Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 06/25/2008 - 19:43
Forums
Greenland Atmospheric Studies

Mr Beals (aka Craig),

I love the pictures of the Bobcat Flag! Your spirit and loyalty is well represented.

I have a question for you. Since the temp is much cooler there then your body is used to, you must be burning additional calories just to stay warm and maintain a core body temp. I've been reading about all of the fantastic meals you've been eating (jealous by the way!) and wonder this...with your increased caloric intake have you gained/lossed weight during your stay in Greenland?

 Go Bobcats! (that's how you should sign your journals!)

christi & danger (your wife & dog) 

 

Fri, 06/27/2008 - 08:25

Craig Beals

Hello Christi and Danger! (My wife and my dog...Thank you for clarifying that you are my wife and my dog!)
 
Sorry it has taken so long to answer, I haven't been avoiding your question, I have been doing a little research before I answered.
The food up here has been phenomenal and there are always fresh baked cookies, bread, or brownies.  One would think that I would balloon up like a blow fish with all those calories.  So, I kept track of the food I ate yesterday and used the internet (mostly www.calorie-counter.com) to get an idea about my caloric intake.  Here is what I came up with:
 

Breakfast:
Calories:

Onion Bagel
245

Butter
102

Orange Juice
110

3 cups Coffee
40

2 cups water
0

Total:
497

Lunch:
 

Pork Verde (2)
630

Spanish Rice (2)
510

Refried Beans (2)
474

Vegetable Enchilada (2)
790

Large Cookie
260

2 cups whole milk
292

2 cups water
0

1  cup coffee
12

Total:
2968

Dinner:
 

Meat Loaf w/gravy 
630

Broccoli
60

baked potato/fixins
400

brownie (2)
260

heavy cream
310

One cup whole milk
146

2 Cups water
0

Total:
1806

Snacks:
 

Sizzlin' Snack Mix
140

 
 

June 26 Calories Total:
5411

 
5411 Calories!!!! Holy Moley!
I found a scale in the Green House and weighed myself today.   The scale read: 187 pounds; It read 195 lbs when I showed up here 24 days ago!!!!
How could one lose weight when they are eating 2500 more calories per day than they are supposed to? 
Well, for starters it is perpetually cold.  My body has to work constantly to keep itself at the magical 98.6 degrees it likes to operate at. 
Secondly, I walk anywhere from 4 to 6 miles per day going to and from Sat Camp (in 5 pound boots and 5 pounds of clothing). 
Thirdly, I am burning calories at night as well.  The temperature in my tent varies from 2 degF to 12 degF when I crawl into my sleeping bag at night.  According to essortment.com, "Freezers should be kept at 0F (minus 18C) or lower and refrigerators should be at 40F (5C) or lower..."  This means that on a cool night I am sleeping in a tent with the same temperature as your deep freeze at home, on a warm night, I am sleeping in your refrigerator!
 
I wonder how many calories I would have to eat in a day to GAIN weight?!
 
Thanks for the great question Christi and Danger!  I