Are you fat or are you lean? What do you mean you're not sure? You're not fat, but you're not exactly ripped either? Somewhere in the middle?
Many people have the same problem, even those who train hard and watch their diets. They're probably what we call "levels 2's" — certainly not fat, but not exactly cut either.
You see, we believe there's more than one level of leanness. And there's a big difference between being "not fat" and being jaw-dropping shredded.
Here are the levels below. We've tried to find a physique photo that somewhat represents each level:


Level 4 leanness involves not only a very low level of body fat, but also a certain extent of "dryness." This is a term that comes from competitive bodybuilding. Bodybuilders manipulate their water intake and carb intake, then take diuretics (both herbal and/or pharmaceutical) to get rid of "water weight."
The goal of this peaking procedure is to minimize subcutaneous water (just beneath the skin) while keeping the muscle as full as possible. This combination will allow a bodybuilder to "pump up" before the show and look his best. A full muscle will "push" against the skin, and if there's no water between the muscle and skin... voilà: separated and full muscle bellies.

It's very, very tricky, and the difference between first and fifth place often comes down to which guy gets his final week of "drying out" right and which one screws it up.
In the non-bodybuilding world, actors often use these fluid manipulation techniques before a shirtless scene or photo shoot in order to look their leanest. We don't know for sure, but we bet Ryan Reynolds did something like this for his infamous display of low body fat in the movie Blade Trinity.
A lot of times we "accidentally" manipulate our subcutaneous fluid levels. Ever wake up one day, catch a glimpse of yourself in the bathroom mirror and think, "Wow, I'm ripped!" Then, two days later, you look in the mirror again and look "fat" or at least softer and kinda bloated?
Obviously you didn't gain that much adipose tissue in two days. The reverse wouldn't happen either: you can't go to bed chubby and wake up lean. Yet something is happening, and it's visible to the naked eye.
Most of the time (barring a mild allergic reaction or something) this is due to "water weight" fluctuations. You just happened to eat and drink a certain way, or train a certain way, that leads to you dropping or retaining a couple of pounds of fluid.
Well, below we'll tell you step by step how to drop several pounds of water and get that ripped look on purpose. It ain't exactly easy, but the results can be quite dramatic!
By adopting a trick or two from competitive bodybuilders, you can learn to control this phenomenon and use it tactically when you want to look your leanest. It could be used to "peak" before a day at the pool or the beach, for example.
The tricks and techniques contained in this article are designed to get you from Level 2 to Level 3, or from Level 3 to Level 4. Most people will drop several pounds of water weight in just six days, causing them to look leaner and, if done correctly, more vascular and pumped.
Warning: These techniques will not make you look "ripped" if you're fat! While most people can drop a pound of fat along with the water in these six days, this is not primarily a "diet." It's designed to help already lean people get super lean, to basically bump from one level of leanness to the next.
But if you're just plain chubby, then this is not the program for you. Lose the fat first, then worry about subcutaneous water, tubby!
There are three main factors we're going to be manipulating here to cause your body to dump water fast:
This schedule assumes a Saturday bodybuilding competition, photo shoot, or day at the beach.
Monday: 2.5 to 3 gallons of water, 50g of carbs or less
Tuesday: Same
Wednesday: Same
Thursday: Same
Friday: Begin a gradual carb-up. Today eat five or six meals, each containing 50-75g of carbs.
In the first one or two meals, have fruits as your main carb source. Starting the carb-up with fruit replenishes liver glycogen very fast. We believe that the faster liver glycogen is filled, the more effective the rest of the carb-up will be.
For meals three and four, move to starchier, faster-absorbing carbs (yams, potatoes, rice if it's tolerated well). Meal four should be at 4PM.
Now the "fun" begins. Water intake should be cut completely at 4 or 5PM. One or two more meals should be consumed after you cut water. Have only one if you're already looking "full." Have two if not. These meals should contains carbs derived from simple sugars: pancakes and syrup, pie filling, waffles, chocolate, etc.
Along with this simple sugar meal, have two tablespoons of vegetable glycerine (found in most health food stores). Also on Friday, take an herbal diuretic such as Taraxatone. Although the proper thing to do is go by the label directions with these type of products, best results are usually achieved by taking three servings on Friday: one about an hour or two before you cut water intake, one when you cut intake, and one before bed.
Another trick is to take an Epsom salt bath (400g of Epsom salt in very hot water) for 20-30 minutes before bed. This is what European bodybuilders did to help shed water before diuretics became popular. (The salt and mega hot bat drastically increase perspiration.)
Saturday (photo or beach day): Breakfast depends on how you look.
Forty-five minutes before pumping up for your shoot, take in two tablespoons of glycerol in one can of full-sugar soda.