Competitive eating is a popular sport in the United States, with events like the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest attracting major media attention every year. The contest is held annually on July 4th at Nathan’s Famous restaurant on Coney Island in New York City. Participants compete to see who can eat the most hot dogs and buns within a 10 minute time period. It’s an intense test of both speed and stomach capacity.
Who holds the women’s record?
The current women’s champion of the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest is Miki Sudo. She has won the contest multiple times, including setting the current women’s world record of 48.5 hot dogs and buns eaten in 10 minutes at the 2020 contest.
Miki Sudo is considered one of the best competitive eaters in the world. She holds numerous eating records and has consistently placed first in the Nathan’s hot dog eating contest from 2014 to 2020. Her 2020 record of 48.5 hot dogs beat her own previous record of 45 hot dogs in 2017.
A breakdown of Miki Sudo’s record
To better understand Sudo’s record of eating 48.5 hotdogs, let’s break that number down:
- 48.5 hot dogs eaten
- 48.5 buns eaten
- So 97 total hot dogs and buns consumed
- In just 10 minutes
- That’s an average of 9.7 hot dogs and buns per minute
Eating nearly 10 hot dogs in 60 seconds is an incredible feat. The speed and determination needed to accomplish this is immense.
How does Sudo’s record compare to the men’s record?
For comparison, the current Nathan’s men’s champion is Joey Chestnut. In 2020, Chestnut ate a record 75 hot dogs and buns, beating his own previous record of 74 hot dogs in 2018.
So while Sudo ate an astounding 48.5 hot dogs, Chestnut managed to eat 75, consuming over 25 more hot dogs than the top female competitor.
Below is a table comparing the 2020 records of Miki Sudo and Joey Chestnut:
| Competitor | Hot Dogs Eaten | Buns Eaten | Total Hot Dogs & Buns |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miki Sudo (women’s) | 48.5 | 48.5 | 97 |
| Joey Chestnut (men’s) | 75 | 75 | 150 |
While Sudo holds the women’s world record, she ate about 35% fewer hot dogs than the current men’s record holder. This large gap is common across most competitive eating events, where even the top female competitors tend to eat considerably less than the male champions.
How has the women’s record progressed over time?
Looking at recent history, Miki Sudo has dominated the Nathan’s hot dog eating contest, winning every year from 2014 to 2020. She steadily increased the women’s world record over that time period:
- 2014 – 38 hot dogs
- 2015 – 40 hot dogs
- 2016 – 41 hot dogs
- 2017 – 45 hot dogs
- 2018 – 37 hot dogs
- 2019 – 31 hot dogs
- 2020 – 48.5 hot dogs (current record)
Prior to Miki Sudo’s competitive eating fame, Sonya Thomas held the women’s record of 45 hot dogs from 2011 to 2013. Thomas is a pioneer of competitive eating, holding numerous records over her career.
Going further back, Takeru Kobayashi dominated both the men’s and women’s divisions prior to 2011. Kobayashi set the women’s world record of 53.5 hot dogs in 2001 when he competed in both divisions simultaneously.
So the progression of the women’s world record at the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest over the past two decades has been:
| Year | Competitor | Hot dogs eaten |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Takeru Kobayashi | 53.5 |
| 2011 | Sonya Thomas | 40 |
| 2013 | Sonya Thomas | 45 |
| 2020 | Miki Sudo | 48.5 (current record) |
Miki Sudo and Sonya Thomas have led the way for competitive eating over the past decade. The 2020 record of 48.5 hot dogs indicates the women’s division is as competitive as ever.
Strategies used by top competitors
Eating nearly 50 hot dogs in 10 minutes takes immense skill and preparation. Top competitors rely on various strategies and training techniques leading up to the big event. Here are some of the tactics used by champions like Miki Sudo:
- Stretches jaw muscles – Sudo completes jaw exercises to widen her bite and fit more food in her mouth.
- Perfects dunking technique – She dips the buns in water so they slide down the throat easier.
- Conserves energy – Sudo limits unnecessary movement to preserve stamina during the contest.
- Teases stomach – She expands her stomach through practice eating weeks before the contest.
- Mental focus – Top competitors meditate and visualize success leading up to the event.
It’s believed that some genetic factors also make great competitive eaters. For example, Sudo may have a naturally larger stomach capacity or a faster metabolism.
Strong mental stamina, demeanor under pressure, and a competitive drive also set champions apart. Miki Sudo embodies all of these top competitor traits.
What does Miki Sudo eat to train?
In the months and weeks leading up to Nathan’s, Miki Sudo goes through rigorous training to prepare her body:
- Drinks water – Stretches stomach by drinking gallons of water daily.
- Eats veggies – Fills up on celery, spinach, and other low calorie greens.
- Consumes bone broth – Drinks bone broth to get used to excess sodium.
- Avoids fats, oils, carbs – Sticks to a restricted diet of protein, vegetables and broth.
During this training period, Miki avoids fats, oils, and carbs. She also eats 6-8 small meals per day to teach her body to process large quantities of food.
In the final weeks before Nathan’s, Sudo starts intensifying her jaw and stomach training. For example, she’ll eat entire heads of cabbage or collections of large vegetables to expand her capacity.
This preparatory diet helps Sudo safely stretch her stomach and build the skills needed to break eating records on the big stage.
How many calories in 48.5 hot dogs?
Based on average nutrition information, here are the estimated calories for Miki Sudo’s 48.5 hot dog record:
- Calories per Nathan’s hot dog (with bun): ~275 calories
- 48.5 hot dogs x 275 calories each = 13,337 calories
- Sudo consumed over 13,000 calories in 10 minutes!
To put that into perspective against recommended daily calorie intakes:
- Average woman: 2,000 calories/day
- Average man: 2,500 calories/day
So Sudo ate around 6 times the average daily calories for a woman in just 10 minutes. Consuming that quantity of food in such a short timeframe is remarkable.
How did she eat so many hot dogs?
Eating 48.5 hot dogs in 10 minutes takes extreme training and determination. Here are some key factors that allowed Miki Sudo to achieve this record:
- Expanded stomach capacity – Years of stretching allowed her to fit more food.
- Mastered consumption techniques – Perfect dunking, squeezing, chewing skills.
- Top conditioning – Optimized her body through diet and exercise.
- Tireless motivation – Pushed her body to new limits through competitive spirit.
Sudo has also cited entering a “zone” or “flow state” during her record-breaking performances. In this mental state, she is hyper focused on eating and blocking out all distractions.
Being in peak physical shape combined with an insatiable competitive drive led Miki Sudo to the women’s world record for hot dogs eaten.
Reaction to Miki Sudo’s 2020 record
Miki Sudo’s new world record of 48.5 hot dogs at the 2020 Nathan’s contest gained significant praise and attention across the competitive eating community. Here were some of the reactions:
- Impressed fans – Sudo’s social media followers congratulated her and marveled at the quantity eaten.
- Stronger than the men – Some commented that Sudo’s record was more impressive than the men’s record in terms of her size.
- Pushing the limits – Experts noted the steady progression shows women’s competitive eating records can keep being pushed.
- Competitors admired the skill – Fellow professional eaters complimented Sudo’s strategies and competitive spirit.
The wider public also took notice of her new record. NBC News featured Sudo’s story the day after her 2020 win. The unique feat earned Sudo recognition and praise across the media.
Will Miki Sudo defend her title?
Fans of competitive eating are already looking ahead to the 2021 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest to see if Miki Sudo can defend her title and possibly break her own world record.
Sudo’s dominance over the last 7 years makes her the clear favorite to win again. However, rivals like Michelle Lesco, Juliet Lee, and Sarah Rodriguez will be gunning to dethrone the champ.
At 35 hot dogs eaten in 2020, Michelle Lesco finished second behind Sudo and has potential to continue improving her personal best. While underdogs, women like Lee and Rodriguez also have enough skill to pull off an upset.
When asked if she plans to compete again in 2021, Miki Sudo said she is taking it one year at a time. But the allure of stepping onto the stage as defending champion may motivate Sudo to push herself even further.
Fans will have to wait for July 4th, 2021 to see Miki Sudo attempt to defend her Mustard Belt and possibly set a new world record.
Highest hot dog count speculation
Miki Sudo’s current record of 48.5 hot dogs seems astounding already, but could an even higher number be achieved in the future? Some competitive eating analysts think so.
They argue that Sudo has not yet hit the upper limit of her capabilities. With the right training and conditions on the day of the event, she may have the potential to eat into the 50s or even the low 60s of hot dogs.
Other experts point to the slowing pace of record progression and suggest we may be approaching the limits of the human stomach. But past concerns about limits have been proved wrong before by the shocking achievements of top competitors.
Ultimately, only time will tell if Miki Sudo or another talented eater can surpass 50 hot dogs at Nathan’s. For now, the record stands at 48.5, but that ceiling may still be shattered in future contests.
Conclusion
Miki Sudo has proven herself as one of the greatest competitive eaters of all time. Her latest Nathan’s record of 48.5 hot dogs consumed in 10 minutes is an extraordinary testament to her skill and pushing the boundaries of human performance.
The level of training, strategic preparation, and mental determination needed to achieve these records requires immense commitment and drive. Sudo has helped progress the sport and inspire new generations of competitive eaters.
Fans now eagerly wait to see if Miki Sudo can top her own record again in 2021 and continue her reign as the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest champion.
