|
From the Sideline
by Warren Haacke
As I was embarking on my latest summer diet or "eating plan" as my wife calls it, one strange thought came to my mind - "Sumo wrestler". As any one of you who has dieted before knows, giving up some favorite foods is hard (actually giving up any food is hard!).
When your thoughts begin bordering on the maniacal and you start to not only dream about food, but lots of it, what better "role model" than a Sumo wrestler.
Think about it, this is a guy who is revered in Japan and other parts of the world and he is encouraged to eat all he wants. He's treated like a god and gets as many Big Macs as he wants! Sounds like a pretty good racket!
So why do all these Sumo guys get all this attention and food? They have to force another competitor out of a ring in matches that sometimes last just seconds and then they get to eat again. If matches actually last too long (several minutes), the wrestlers get breaks to restore their energy. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me!
Okay, now that we've taken that long look into the intricacy of the sport itself, let's get into the important stuff - eating and training, mainly eating.
Sumo wrestlers live in communes or stables. The "stars" get their own room or apartment, are waited on by the "lower" sumo wrestlers and CAN EAT ALL THEY WANT! (I think I'm getting fixated here!)
The big stars are also paid around $25,000 a month, get big bonuses six times a year based on their performances and also are in line to receive prize money from tournaments.
But let's get down to the "nitty-gritty" - eating. What actually do these guys eat to get to anywhere from 400-600 lbs and stand 5'10" (average height for Sumo wrestlers)?
I fit the 5'10" standard and sometimes after eating certain meals I feel like the 400-600 pound range fits too.
From the information I gathered, Sumo wrestlers live in "eating paradise". They eat a mixture of vegetables and meat called "chankonabe" as their staple. It's supposed to make your bones denser or something. The experts say it's healthy if eaten in moderation, but of course the Sumos don't eat in moderation.
They eat outlandish proportions, supplemented with side dishes of omelets, rice, shrimp, fried chicken and beer.
Then they are encouraged to take a nap and do nothing! Are we in heaven or what?
One famous ex-Sumo said, "Sumo wrestlers depend on their weight. Some have lost careers after losing weight. It's a mental thing." Take that Richard Simmons!
To get ready for matches, the Sumos gorge on chicken, beef or fish chanko. One guy downed 29 pounds of beef in one sitting. They said he stopped only because his jaws got tired.
The same Sumo, a guy named Konishiki, as a youngster would eat 10 enormous bowls of chanko, 8 big bowls of rice, 130 pieces of soushi, and 25 portions of barbecued beef and still have room for dessert.
Needless to say, Konishiki got to be the heaviest Sumo ever, checking in at 630 pounds. But, the good news. After retiring he's "slimmed down" to 580. The man's definitely got willpower!
Training? I didn't find a lot of info on that. I'm guessing that they may have to train several minutes a day in between eating and naps.
As much as this Sumo lifestyle appears glamorous to someone who likes to eat and is dieting (sorry dear, "eating plan"), we have to get back to reality at some point.
Okay, there are some negative effects of the Sumo lifestyle. Life expectancy is around 60-65. Were those extra 35 Big Macs at one sitting really worth it? Of course there's small things like heart attacks, high blood pressure, diabetes, liver damage, joint stress and a few other minor things too.
You better have someone working the remote for you too. God forbid if you've got to get up and get it yourself when you're tipping in at 580.
The biggest drawback for me would be to wear those "diapers" or whatever you call them. The condition of my body right now forces me to wear a t-shirt when I shave in front of the mirror each morning. No way I could go in front of a big crowd wearing just a diaper!
Story created Jul 01, 2008 - 13:30:46 CDT.
|
