Kate Upton: ‘My body was shutting down’ after SI cover shoot in Antarctica

Kate Upton became the first model featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Edition since Tyra Banks over 15 years ago, but she had to endure a painful experience in the process.

Upton and a team of people traveled to Antarctica for the photoshoot that landed the 20-year-old beauty the magazine cover. Upton told “Today” Tuesday that shooting in the frigid conditions resulted in some health scares.

“I was very surprised by the news that that’s where my shoot was going to be located,” Upton told “Today” Tuesday. “It was freezing. I’m from Florida, so it wasn’t great for me. When I came back I was losing hearing and eyesight because my body was shutting down, it was working so hard to keep warm. I was thinking warm thoughts.”

Upton would wear nothing but a bikini in the freezing temperatures while shooting photos, which presented obvious risks.

“I could really only do it for a minute and then everyone would come running and throw blankets on top of me and they would build me like a little blanket cave,” she told “Today”. “I really went all out on this. We went there thinking we might not even get a shot, and came back with the cover.”

What’s the point of this story? Being a cover girl isn’t as easy as you think.

You can see video of her interview with “Today.”

And here is a behind-the-scenes look at Upton’s shoot in Antarctica:

H/T Sportress of Blogitude
Photo: Twitter/SI Swimsuit