WSOP Prep Part 2: What to Eat (and Avoid) – Diets, Fasting, and the Junk Food Trap
By
Jack Pine
It’s impossible to make a prep guide for the WSOP without mentioning the importance of food—or rather, nutrition. In the first part of our guide, we emphasized how crucial sleep is during your WSOP ride. Nutrition is another key factor in staying healthy and being able to bring your A-Game to the tables.
But if there’s one topic that sparks debate, it’s food. For decades, people have tried to determine the best diet for humans. Mediterranean, Paleo, Keto, Carnivore, Vegetarian, Vegan…
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We’re all used to eating certain foods more than others, and so our bodies are also used to processing those specific foods. Some people primarily eat fresh, unprocessed foods (fruits, vegetables), while others are more into fast food (sandwiches, pizza, burgers…). A mistake would be to change your diet right before participating in the WSOP, regardless of what your usual diet is.
Stick to your eating diet
Sudden dietary changes may trigger reactions from your body. If you decide to quit junk food 24 hours to go full vegetable just before starting the longest poker tournament marathon of the year, well, be prepared for potential reactions from your digestive system that will have to adapt to these brutal shift. The same goes if you’re not used to eating junk food all the time and suddenly start having it at every meal because it’s Vegas.
Nutrition is part of a poker player’s life; it can impact their game, either positively or negatively.” The vegan diet has been adopted by several pros on the circuit and works very well for Daniel “Kid Poker” Negreanu, for example, who has over time become a vocal ambassador for veganism and animal welfare.
“My diet’s now as good as it’s ever been, and although my veganism started out absolutely about health, it’s also become about the environment and animal cruelty. The way animals are treated and the conditions are atrocious. They’re force fed steroids, the chickens are de-beaked. You end up eating sick, diseased chickens because they’re living in shit.”Source
Daniel Negreanu looks like he has become an ambassador for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
Daniel has a tip for the vegan poker player that will play the WSOP. His favorite Vegan restaurant is NoButcher (100% plant-based).
If you are looking for a good sandwich in Las Vegas:@nobutcher_com
For many people, fasting and intermittent fasting are new concepts. Yet when we look at human history, we realize fasting has existed since the dawn of time—and most religions have incorporated it for millennia. But it’s only in the last 20 years or so that fasting has gained popularity and scientific backing, as researchers began discovering its surprising health benefits when practiced voluntarily and temporarily. This study and this meta-analysis, available through the National Center for Biotechnology Information, demonstrate the benefits of fasting on the body.
Why talk about intermittent fasting? Quite simply because this practice offers several advantages for a WSOP player who has little free time when not playing a tournament. Skipping breakfast or lunch, for example, and having only one meal a day, frees up time for other activities (sleeping, exercising, relaxing, studying poker theory…). Fasting has been shown to clear mental fog, enhancing focus and allowing for longer, more effective periods of concentration. Those who’ve practiced it for a while often adopt an OMAD (One Meal A Day) style of eating, it helps avoid the post-meal drowsiness caused by digestion. All a WSOP player needs!
Isabelle “No Mercy” Mercierwould certainly agree. The Canadian poker player did a 7-day fast before heading to Las Vegas to play the Mini Main Event (2019).
“I’ve been practicing fasting (both long-term and intermittent) for a very long time. It has become a real tool for maintaining both my physical and mental balance. When I arrived at my table on Day 1 of the Mini Main Event, I was feeling really great—even though I had only consumed water for the entire previous week. I was full of energy. That’s one of the many advantages of fasting: you have a clear mind and better focus. You don’t suffer from energy crashes after the dinner break. I didn’t win the tournament, but I was able to play my A-Game and perform at my best.” Isabelle Mercier.
“Eating only one meal a day can be very liberating for MTT grinders who usually snack during their 5-minute long breaks while a more conservative ’16-8′ approach can work great for a live casino grinder etc. Lastly, it’s important to point out that fasting won’t magically transform you from a losing poker grinder into a card shark. It’s also not a substitute for a healthy diet based on nutritious whole foods. You can still gain a ton of weight and impair your health while intermittent fasting if you consume excessive amounts of junk food. Intermittent fasting is no panacea.”
Even if we all intuitively know that ultra-processed industrial foods are best avoided, we must admit that junk food’s convenience suits the reality of MTT players. Breaks are short: 15-minute pauses and a one-hour dinner break. That time flies—between waiting in line for the restroom and stepping outside for fresh air, the 60-minute break is often not enough to eat well. Cooking on-site is impossible unless you have a hotel suite with a kitchenette. And even if you manage to find a restaurant that serves quality food, you still need time to get there, order, eat, pay, and return to the poker room… in other words: mission impossible. As a result, most WSOP players end up eating a sandwich or a slice of industrial pizza in 5 minutes flat.
If you have a choice, bring some organic fresh fruit, almonds, or cashews with you—much better options than junk food. If possible, cook your dinner break meal at home the morning of the events, or at least try to find healthy food stores (see above).
Dinner breaks are short during WSOP, so we asked ChatGPT to create a comparison table of the closest establishments to the Horseshoe Casino. You’ll find the result below.
