Ed Hillary describes weight loss on Antarctica

Listen to this 1958 clip of Sir Edmund Hillary discussing eating and weight loss in Antarctica.

Transcript

Sir Edmund Hillary:

I was astonished actually at the good condition that the chaps were in when I joined up with them, even after the long trip. They all seemed to be still in good physical condition, in fact some of them were decidedly portly after their...

Interviewer: [Laughs]

Sir Edmund Hillary:

...trip across in the vehicles. Their appetites seemed as good as ever. I was living in the same tent as Bunny [Fuchs], and, ah, my word did he eat.

Interviewer:

You lost a bit of weight yourself on the way to the Pole and during.

Sir Edmund Hillary:

Well actually it varied to some extent. On our actual trip to the Pole with vehicles we didn't worry as much about food as we should've: we didn't have enough of it probably, that was the problem. We certainly didn't eat pemmican to any great extent and we did lose a lot of weight. However, later on when I was travelling back with the Sno-Cats I tried out this, um, a new ration which is being developed, a sort of an experimental one, in fact...

Interviewer:

[Interrupts] The Medical Research Council one?

Sir Edmund Hillary:

Yes, the Medical Research Council one. And Bunny [Fuchs] and I both went on this, and found it jolly good actually. It's a lot more trouble than the old traditional one, but I found it very tasty. And when I got back to base I found that I had held my weight very well.

Image

Enjoying a meal at Scott Base in Antarctica. Still shot from the 1958 film Antarctic Adventure.