TWO national eating champions once devoured a 21-pound turkey in under seven minutes but here's the gag — they did it just for fun.
Miki Sudo, Major League Eating's third-ranked competitive eater and #1 Female Competitive Eater, started her career on a whim.
Her friends at the time had complained to her about their failed attempts at finishing a large bowl of pho from a restaurant for a cash prize.
When she saw photos of the meal they didn't have the appetites to conquer, she didn't think it looked too difficult.
"I thought 'I could do that,' so the next day, without really any practice or preparation, I went in and plugged away at this 12-pound bowl of pho," she said.
From tongue scraping to saying no, here are 12 health trends to try in 2023
Her intuition proved to be right, as she was able to successfully walk away with $1,510, a feat that 151 people before her had failed to achieve.
"For every person that failed, they put $10 into the jackpot," she explained.
Sudo met fiance Nick Wehry, Major League Eating's fourth-ranked eater, while competing at events.
The seven-time undefeated winner of the Nathan's Famous 4th of July Hot Dog Eating Contest explained she had just finished up her college degree in Las Vegas when Nick entered her life.
"I was actually living in the West Coast when I met Nick on the competition circuit so I moved from the West Coast to Connecticut to give this a shot," she said.
The two turned out to be a match made in heaven, with Nick even proposing right after winning a deviled egg-eating contest.
For Nick, a bodybuilder with a large appetite, his first taste at competitive eating was also spurred on by friends, who convinced him to try his luck at a donut-eating contest.
After winning handily, Nick was shocked by how rewarding the experience turned out to be.
"I was like, 'wait a minute, I just got money, free food, and we raised money for sick kids,'" he said.
Humanitarian aid is a large component of their events, such as Wings for Wishes, a Major League Eating competition that donated all its proceeds to Southern Florida's Make-A-Wish foundation.
I'm a nutritionist - here's the 10 best diet trends to help lose weight in 2023
"We've taken part in events that have raised well over $1million but we're just part of the entertainment, we're just a cog," Nick said.
"Make-A-Wish alone was $900,000 the two years we've done it, it's way beyond the scope."
To maintain their bodies and prep for their contests, a year-round healthy lifestyle is critical, as they often consume thousands of calories in a ten-minute sitting.
While Nick, a body-builder and fitness coach, prefers lifting, Miki's go-to is cardio.
"Staying leaner helps us. In the days leading up [to an event], our food volume will taper off a little bit to account for the calorie load," Nick explained.
The two also stressed the importance of staying hydrated, especially when you're about to consume large amounts of food.
"I probably drink three to four bottles of water even before I leave the stage, you forget how much sodium is in even sweet foods, it's really important to hydrate afterward," Miki said.
"Way more than my guidance counselor would have told me I would have raised when she told me I should be an accountant," he joked.
This year they have no Thanksgiving plans (despite pumpkin pie being one of Miki's favorite foods), but the two are preparing for a shrimp cocktail and charity spaghetti event.
In previous years, they maintained a tradition where they prepared an entire Thanksgiving spread — but just for fun.
In 2020, the duo downed a feast that would normally feed 12-16 people, two turkeys and eight different side dishes, including pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, cookies, and brownies.
In 2021, they continued their yearly tradition but as busy new parents to a baby boy, had to improvise their menu.
"We don't have time for [a whole spread], our son Max makes it impossible for us to even sit down and enjoy a sandwich," Miki joked.
Instead, the two attempted to eat a 21.5-pound turkey as fast as humanly possible, which turns out, is only seven minutes when you're two skilled competitive eaters.
For those who are gearing up to chow down at the Thanksgiving dinner table this year, the two experts share their words of wisdom.
"Take your time, enjoy it, it's not a race," Miki joked.
She explained that outside of competitions, she made sure to take time to savor her food in her day-to-day life.
"I eat more slowly than your average person, I like enjoying my food, I feel like I get more out of my plate if I take like five sips of water and put my fork down and talk," she added.
For those who know they're going to inhale an egregious amount of turkey this year, say, 21 pounds worth, Nick revealed his go-to recovery regimen.
"Be active around the contest or around the dinner, so maybe a couple of days before, go outside and throw a football or play with your kids," he said.
"You'll feel better if you do happen to overeat because there are so many options, even if you're taking small amounts of each dish."
Most importantly, the two recommended to take your time and to savor the moment.
"Coming from two people who have eaten to the point of feeling like you're going to burst beyond what most people fathom, it's not always as fun as you would imagine," Nick said.
"Enjoy those people, whether they might drive you bonkers or not, you may only see them once a year.
"Try a little bit of everything, try something new and drink a lot of water."
"Why rush through a good thing? Savor the moment, savor the company," Miki added.
