Your diet sounds very healthy. There is little doubt it's hereditary.
I wouldn't say you cheated the results. Water may be having that great of an effect on your system. Even when you drank 4-5 bottles a day, you were barely consuming the old measure of 64 ounces a day. Add some coffee and tea into the mix and you are below your daily intake.
Everybody's requirements are different depending on composition, environment, and activity. Your body should adjust to the additional water with greater amounts when you go vs. more often.
One of the interesting things I read is that our bodies will actually store water more aggressively when you drink to little water. That also means you are more likely to store waste in your body and put a greater load on your organs.
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Todd
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