A note before we begin: This article is based on a podcast I recorded as part of my ongoing journey into fasting and hydration. What you’re about to read is a condensed, fortified version of that recording.
The full podcast contains all the raw emotion, real-time discoveries, and unfiltered tangents that come with documenting a personal experiment as it unfolds.
If you want the complete experience—the full context, the unedited journey—become a paid subscriber to access the podcast. But the article below will give you the core insights and science.
How This Started: The Fasting Rabbit Hole
About six weeks ago, my friend hit me up with a question. He’s the type who knows I’m into all things unorthodox and conspiracy. He’d seen a post claiming Rockefeller funded the whole “three meals a day” concept because it aligned with the industrialization era. He wanted me to verify it.
I couldn’t confirm the Rockefeller part, but what I found was fascinating: modern eating patterns are a result of the Industrial Revolution. The natural state of the human body? Fasting. We’re designed to go long periods without food.
The natural state of the human body? Fasting. We’re designed to go long periods without food.
Now, I’d been intermittent fasting for a while—eating between 11 AM and 7 PM. But when I dug deeper, I realized I was actually grazing through an 8-hour window, not really fasting. My body never entered a true fasted state.
So, I tightened my windows: 11 AM-2 PM for my first meal, then 4 PM-6 PM for dinner. Four-hour eating blocks with four hours of fasting between them. Within weeks, I lost about five pounds. More importantly, I was still squatting and benching 300 pounds in the gym—no strength loss whatsoever.
Then I started experimenting with one meal a day on weekends when I’d get caught up in work and forget my first window. 3 to 7 PM became my single eating block. My body adjusted beautifully. I wasn’t hungry, and during this one-time block in the week, I felt mentally sharp in meetings and was actually more productive with the time I got back from not eating.
What’s important to note is that I was still getting 2,500 calories and multiple courses—just compressed into a smaller window. My stomach digested once a day for four hours, then stayed empty the rest of the time.
The Road Trip That Changed Everything
A few weeks ago, I drove 14 hours in two days to see my 95-year-old grandma. I wanted to make that trip as fast as possible and didn’t want to stop for bathroom breaks.
Since I was already eating one meal a day, I thought: Can I limit my water intake?
So I did—seven hours, barely any water, maybe a sip or two. We stopped once for my family member to eat (I fasted), chatted on the road, got to my grandma’s, and spent a few hours with her. Still hadn’t really drunk water.
That night we hung out with family, I had some drinks with alcohol and water, then went to bed. The next morning, another six-to-seven-hour drive home. Again, minimal water. I just wanted to get home without stopping.
By Sunday afternoon, I was back home. I had a big meal, drank more, and watched football with the family. Normal Sunday, then went to bed.
Monday morning, I looked in the mirror and everything changed.
I was lean. Like, shredded. Every muscle was showing. I grabbed my gallon jug that I normally drink from daily—hadn’t touched it all weekend. As I got ready to work out, I thought: “Let me see how weak I’ll be in the gym.”
The Gym Revelation
My goal every week is to lift 1,000 pounds total across my three main lifts: 400-pound deadlift (rack pull), 300-pound bench, 350-pound squat. That Monday was back day—rack pull day.
As I walked around the gym setting up my makeshift deadlift station, I kept catching myself in the mirror. My shoulders looked huge. I loaded up 400 pounds, racked it, and felt great. Did it again. Felt even better. Went up to 450 for one rep.
I got on the scale: down five more pounds. Ten pounds total lost from adjusting my fasting and stopping my constant water intake. But I looked bigger and felt stronger.
What. Is. Happening?
The Science I Discovered
I logged into ChatGPT and started researching. Here’s what I found:
The average man should get 3.7 liters of water per day—but here’s the kicker: that includes water from food. If you’re eating lots of vegetables and fruits, you’re already getting significant hydration from your diet.
Then I remembered something I’d seen on social media months ago: a medical student saying, “You’re not supposed to drink that much water. You might be over-hydrating yourself.”
I never researched it then. But now I had my own body as evidence.
The Urine Color Truth
So, how much water do we really need? One of the best indications is your urine. There’s a urine color chart that shows your hydration status.
For context, I work out daily, lift heavy, so I’ve always told myself I need tons of water. I carry a gallon jug everywhere. Some days I’d drink 70%, some days 40%.
But here’s what I realized: my urine was always crystal clear. Always. According to the chart, that’s not optimal hydration—that’s over-hydration. The target is pale yellow (like my gold watch), not clear.
For months—maybe a year—I’d been walking around over-hydrated—every single day.
And here’s the crazy part: I’ve always had this beer gut that wouldn’t go away despite working out constantly. I’d drink liters of water and think, “Why is my belly so big? I haven’t even eaten, I’ve just been drinking water.”
I never connected the dots.
The Experiment
That Monday, I tested myself. I went the entire day without drinking water, then only drank during my eating window (that four-hour block).
The next morning: splitting headache, dark urine. Okay, I’m dehydrated. So, I drank one small bottle of water. Checked my urine later—crystal clear again. Over-hydrated from one bottle.
I started playing with it: one cup, one and a half cups, different amounts. What I learned is that my body tells me exactly what it needs through urine color. When I drink just a couple glasses of water, my pee looks gold—perfect hydration.
My body’s filtering normally.
What I Actually Do Now
Let me be crystal clear: I still drink water. But here’s what changed:
I stopped constantly sipping from my gallon jug all day
I hydrate deliberately during my eating window
I monitor my urine color—aiming for pale yellow, not clear
I drink a cup or two of water with my meals, and I’m good
I’m hydrating every single day, just in a compressed window. That’s well within normal renal tolerance for a healthy adult.
The Results
After weeks of this:
Lost 10 pounds
Look significantly leaner—that stubborn belly is finally shrinking
Still squatting 365 pounds for reps
Mentally sharper at work
More productive—I don’t use the bathroom constantly anymore, so I just work more. More content is coming out. More projects getting done.
More energy throughout the day
Better relationship with my body—I feel what it needs
But here’s what’s harder to quantify: I feel more here now. If that makes sense. There’s a presence, a clarity. The days feel more intense. The elevations are elevated.
My best friend—the one who started this whole conversation about fasting—is Muslim. I’ve fasted with him before during Ramadan. There’s a spiritual component to fasting that I’m only now fully understanding. When you empty the body, something shifts in your awareness. You feel the true capacity of this temple you’re hosting.
I have a medical checkup coming up, so we’ll see how my bloodwork looks. But my levels have always been phenomenal. The question now is: were they phenomenal despite over-hydrating, or will they be even better now?
The Bigger Picture
Here’s what blows my mind: we’ve been told to drink eight glasses, drink a gallon, drink constantly. But the 3.7-liter recommendation? That’s from all sources—beverages and food.
If you’re already eating a clean diet with lots of vegetables, protein, and whole foods—and you’re not chugging caffeine and soda all day—you might need way less water than you think.
One thought kept coming back to me. The movie: The Big Short. One of my top five movies of all time. Christian Bale plays this data-driven scientist (based on Michael Burry) who sees the 2008 crash coming before anyone else. Between his character and Brad Pitt’s—the guy who rejects society and sees through the matrix—those are perfect archetypes. They know the world, they see the data, and they understand when everyone else is wrong.
At the end of that movie, there’s a note: the real-life guy that Bale played is now monitoring water utilization. When I first saw that years ago, I didn’t get it. Water? What’s the angle with water?
But now it’s clicking. Are we in a society where we’re paying for something we may not actually need? Creating consumption for consumption’s sake? It’s almost like what happened with oil—you’re paying for something, using it constantly, but how much do you actually need?
That’s some dark magic when you think about it. We’re literally creating currency flows around water consumption that might be excessive. I’m not saying water is a scam—but I am saying the constant-consumption model might be.
I’m not saying everyone should do what I do. This is my experiment. But what I am saying is: we’ve been lied to about everything—water makes no exception. The body tells you what it needs—we’ve just been trained to ignore it.
Final Thoughts
When I first started this, my friend made a great point:
“Listen, we’re health-conscious individuals. We eat right, we work out.
But the average American wakes up with coffee, eats cookies and sugar, drinks caffeine and soda all day.
Those are the people who need to drink extra water to offset all that garbage. But if you already have a clean diet, you’re getting more water than you think.”
The body is incredible when you listen to it. When you train it to work the way it was designed—fasting, moving, eating whole foods, not over-working your digestive and elimination systems—you feel what your true potential is.
This is how we were intended to be. Not animals of the earth, but true human beings as a species. When you see this, when you feel what your potential actually is, you revolt. You revolt against tyranny. Against any form of oppression. Because once you know what your body is capable of when it’s not constantly taxed and overworked, you start questioning every other system that tells you what you “need.”
There’s something almost spiritual about it. When you feel this clear, this strong, this efficient—you start to question everything you’ve been told about how you’re “supposed” to live.
I’m not saying I’ve cracked the code, but I feel more focused, more serious, etc. But I am saying: maybe we’ve been over-complicating hydration for a very long time.
Drink when you’re thirsty. Aim for pale yellow. Listen to your body. That’s it.
As always, thanks for the time and the attention. Have a great and wonderful day.
—Ashe,
Franklin O’Kanu
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Scientifically Sound Core Claims
Modern Hydration Guidelines
Hydration recommendations are generalized averages rather than strict requirements. According to the U.S. National Academies, men need approximately 3.7 liters of total water per day and women about 2.7 liters. This figure includes not just beverages but also the water contained naturally in foods.
Overhydration and Renal Limits
Overhydration, or hyponatremia, is a real and clinically recognized condition. It occurs when water intake exceeds the kidneys’ ability to excrete it, which typically reaches a maximum rate of 0.8 to 1 liter per hour. Consuming well beyond this limit can dilute sodium levels and disrupt the body’s electrolyte balance.
Urine Color as a Hydration Indicator
The color of urine serves as a reliable gauge of hydration status. Consistently clear urine may indicate excessive fluid intake, while pale yellow suggests proper balance. This natural feedback mechanism allows individuals to adjust water consumption intuitively.
Metabolic Water Production
The body is capable of producing its own metabolic water through the oxidation of fat. For every 100 grams of fat burned, the body generates approximately 107 grams of water, which contributes to hydration, especially during fasting or caloric restriction.
Short Dry Fasting and Tolerance
Short-term dry fasting — typically 16 hours or less — is generally well tolerated by healthy adults. Religious and cultural practices such as Ramadan demonstrate that these moderate fasting periods can be safe and beneficial when done mindfully and balanced with adequate rehydration.
Hydration Through Food
Foods naturally provide a significant portion of daily hydration. Fruits, vegetables, soups, and cooked grains contribute an estimated 20–30% of total daily water intake. For individuals consuming nutrient-dense, water-rich diets, this natural hydration often reduces the need for excessive fluid consumption.
🎙️ Timestamp of Podcast: Why I Don’t Drink Water
Summary
Franklin O’Kanu explores the unorthodox idea of drinking less water—and what it taught him about the human body, fasting, and modern health myths. Through personal experimentation, fasting, and observation, he challenges the belief that we need constant hydration to survive.
Instead, he reveals how the body is designed for balance, how modern consumption culture has distorted natural rhythms, and why listening to your body might be the most powerful health practice of all.
Introduction: “Why I Don’t Drink Water” (00:00 – 01:12)
Opens with the provocative statement: “I don’t drink water.”
Clarifies intention — this isn’t neglect, it’s an experiment in body intelligence.
Sets the stage: questioning another modern norm the way we questioned “three meals a day.”
Origins of the Question (01:12 – 02:42)
A friend asked about the “Rockefeller-funded three meals a day” claim.
Led to deeper research into industrialization and modern eating patterns.
Realization: ancient humans fasted naturally — eating and drinking less frequently.
Discovery Through Fasting (02:42 – 06:35)
Describes evolving from basic intermittent fasting (11–7 window) to tighter eating windows.
Observed rapid weight loss and steady gym performance.
Learned the difference between fasting and grazing.
Lesson: the body thrives when digestion and elimination systems rest.
The Unexpected Experiment (Travel and Water Restriction) (06:35 – 10:37)
Long road trip to visit grandmother — decided to drink minimal water to avoid stops.
Surprised by how strong and energized he felt despite low water intake.
Returned home leaner, visibly more defined, yet equally strong in the gym.
Sparked the question: How much water do we truly need?
Research and Realization (10:37 – 17:36)
Found modern hydration guidelines (3.7L for men, 2.7L for women) include water from food.
Realized many people may be overhydrating, especially with the “gallon-a-day” trend.
Noted signs of chronic overhydration (clear urine, bloating, fatigue).
Began tracking urine color and found that “pale yellow” was his optimal hydration zone.
Introduces idea: hydration is about rhythm, not volume.
Personal Experiment Results (17:36 – 21:48)
Adjusted to drinking only during eating windows.
Found energy, productivity, and focus improved; body felt lighter and more efficient.
Reframed hydration as intentional replenishment, not endless consumption.
Observation: clear urine after one small bottle = overhydration — body only needs balance.
Cultural and Spiritual Reflection (21:48 – 26:45)
Explores how water consumption, like food, became an industrial habit.
Compares it to oil—turning a natural resource into a commodity.
Suggests modern hydration habits may stem from corporate messaging, not biology.
Links back to spiritual fasting traditions (Ramadan, ancient asceticism) — water and restraint sharpen consciousness.
Concludes: efficiency, awareness, and alignment are forms of worship through self-mastery.
Conclusion + Upcoming Health Check (26:45 – 28:09)
Clarifies: he still drinks water—just intentionally.
Plans to test his levels at an upcoming medical checkup to validate findings.
Final reflection: “Maybe it’s not about how much we drink, but how well we listen.”
Encouragement to experiment safely and discover your own body’s rhythm.
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