A week-long easy-to-digest diet and a disciplined technique are the keys to winning hot dog eating contests, 11-time Nathan's Famous women's champion Miki Sudo told Newsmax on Sunday.
Appearing on "Wake Up America Weekend" with co-hosts Kenzie Beach and Kyle Lowder, Sudo offered a behind-the-scenes look at how she prepares to defend her title at the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Championship in Coney Island.
Sudo, who is seeking her 12th title, said the final week before the competition is devoted to recovery and eating foods that are easy on the stomach after competing in other events.
"This week will be a lot of foods that are easy to digest — not quite fasting, but lots of yogurts, protein shakes, stuff like that," Sudo said.
The reigning champion holds the women's world record of 51 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes, though she said her totals have ranged from the low 30s to the low 40s depending on the year.
Rather than sprinting out to an early lead, Sudo said her strategy is built on consistency.
"I am very much a nice and steady kind of person," she said. "There are people who are a lot faster than me in the first minute or two, but I tend to outlast the competition."
She also revealed some of the techniques competitive eaters use to maximize speed.
Sudo said she separates the hot dogs from the buns and soaks the buns in a sugar-free strawberry-orange-banana drink mix instead of plain water to combat "flavor fatigue."
"The idea is to keep flavor fatigue from setting in for as long as possible," she explained, adding that she doesn't chew during the contest, relying instead on rhythm and muscle memory to keep food moving.
Despite entering the event undefeated over the past 11 championships she has contested, Sudo said she isn't taking another title for granted.
"The target's been on my back for the last 12 years," she said, pointing to veteran Michelle Lesco and several rising competitors as challengers.
"The best strategy is to focus on yourself and do your best, and never look back," Sudo said.
According to the Brooklyn Paper, the annual Nathan's Famous contest has been held every Independence Day since 1916 and remains one of America's most recognizable Fourth of July traditions.
Thousands of fans are expected to gather at the flagship Nathan's restaurant in Coney Island as Sudo and men's champion Joey Chestnut defend their titles.
When she's not competing, however, Sudo said she enjoys hot dogs the traditional way.
"Raw sauerkraut, brown mustard," she said. "And I do not dunk my buns in liquid."
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