I completely agree Rusty, our bodies are way more efficient than most people think. Nice article.

Its also an overgeneralization to say 8 glasses. I've seen recommendations of 1/2oz per lb bodyweight.

I now drink about 4 ozs of water per day, just one trip to the bathroom.

Really informative Rusty – I'm especially happy to hear about coffee and other caffeinated beverages. It always seemed nonsensical to me that beverages consisting mainly of water were considered dehydrating. Nice to hear that the experts agree.

My greyhound sometimes goes an entire day without drinking any water, and she'll usually drink a couple cups after I sprint with her. Listening to one's body is usually best.

"Supported by a grant from The Coca-Cola Company."

yeah, i drink water all day… first thing when i wake, i crave it… but could we drink too much? i have drank well over a gallon at times, and i love it… i don't feel i'm "trying" to drink, i just do…

also, i have heard that over weight people should drink more…

do you think this is true?

anyway… i love water… and enjoy it… in the morning, freezing cold, in the afternoon cool, at night cold…

i just love water… and feel i want it all the more if i drink coffee or especially soda…

ps… i am down 7 pounds, and walk/jogging 5 miles a day now!

thanks again for the great read!

That makes sense. I know different people respond to different ways of eating. I'm more of a "bigger meal and eat less often" guy, but I know some people do better with frequent eating. Overall, as long as the calories are kept in check either approach can work.

Tyler,

Sounds like you have a build similar to Cam Gigandet in "Never Back Down"…lean with sharp abs. Don't worry about how the guys respond, the ladies are going to dig that look!

Phillip,

That sounds like a great technique to getting enough water. I still would probably wind up drinking too much, since I have the habit of chugging liquids quickly…but it does sound like a decent solution.

Rusty

Regards and all my best to you and your water habits
Phillip skinner

As for energy levels, I have MORE energy since I eat 6 WELL ROUNDED AND BALANCED meals. When I say meals I'm not referring to a 700calorie dinner, just something small thats about 400 calories.

Small meals are easier to digest, you'll have more energy if you eat 6 meals that are 300 calories each, as opposed to 3 meals that are 600 calories each. I've tested this with myself and my clients over and over.

As for it feeling un-natural… I agree, it does. At first, but I'm at a point now where I train with some serious intensity and my active lifestyle just demands it, and now it feels un-natural NOT to eat frequently. Get what I'm saying?

Anyways, my 2cents. Keep up the blog.

Yeah, we can learn a decent amount from animals. I do try to dig deep into subjects instead of just trusting what is considered "common knowledge". Sometimes it takes a long time for people to change their beliefs and it takes 10+ years after a study proves the opposite for people to change their way of thinking.

Will,

You bet. A lot of the times I can't drink that much water either. Today I have a tough HIIT workout, so I did slam down about 32 ounces…but most days I drink much less. The main thing is that you don't have to feel guilty about following your instincts.

Michael,

I use the urine test as well. I never thought I would talk so much about urine! Funny stuff.

Marc,

That does make sense that the bottled water companies would enjoy people to drink more water. I wonder if they funded any studies "proving" their point (like many supplement companies do).

pnm fitness,

Arizona has some nasty tasting tap water. Some pretty sick stuff in parts of California as well. I swear I have had water in California that gave me Montezuma's Revenge. Not a knock on California…it is probably my favorite state in the US.

Alaina,

People certainly do need to adjust for their particular circumstances. There are quite a few people who would benefit from drinking a bit more water.

Yash,

People taking creatine, would benefit from drinking a little bit more water each day, but like you said no reason to go overboard.

Anthony,

Water is great stuff. If you were to chose one liquid, it is the way to go. Juice is good stuff, but if you want to get extra lean for a vacation or some special event, you should consider dropping it from your diet for 6-8 weeks. I prefer the actual fruit, because the fiber in the fruit slows the absorption of the calories. This way you don't get a blood sugar spike, rise in insulin, etc.

Chris,

Good point. We have created a lot of calorie dense foods that don't exist in nature. If we stuck to the foods provided by nature most of us would stay lean. Very well put.

brit,

School can tire you out, but I'm guessing that your diet may have something to do with that as well. Do you eat a big lunch or breakfast? If you do, I would suggest eating lighter for breakfast and lunch, workout after school, and eat a realistic, but generous portion of food for dinner. If you are lucky enough to have a mom that cooks for you, then eat her home cooking. This way you are getting more healthy home cooked food and less of that crap from the vending machines (which is what I ate in school…not good).

Rusty

because i have to go to scool, and am exhausted all weekend, i have hard time dieting and sticking to a routine, what do u recommend

To all the "your body is smart" guys and girls: Why do people get fat?
————

A big part of this is that the Standard American Diet contains a ton of crap foods that our bodies are not well equipped to deal with. It is also worth considering that our body views gaining weight as a survival advantage, i.e. storing energy for the future. Most of the super dense foods that are staples today were not present during most of our evolution. The fat storage mechanisms work just fine for the circumstances they developed in.

Only eating actual food (naturally raised meat, fruit, vegetables, nuts) and only eating when you're hungry will keep most, but not all people at a healthy weight.