So, you’re thinking about tackling a food challenge? Maybe you, like me, have always taken pride in your ability to put away impressive amounts of food. But let’s be real, a real food challenge is a different beast altogether. I decided to document my journey preparing for my first ever food challenge, and hopefully, this will help you prepare for yours.
The challenge I’ve set my sights on is the Airbus Burger Challenge at Airliner. The mission? Devour a two-pound burger and a pound of fries in under 30 minutes. Sounds fun, right? But trust me, it requires some serious preparation.
My prep started with a focus on stomach expansion. I’m talking 1-2 pounds of veggies, a substantial meal for expansion purposes, and a liter of water after each meal. For the first two days, I ate two large meals, followed by three days of one giant meal in addition to my regular meals.
The final day was all about pushing my limits. I headed to the all-you-can-eat salad bar and went to town. I ate until I couldn’t fathom another bite, and then I ate a little more, because I decide when I stop, not my body. The key here is to push yourself, but not to the point of throwing up. Just like overexerting yourself at the gym, pushing too hard too fast will only set you back.
Let’s break down the two best eating challenge prep tools: water and food.
Water Loading: A Competitive Eater’s Best Friend
Water is a competitive eater’s secret weapon. It’s free, calorie-free, and readily available. The problem is that if you don’t use it right, you can drown yourself. It’s easy to get carried away!
As a rookie, the idea of a watery grave wasn’t appealing. So, I opted for a gradual approach, starting with a quart of water after each large meal.
The Importance of Practice with Food
While water loading is important, the best way to eat food fast is to practice. You can explore any fancy preparation method you want, but without the proper practice mechanics of speed eating and having that solid mass in your stomach, your performance will be poor. That’s also why I’m drinking water, I need to understand what eating three pounds of food feels like before competition time so my body can handle it.
To avoid exceeding the recommended daily calorie intake, my meals consisted primarily of vegetables.
Debunking the Myth: Competitive Eaters and Body Weight
One interesting thing I discovered is that most of the best competitive eaters aren’t overweight. They might be large, but they exercise and maintain a low body fat percentage. The “fat belt” theory suggests that excess fat around the belly can actually restrict stomach expansion.
Additional Tips for Food Challenge Preparation
Here’s some extra advice to keep in mind as you prepare for your own food challenge:
- Music is your friend: Just like with a workout, music (or Netflix, or whatever distracts you) can help you get pumped up and power through the eating process. It helps your brain to not think about it.
- Don’t dwell on the bathroom trips: High-fiber vegetables and copious amounts of water are a recipe for frequent bathroom breaks. Just accept it and move on.
- Prepare for hunger swings: Initially, you might feel full all the time. But as your stomach expands, your body will start demanding more food.
- Fight off late-night cravings: Combat nighttime hunger by drinking at least a liter of water before bed. Be wary of those late-night cravings; you’ll be more tempted than ever to devour that pint of ice cream in your freezer.
Conclusion: Embrace the Challenge
Despite the prep work and potential hunger pangs, I’m genuinely excited to tackle my first real eating challenge. Wish me luck!
