SAMA HOOLE: Historical example: Arctic explorers eating pure fat, producing enough metabolic water to survive where liquid water was frozen. Stefansson documented minimal water consumption needed when eating only meat and fat.

The camel's hump stores fat, not water. But here's what textbooks don't emphasise: Camels get water FROM that fat.

Metabolic water. When you burn fat for energy, the chemical reaction produces water as a byproduct.

1 gram of fat burned = 1.07 grams of water produced.

For a… pic.twitter.com/zURMj6eQz8

— Sama Hoole (@SamaHoole) December 31, 2025

The camel's hump stores fat, not water. But here's what textbooks don't emphasise: Camels get water FROM that fat. Metabolic water. When you burn fat for energy, the chemical reaction produces water as a byproduct. 1 gram of fat burned = 1.07 grams of water produced. For a camel with a 40kg hump, that's 40+ liters of water from fat metabolism alone. Basic biochemistry: Fat + Oxygen → Energy + CO₂ + Water Every mammal does this. Including humans. When you burn body fat, you're literally drinking your fat. This is why people on ketogenic diets report decreased thirst. They're generating water internally from fat metabolism. Historical example: Arctic explorers eating pure fat, producing enough metabolic water to survive where liquid water was frozen. Stefansson documented minimal water consumption needed when eating only meat and fat. Camels evolved to maximise this with large fat storage optimised for desert survival. But the mechanism is universal. You carry your own water supply in the form of body fat. Every kilogram burned produces over a liter of water. The camel's hump isn't special adaptation. It's obvious demonstration of biochemistry that applies to all mammals. Your body stores energy in the form that produces its own water supply when burned. Evolution optimised for efficiency: Fat provides 9 calories per gram AND hydration when metabolised. Carbs provide 4 calories per gram and no metabolic water. The camel knows which system works for survival.

SAMA HOOLE: Milo of Croton, six-time Olympic wrestling champion: Documented eating 20 pounds of meat daily during training. Whether exact or exaggerated, the emphasis is clear: Massive meat consumption.

Ancient Greek Olympic athletes followed specific training diets. These weren't secret. These were documented by physicians and trainers.

The Olympic training diet: Meat. Primarily meat. Heavy on meat.

Specifically: Beef, pork, goat, fish. Cheese, figs for quick energy. Wine… pic.twitter.com/N47RDIo70j

— Sama Hoole (@SamaHoole) December 31, 2025

Ancient Greek Olympic athletes followed specific training diets. These weren't secret. These were documented by physicians and trainers. The Olympic training diet: Meat. Primarily meat. Heavy on meat. Specifically: Beef, pork, goat, fish. Cheese, figs for quick energy. Wine diluted with water. Grain consumption: Minimal. Some bread, but not the focus. Milo of Croton, six-time Olympic wrestling champion: Documented eating 20 pounds of meat daily during training. Whether exact or exaggerated, the emphasis is clear: Massive meat consumption. Other documented champion athletes: Similar patterns. Meat-heavy training diets. The Greeks weren't guessing. They observed: Athletes on meat-heavy diets performed better than athletes on grain-heavy diets. They didn't have studies. They had outcomes. Champions ate meat. Losers ate less meat. Roman gladiators by contrast: Fed grain porridge intentionally. Called "barley men." Not because it was optimal. Because it was cheap and fattened them for spectacle. Olympic athletes: Fed meat because performance mattered. Gladiators: Fed grain because cost mattered and performance was secondary to appearance. Same empire. Different objectives. Different nutrition. Medieval knights in training: Meat-heavy diets documented in household records. Not for taste. For building strength and maintaining combat capacity. Modern Olympic athletes: Many still gravitate toward meat-heavy diets despite modern nutritional advice suggesting otherwise. Why? Because when performance is measured objectively, meat works. You can theorise about plant-based athletic performance. Then you measure actual outcomes. Champions across history: Ate meat. The pattern is consistent across cultures and time periods. When physical performance is the goal, meat is the solution. Ancient trainers didn't know about protein synthesis, amino acid profiles, or bioavailability. They knew: Feed athletes meat, they win. Feed them grain, they lose. That was sufficient. Modern sports nutrition rediscovered what ancient trainers knew: Meat builds strength. They just had to dress it up in scientific language to make it sound like a new discovery.