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Creating extra stomach room for weekend fun pays off for hot dog eating champ

Related Topics: Hot dog, Competitive eating, Stomach

Steven Schuster starts his day out just like a lot of guys: wakes up, works out and returns home. Simple.

But before moving on, Schuster chugs a gallon of water — with a splash of Gatorade mixed in — as fast as he possibly can. He’s water training; it stretches his stomach.

“A gallon of water is 8.8 pounds, so technically, you’re putting 8.8 pounds of ‘food’ in your stomach around a minute,” Schuster said. “It makes your stomach — it’s just a muscle — expand and get used to holding more and more substance.”

MORE: 2015 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest

The Texas native eats very healthy and clean, though, making sure his diet is 40 to 50 percent protein and 20 percent carbs.