How to Competitively Eat in a Competition?

Competitive eating, like any other sport, requires plenty of planning and preparation. Successful competitors do their research in order to understand how to increase the body's capacity for food. Following a few simple strategies can lead to successful competitions as well as prevent discomfort and stomachaches.

Things You'll Need

  • Water
  • High-fiber foods
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Instructions

    • 1

      Stretch your stomach. Competitive eaters do not have to be large; you can expand your stomach's capacity by adjusting your eating habits. Eat high-fiber foods that take a long time to digest, such as cabbage, pineapple and celery. These foods will fill your stomach until it stretches, allowing you to fit more food in your stomach during a competition.

    • 2

      Drink lots of water to expand your stomach. You should take in gallons, but just not in one sitting, as this can lead to water poisoning. Drink water during a competition to help you swallow, but be careful not to drink too much as it takes up space in your stomach.

    • 3

      Prepare mentally by training your brain to ignore signals it receives from the stomach. A large part of eating competitively is mental focus. Train yourself by denying your stomach what it wants.

    • 4

      Discover an eating strategy that works for you during a competition. Such strategies include soaking food in water before eating it, and making food smaller by smashing it before ingesting. If hot dogs are involved, separate the meat from the bread in order to squish the bread into a smaller size.

    • 5

      Eat quickly. Slowing down will only make it harder, so keep up the pace. Do not listen to your taste buds. Eating competitively is about getting the food to your stomach as quickly as possible.