For a decade, Ed Krachie defined eating. Or at least overeating.
He was a two-time winner of the prestigious Nathan’s hot dog-eating world championship. Although, the second time, he was only co-champion because he left halfway through the 12-minute time limit. Krachie had to get to a chicken wing-eating contest, where he munched down 160 wings.
“Like any athlete, it’s all in the mind,” Krachie told me when I interviewed him two years ago. “When I’m competing, I tell myself, ‘I’ll have a heart attack before I stop.'”
Better sit down for this:
Ed “The Animal” Krachie is on a diet.
Which is like Pamela “PETA” Anderson deciding to go into the barbecue business or Dr. Arthur “South Beach” Agatston sponsoring a pancake breakfast.
Can’t be.
Krachie is, after all, still a vice president with the International Federation of Competitive Eating. The same group whose shirts proudly proclaim, “Nothing in Moderation.” The shirts, incidentally, are available in XXXXL.
Which would probably be just about right for the 6-foot-7, 463-pound Krachie of Hollywood.
Oops. Better make that 447.
It seems the IFOCE’s Krachie is as much into the C as he is the E. He has taken on the challenge of losing weight with the same intensity he once mustered to consume 221/4 hot dogs and buns in 12 minutes.
“I’ve lost 16 pounds,” Krachie said. “Not bad for five weeks, huh?”
Krachie is not only keeping up with the progress of our Let’s Take It Off! five-some, he’s formed a diet group with two co-workers. The trio have made a friendly side wager. Because the others are closer to 300 pounds than Krachie’s 400-and-change, the winner will be whoever loses the greatest percentage of body weight.
“Adds incentive,” he said.
Always the competitor. That’s an attitude I can certainly understand. Two years ago, I entered the regional Nathan’s competition on a lark — and ended up taking second. I’m telling you, I can relate to Krachie.
“I tend to obsess over things,” he said. “I’m glad that this time, I’m obsessing over eating healthy. Hey, I just turned 41 in March.”
But Krachie is not ready to swear off competitive eating. He didn’t get to 463 because of occasional gorging. It’s been a long-term commitment to excess. Now it will take a long-term commitment to — dare I say — a lifestyle change.
Krachie’s been working out three times a week at the Diplomat Country Club and Spa, where he’s in charge of maintenance and security for the facilities. He’s also taken up tennis and occasionally plays golf. Krachie has also bought a small home gym.
“I’m just working out and eating healthy — even fruit.” he said. “You know, all these healthy foods actually taste good when you’re not eating anything else.”
Believe me, I know, Ed.
“I’m not into all these strange diets. What I am is on a healthy diet with normal food,” he continues. “Because eventually, you have to go back to normal food.”
Krachie also has made a point of letting people know he’s dieting. That public acknowledgment makes it much tougher to just blow off the diet. Call it humiliation motivation. Maybe signs around his job and neighborhood would help: “Don’t feed The Animal.”
Krachie, who guesses he’s been on 50 serious diets over the years, has a few other tricks. For example, he started his diet on a Sunday night.
“Everybody’s gung-ho at night,” Krachie explained. “Then the next day they wake up and they’re hungry. Or they’re serving spaghetti and meatballs at the cafeteria for lunch. And they say, I’ll start another day.”
However he’s doing it, this diet seems to be working for him. Although I don’t necessarily endorse all of his strategies.
“Friday and Saturday, I went out to lunch,” he said. “Saturday I must have had about 10 beers. And I still lost two pounds for the week.”
Well, Ed, there’s only one thing I can say to all that:
I dropped another 5 pounds the past two weeks. That makes it 12 pounds during the past month and 10 days. Which might be a few pounds and a couple of days behind Krachie.
But percentage-wise …
I’d have to say I’m slightly ahead of the champ.
By, oh, about 10 beers.
Ralph De La Cruz can be reached at or 954-356-4727.
