Take it from the South Pole hiker pros - 7,000 calories a day

[Rain Man]

From Yahoo/AP news today--

"SYDNEY, Australia – A trio of Canadian adventurers said Friday they have set a new record for fastest trek across Antarctica to the South Pole, after suffering through whiteout conditions, temperatures as low as minus 40 — and a steady diet of deep-fried bacon and butter.

"Ray Zahab said he and his teammates completed the 700-mile (1,130-kilometer) journey from Hercules Inlet on Antarctica's Ronne Ice Shelf to the South Pole in 33 days, 23 hours and 30 minutes, finally arriving Thursday. ..."

"Zahab is best known for his epic 4,300-mile (6,920-kilometer) run across the Sahara Desert in 2007, which was the subject of a documentary narrated by actor Matt Damon entitled "Running the Sahara. ..."

"The men suffered altitude sickness, vertigo and massive, painful blisters. They kept themselves fueled with a 7,000-calorie-a-day diet of deep-fried bacon, cheese and huge chunks of butter.

"I am dying for pizza," Zahab said with a sigh Friday. "All I've been thinking about is pizza." ...

More at the link--
7,000-calorie-a-day diet (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090109/ap_on_re_au_an/as_antarctica_south_pole_trek)

Rain:sunMan

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[Dogwood]

From Yahoo/AP news today--

"SYDNEY, Australia – A trio of Canadian adventurers said Friday they have set a new record for fastest trek across Antarctica to the South Pole, after suffering through whiteout conditions, temperatures as low as minus 40 — and a steady diet of deep-fried bacon and butter.

"Ray Zahab said he and his teammates completed the 700-mile (1,130-kilometer) journey from Hercules Inlet on Antarctica's Ronne Ice Shelf to the South Pole in 33 days, 23 hours and 30 minutes, finally arriving Thursday. ..."

"Zahab is best known for his epic 4,300-mile (6,920-kilometer) run across the Sahara Desert in 2007, which was the subject of a documentary narrated by actor Matt Damon entitled "Running the Sahara. ..."

"The men suffered altitude sickness, vertigo and massive, painful blisters. They kept themselves fueled with a 7,000-calorie-a-day diet of deep-fried bacon, cheese and huge chunks of butter.

"I am dying for pizza," Zahab said with a sigh Friday. "All I've been thinking about is pizza." ...

More at the link--
7,000-calorie-a-day diet (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090109/ap_on_re_au_an/as_antarctica_south_pole_trek)

Rain:sunMan

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Yeah all good, but I'll venture to say most AT hikers are not trying to set a blistering speed hiking record and therefore not expending the same amount of energy that someone constantly pushing through snow and ice during looong hiking days with packs fully loaded with Antarctic gear will.

[john gault]

There's different types of hiking, have a little tolerance for others that don't hike to your standards. I found it interesting.

[The Solemates]

in actuality, -40 temperatures are not that extreme for antarctica. winter temperatures typically hover between -70 and -100 degrees F at the South Pole.

[Mags]

I just love this line:

" They kept themselves fueled with a 7,000-calorie-a-day diet of deep-fried bacon, cheese and huge chunks of butter."

Mmm...bacon.....

[john gault]

in actuality, -40 temperatures are not that extreme for antarctica. winter temperatures typically hover between -70 and -100 degrees F at the South Pole.
True, it is summer down there, although they really don't have seasons like other places, but this is the warmest time of year down there.

[Tipi Walter]

On my last backpacking trip I took out a book by Peter Hillary called IN THE GHOST COUNTRY about his trek(with 2 others)across Antarctica and he often mentioned the high fat diet they were basically forced to consume. He often talked about nausea, vomiting and a general malaise regarding eating. Something to consider. He also had this good quote:

"Putting the tent up in the hard gusting winds and the cold was like trying to wash a big rabid dog that had already eaten their hands. And then crawling inside its belly." IN THE GHOST COUNTRY by Peter Hillary and John E. Elder.

[Dogwood]

There's different types of hiking, have a little tolerance for others that don't hike to your standards. I found it interesting.

Absolutely right John. This is just my point. There are different types of hiking. My statement wasn't based on having an intolerance for other people's hiking. I absolutely think and follow the HYOH philosophy. But, since this is primarily an AT audience I didn't want prospective AT hikers to read this interesting story, and it was an interesting story, and think it somehow accurately represented similiar routinely encounted conditions on the AT. And, since the hiking conditions and hiking style experienced by those on the Antarctica trip are quite different than those typically found on the AT a 7000 cal. a day diet may not be in an AT hikers best interest. That's where I was headed with my previous statement. That's all.

[bikerscars]

:jumpbacon...
cheese and butter...throw in good bread and tomatoes and i'm in heaven

sure did burn through a lot of calories...i don't wanna hike that hard

[john gault]

Absolutely right John. This is just my point. There are different types of hiking. My statement wasn't based on having an intolerance for other people's hiking. I absolutely think and follow the HYOH philosophy. But, since this is primarily an AT audience I didn't want prospective AT hikers to read this interesting story, and it was an interesting story, and think it somehow accurately represented similiar routinely encounted conditions on the AT. And, since the hiking conditions and hiking style experienced by those on the Antarctica trip are quite different than those typically found on the AT a 7000 cal. a day diet may not be in an AT hikers best interest. That's where I was headed with my previous statement. That's all.
WHAT:confused: O.K., you have tolerance. You just believe people are babbling idiots...incredible.

[JAK]

It's good to know many calories are required for 20 miles with that much weight in such extremes, helps our understanding even for more limited endeavours. Their total day might be divided roughly as follows:
Sleep: 8 hours x 80 kcal/hour = 640
Camp: 4 hours x 240kcal/hour = 960
Move: 12 hours x 450 kcal/hr = 5400

Summer trips aren't all that different, but you have to be digesting and burning that many calories and rebuilding your body as you go. I've got a big enough engine, but its not in that sort of shape, not to sustain that average calorie burn for that many days. I could do it for a couple of days and then take 5 days in recovery. I think you need to build up to that level, but long distance summer hiking or winter trekking is definitely the best way to go about it. I'll bet most folks could get themselves in pretty darn good shape in a month or two, losing alot of weight in the process. They say its only safe to lose a pound a week, but walking 8-10 hours a day you can lose 3-6 pounds a week, tapering up as you get in shape, and then tapering back down as your get close to your goal. In this way you might start of on only a pound of food each day, work up to 2 pounds as you gain enough fitness to burn more, and then only reach 3 pounds of food per day once you've run out of fat to burn. So I think higher carb diets make sense while your burning body fat, and you add more fat to the diet once you've run out of excess body fat. Protien fairly consistent at perhaps 10% of total calories burned.

Not sure why one guy walked and two guys went on skis.

[john gault]

... I'll bet most folks could get themselves in pretty darn good shape in a month or two, losing alot of weight in the process. They say its only safe to lose a pound a week, but walking 8-10 hours a day you can lose 3-6 pounds a week....
Good points JAK.

On my thru in 2006 I lost 50 lbs in 50 days between Amicalola Falls SP and Damascus, Va. (~460 miles) then my weight settled out. I was a little bit of a porker, so I had some to lose, but I also work harder than most hikers because I carry more weight so I don't have to stop in towns every 3-5 days. Probably why all the other porkers didn't lose as much weight in a relatively short time.

[JAK]

Well done John. You have to know your body and your age also. Everyone has weak points, like feet or knees or back or perhaps heart and lung capacity, or a combination of things. Some folks might be able to dive in right away, especially when they are young, losing weight and getting in shape. Most likely people need to ramp up and then settle in and then perhaps ramp up a little more later. There potential is certainly there, but if you've got 50 to 150 days to do some hiking and lose some serious weight, you wouldn't want blow the opportunity with an injury in the first few weeks either. I tend to go out hard myself, but I only do 3-5 days at a time. If I had more time I think I would be more careful at first.

[john gault]

I've always been in good shape, but over the years I noticed I was gaining weight that was very difficult to drop. That was the whole point of my thru -- a body overhaul. And to start a new lifestyle.

This is me, replacing my roof, about 2 months before my 2006 thru-hike --- Never Again!

[JAK]

Yeah, I'm about there. A long hike would be the perfect cure.
Have you kept it off since with maintenance hikes?

[john gault]

I've gained back some weight; you just can't burn that many calories per day at home. But, I’ve been able, so far, to keep that gut off, not just with maintenance hikes, you got to work at it everyday (at least I do).

Like I said, for me it was a starting point to change my lifestyle. I now workout nearly everyday and I've added running to my regimen. I was never much of a runner, but after hiking every day with weight for ½ a year, running ain’t that bad. I do about 30 miles per week. And I believe strength training is VERY important, ESPECIALLY the core muscle groups.

[JAK]

Running is great once you get the weight off, and in some ways its easier to take it up later in life if you didn't do it competitively when you were younger, as there may still be room for personal bests here and there. Strength training is easier in some ways when your older also, as we tend to have lower expectations and more patience. I work here at a university with a fairly decent gym, but don't use it consistently enough, especially the last year or two. I'll head over there now and do a little right now. Thanks for the inspiration.

[saimyoji]

On my last backpacking trip I took out a book by Peter Hillary called IN THE GHOST COUNTRY about his trek(with 2 others)across Antarctica and he often mentioned the high fat diet they were basically forced to consume. He often talked about nausea, vomiting and a general malaise regarding eating. Something to consider. He also had this good quote:

"Putting the tent up in the hard gusting winds and the cold was like trying to wash a big rabid dog that had already eaten their hands. And then crawling inside its belly." IN THE GHOST COUNTRY by Peter Hillary and John E. Elder.

I'm assuming this Peter is the son of Ed Hillary- first to trek to the south pole (on a farming tractor), first to navigate up the ganges (in a speed boat), and to no small regard, first to summit Everest.

I just read his autobiography....it smoked.