He hits the gym to train … to eat hot dogs

Over the past two-and-a-half years, James Webb has experienced a transformation beyond his expectations.

“After earning a business economics degree and working in various corporate roles like sales and marketing, I decided to make a drastic career change,” Webb shared. “Nowadays, I trade in suits for stretchy pants and baggy t-shirts.”

Twice daily, seven days a week, Webb can be found at the gym, but not for the usual fitness routines. He’s in North Texas, rigorously training to excel at eating hot dogs.

“Known as JWebby Can Eat, I’ve built a following of over 81,000 on Instagram and 101,000 subscribers on YouTube,” Webb said.

He’s preparing for Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, describing it as the “Super Bowl” of competitive eating.

“For the past few weeks, I’ve been in Dallas in my own training camp, hitting the gym, practicing hot dog consumption, and repeating this routine daily,” Webb explained.

His unexpected career as a competitive eater began when his wife challenged him during a day trip to an Australian vineyard, where he took on a burger challenge and completed Australia’s biggest burger in just 23 minutes.

“That moment went viral on social media and caught the attention of professional competitive eaters who invited me to compete,” Webb said. “I had no idea this world existed, and after winning every contest in Australia, I set my sights on competing in America.”

This will be Webb’s third appearance at Coney Island, where he competes against top professionals.

“Contrary to popular belief, competitive eating requires some level of fitness,” Webb remarked. “In addition to weight training and brisk treadmill walks, I spend an hour daily strengthening my jaw with a green trainer.”

Webb elaborated on his technique: “Leading up to the contest, I practice eating up to 50 hot dogs and buns in a single meal. My strategy involves the two-hot-dogs-one-bun method, dunking the bun in cranberry juice to reset my taste buds.”

During competitions, Webb aims to consume around 50 hot dogs in ten minutes, a feat that leaves him dealing with “meat sweats” and often needing a nap to recover.

Flying out to New York with his wife on Monday, Webb hopes to become the first Australian to win the contest.

“If I can hit close to 55 hot dogs, I’m confident I’ll be in contention for a top spot,” Webb concluded, noting that last year’s winner ate an impressive 62 hot dogs.