10,000 calories burned per day
Colin burned approximately 10,000 calories per day in Antarctica but could only carry about 7,000 calories worth of food, meaning he lost weight every single day.
Snapshot · The School of Greatness
54 Days Alone in Antarctica, Pulling 375 Pounds | Colin O’Brady
Explore episode
Jul 3, 2026
Where this was said
Mind Over Muscle: The Real Training
At 24:28 · chapter starts 23:00
Lewis asks the question his audience most wants answered: how do you push through when it seems impossible? Colin's response is emphatic and consistent: it is not about physical preparation but mental conditioning. [1] — Colin O'Brady "It's the muscle 6 inches between your ears. It's about flexing your mind is really what it comes down to." 22:13 He frames doubt and fear not as weaknesses but as universal human experiences — he has them too, with four world records. The real skill is learning to quiet those voices and keep moving forward, even if just to the next waypoint. He invokes the Antarctica Day 1 breakdown as evidence: the strategy fell apart before the first step, but the ability to adapt — recalibrate, refocus, move — is what separates those who complete the journey from those who don't.
375-pound starting sled weight
Colin's sled weighed 375 pounds at the start of the Antarctica crossing — the maximum he believed he could pull — packed with as much food and fuel as possible.
Day 1 Meltdown: Frozen Tears and a Broken Strap
Before Colin O'Brady took his first step in Antarctica, the sled strap snapped in -25°F cold. An hour later, sweating under a sled he couldn't move without overheating, he was crying — and his tears froze to his face. The turnaround came from one phone call to Jenna: just get to the first waypoint.
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