Moe Train Speaks

What Does It Feel Like After An Eating Contest?

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How you feel after a contest depends upon what you’re eating, or even what contest it is.

My big contest is Philly’s Wing Bowl, and there’s no feeling like it… So, here’s a very personal answer.

For the past few years, I’ve eaten over 300 wings in 30 minutes, and I’m so hopped up on adrenaline that I don’t feel too bad after it’s all said and done. Wing Bowl’s eating situation is one of a kind. Check this out.

The event is in front of 22,000 Philadelphia/NJ/NY/DE area fans at SIX AM. MOST of these fans have been partying since the night before, and definitely tailgate for hours before the gates open.
Eaters usually barely sleep the night before after going to the Weigh In.

Eaters come into a sold out arena (Sixers and Flyers play there) on a float, surrounded by their 10 person entourage, and are often escorted by dancers from the local strip clubs. Think of Mardi Gras at 6am in a stadium… on the Friday morning before Super Bowl.

First 14 minute round cuts a field of 32 to 10.
Second 14 minute round cuts it to the Final 5
Final Five (which I’ve made it to twice in the past 5 years) is a 2 minute sprint with tons of the National media’s cameras in your faces.
After the contest is over, the 22,000 strong decend upon bars and clubs across the Philadelphia area.

As soon as I exit the arena with my massive food baby, it’s time for shots, then Xfinity Live (massive club complex). I get fed shots all morning, which usually isn’t bad… but when the adrenaline starts to wear off and the lack of sleep kicks in, I start to feel like death.
Later on that day, my body continues down the spiral of doom, especially after eating well over 15,000 calories in a half hour.

By the afternoon, my body shuts down, and I nap.
I wake and rally, and keep the day going. It’s a huge celebration, and eaters keep on rockin.

I’ve done 8 minute contests where I’ve felt exponentially worse than I have at Wing Bowl. These contests are usually salt or grease bombs, whereas, the chicken wings at Wing Bowl really aren’t that bad at all!

Eaters compete for many different reasons, but not matter how much a competitor trains (yes, we train and stretch our stomachs before challenges and contests), I can bet you that the vast majority feels horrendous post-contest.