 8th time in a row. Yes, meet the man who made a career out of eating surreal amounts; and has a net worth of over $4 million.
And as fascinating as his talent is, one can’t help but wonder what happens to his body after gulping down large quantities in such a short span. We all have an initial response to this– does Joey throw up?
Do Competitive Eaters Throw Up Afterward?
Competitive eating is judged on two main parameters– how many units one intakes and the time required to eat that.
The Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest allots 10 minutes to the participants. With this fixed parameter, contestants are competing for maximum intake. Which is why these people are called professional eaters because it is impossible for us ordinary folks to eat a bite past 5-7 hotdogs.
Competitive eaters train their bodies for these contests. The most significant part of this training is to expand the stomach capacity. One of the tricks professional eaters use is drinking gallons of water until they feel like they will explode. This helps in expanding the stomach beyond its original capacity.
Since professional eating requires gulping down the food, it is imperative that the stomach is capable of handling this incoming bulk in such a short time.
Miki Sudo, the reigning women’s champ in professional eating, said that it is crucial for her to be in shape to compete successfully. She told the New York Post, “When I’m out of shape, I get winded earlier, which doesn’t really work to my advantage.”
She maintains her fitness by walking 22000 steps per day. She also remains physically active with her full-time job and centers her workout regime around cardio. Miki balances her nutrition and exercise before every competition.
Hence, we don’t see any competitive eaters throwing up after the contest.
Does Joey Chestnut Throw Up?
If you notice, Joey looks quite fit even after practically inhaling all these calories. He revealed in an interview that he gains around 20-25 pounds after the hot dog eating contest. He then fasts for a few days after the contest, gradually expelling the food. When asked whether he felt like throwing up, he said he felt extreme exhaustion and sweating. He told the Insider, “Most people relate to feeling really bloated and tired after Thanksgiving. It’s kind of like that, except really, really bad.”
He had previously mentioned that instead of feeling nauseous, he is able to digest the food, but not completely.
Even with extremely high nutritional intake, Joey can sustain the repercussions that an average person cannot. An average person can intake 2000-2500 calories a day. Joey just gulped down 18000 calories in under 10 minutes. We would require at least a week to finish this quota.
Risks Involved With Competitive Eating
Of course, stretching its limits will pose potential risks to a body. People who suffer from eating disorders gradually increase their calorie intake, leading to obesity. But competitive eaters don’t usually practice such high intake. They only train their body for competitions.
But still, according to a 2007 study by the American Journal of Roentgenology, a body is susceptible to potential risks such as — profound gastroparesis, intractable nausea and vomiting, morbid obesity, and even the need for a gastrectomy.
Hence, it is pretty essential for competitive eaters to maintain a healthy lifestyle to survive extreme eating contests.
But people still love to watch Joey Chestnut annihilate these competitions–
“So does Joey Chestnut throw everything up afterwards or does he let his intestines suffer.”
“Oh so when Joey Chestnut eats 60 hotdogs on the Fourth of July he’s a hero but when I eat 11 at your parents barbecue and then throw up, I’m “gross,” and you “want to break up”.”
“Just saw world-eating champion Joey Chestnut. He looks super full and also may throw up.”
What are your thoughts on Joey’s epic win? Do you think he throws up after a few days? How many hot dogs can you eat in 10 minutes?
Let us know in the comments section below.
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