The Vertical Diet is a diet created by Stan Efferding, who is a professional bodybuilder and powerlifter.
The Vertical Diet focuses on filling macronutrient and micronutrient needs through eating red meat, rice, and other foods to fill in diet gaps.
What the Vertical Diet is NOT
It’s NOT magic.
It’s NOT some magical blend of macronutrient percentages
It’s NOT some miraculous superfood or supplement protocol
It’s NOT a restriction or starvation diet
It’s NOT complicated
- Based on Whole Foods
- Based on Optimizing gut health
- Based on Correcting nutrient deficiencies.
- Based on Correcting hormone imbalances.
- Based on improving energy, stamina, endurance, and recovery.
- Based on improving health through sustainable lifestyle modifications
The Vertical Diet has been shown to help athletes, bodybuilders and average people look and feel great!
Pros of the Vertical Diet
There are many pros to the Vertical Diet. The Vertical Diet focuses heavily on filling nutrient needs while being low in foods that slow down the digestive system.
A large pillar of this diet is optimized gut health. When your body has to work less on digestion it can better allocate resources to muscle growth.
- Whole Foods
- Fixes Hormone Imbalance
- Optimized Gut Health
- Improves energy, stamina, endurance, and recovery.
- Improves General Health
- Fixes Nutrient Deficiencies
Cons of the Vertical Diet
There are also some cons to the Vertical Diet that should be considered. The diet can be expensive, as it focuses on eating whole foods. The rising price of meat specifically red meat has also made the Vertical Diet somewhat difficult financially.
It can also be difficult to stick to, as it requires cooking most of your meals from scratch and is often the same ingredients mixed and match in different ways.
- Expensive
- Requires Cooking from Scratch
- Not Magic
- Not a Fad Diet
Vertical Diet Foods
The Vertical Diet while difficult for some to follow is very clear on what foods to eat and why. The Vertical Diet focuses on eating nutrient-dense whole foods.
The Vertical Diet has you eat red meat, rice, and other vegetables to fill in any nutrient gaps. The Vertical Diet also recommends supplementing with vitamins and minerals to make sure you’re getting everything you need. The plan also suggests avoiding high-fodmap foods which slow digestion.
What not to Eat on the Vertical Diet
Several foods can throw your body out of wack and reduce muscle gains. The Vertical Diet does not allow the following foods:
High-FODMAP vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, etc.
Grains: non-white rice, pasta, bread, frozen dinners
Legumes: beans that have not been soaked overnight
Processed oils: canola, soybean, corn, safflower, peanut, vegetable, etc.
Heavy Sugar: candy, desserts, sodas, ice cream
Onions and garlic: garlic, onions, shallots
Alcohol: Any type
Coffee: small amounts of regular or decaf
Certain Water: alkalized water
Vertical Diet breakfast
The Vertical Diet breakfast allows for Greek Non-Fat yogurt, Oranges, or steel-cut oats that have been soaked overnight. Soaking the oats overnight is important to remove excess gasses and make them easier to digest.
Hard-boiled eggs are also a staple of the diet and are the perfect way to start your morning.
Vertical Diet dinner
Dinner on the Vertical Diet mostly consists of red meat and vegetables. The diet recommends eating grass-fed beef, bison, or lamb. If you are not a fan of red meat, the Vertical Diet also allows for white fish, such as cod or tilapia.
Rice and vegetables are also a part of the Vertical Diet dinner. The diet recommends eating white rice over brown rice as it is lower in gasses and easier for the digestive system to break down.
Vertical Diet pre-workout
Before workouts on the Vertical Diet as with any diet, it is good to load up on some carbs or protein. White rice is a great and recommended source of carbs in this diet.
Protein shakes are also an option but the diet pushes dieters to choose whole and real foods over supplementation whenever possible.
Taking pre-workout with caffeine is not suggested as caffeine is only allowed in small amounts on the Vertical Diet.
Coffee is also not allowed as it contains chlorogenic acid which slows down digestion.
The Vertical Diet pre-workout meal is meant to give you energy and nutrients to help you power through your workout and recover afterward.
Monster Mash
Monster mash is the cornerstone meal of the Vertical Diet.
Monster mash consists of the following ingredients.
- Red Meat (Lean Beef, Bison, Lamb, Pork, Elk, Venison, Turkey)
- White Rice
- Sweet Potatoes
- Red Bell Pepper
- Raw Organic Carrots
- Chicken Bone Broth
Monster mash is great because it is easy to make in one pan (we recommend cast iron) and it is easy to store for meal prep. You can make a massive batch of Monster Mash and save it in the fridge for up to three days.
To learn more about Monster Mash and some of the variations on this recipe read more in our Monster Mash Guide article.
Vertical Diet Shopping List
Shopping is fairly easy on the vertical diet. This is one of the few advantages of having somewhat limited choices in what you consume.
White Rice
Red meat: beef, lamb, bison, elk, and venison
Fruits: oranges, raspberries, blackberries, and moderate amounts of other fruits
Dairy: full-fat yogurt, whole milk, small amounts of cheese
Cranberry Juice: 100% Unfiltered and not from concentrate
Potatoes: white and sweet potatoes
Low-FODMAP vegetables: carrots, celery, zucchini, red bell pepper, turnips, spinach
Poultry: turkey, chicken, pheasant
Oats: soaked overnight
Legumes: beans soaked overnight
Oils and fats: extra-virgin olive oil, butter, beef tallow, ghee
Fatty fish: salmon and cod
Eggs: natural large eggs organic
Sodium: beef bone broth, chicken stock, iodized table salt
Who Should use the Vertical Diet
This diet is great for anyone. As the name suggests you can adjust your diet vertically by changing your white rice and red meat intake to meet your fitness goals in a very precise manner.
What the Vertical Diet is NOT
It’s NOT magic.
It’s NOT some magical blend of macronutrient percentages
It’s NOT some miraculous superfood or supplement protocol
It’s NOT a restriction or starvation diet
It’s NOT complicated
- Based on Whole Foods
- Based on Optimizing gut health
- Based on Correcting nutrient deficiencies.
- Based on Correcting hormone imbalances.
- Based on improving energy, stamina, endurance, and recovery.
- Based on improving health through sustainable lifestyle modifications
The Vertical diet is great for and used by the following:
- Men or Woman
- Dad Bods’ and ‘Soccer Moms’
- NPC/IFBB Men & Women bodybuilding, bikini, figure, physique competitors.
- Strongmen
- Powerlifters
- Crossfit Lovers
- Pro and College Football Players
- Track and Field Athletes
- Aspiring and Pro MMA Fighters
- General Athletes
Vertical Diet Lifestyle
The diet also integrates a ton of awesome tips for optimizing your life outside of your diet. Stan emphasizes the necessity and describes in detail helpful hits related to:
- Sleep
- Supplements
- Blood Tests
- Blood Sugar
- Hydration
- Strength Training
- Habits
- Cardio
Where Can I find the Vertical Diet?
The Vertical Diet created by Stan Efferding is a great diet for athletes and bodybuilders.
You can find the Vertical Diet online at stanefferding.com or you can purchase the Vertical Diet cookbook on his website as well.
If you are looking to begin the Vertical Diet and would like to have a team in place to assist you with your body transformation or fitness goals, consider reaching out to us at Lindy Health. Lindy Health has years of experience utilizing the Vertical Diet to help people from all walks of life succeed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you meal prep vertically?
You want to first prepare the vertical part of your diet. Pre-cook your lean red meat and white rice. Portion into meal prep containers. You can then cook a big batch of your desired veggies i.e. sweet potatoes, zucchini, red bell peppers and you have meals prepped and ready to go!
Can you have bread on Vertical Diet?
No, bread is not part of the Vertical Diet. The main carbohydrate source is white rice on this diet.
Can you lose weight on the Vertical Diet?
Yes, this is where the term “vertical” comes from. You can increase the amount of both lean meat and carbs depending on if you are looking to add muscle or lose weight.
What is vertical diet Monster Mash?
Monster Mash is a staple meal on this diet and includes ground red meat, white rice, bone broth, and low FODMAP veggies.
What can you not eat on the Vertical Diet?
You should not eat sugars, carbs (other than white rice), pizza, junk food, and high FODMAP foods.
Can you eat tomatoes on Vertical Diet?
Yes, you can eat a small number of tomatoes on the Vertical Diet. We do not suggest loading up on tomato sauce or soup. Remember, everything should be consumed in moderation.
Final Thoughts: Vertical Diet
The Vertical Diet is a great way to get the nutrients your body needs. It is also a very precise way of eating which can be adjusted to fit your fitness goals. This diet is not for everyone but if you are looking for a new way to eat and live healthier this could be the diet for you.
We hope you enjoyed this article. If you have used the Vertical Diet and have any tips, tricks or thoughts please leave a comment below.
How? I built an entire team, including a personal trainer, nutritionist, psychologist, physical therapist, and sports masseuse.
Having the same team as Hollywood stars allowed me to reach my goals fast and produce insane results.
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