What Is the Vertical Diet?

If you want to look like a bodybuilder, The Vertical Diet & Peak Performance 4.0 created by Stan Efferding, a pro bodybuilder, might appeal to you. But is this trendy diet a way to eat healthier or bulk up the right way? Here we explain more about what the Vertical Diet is, what foods you can and can’t eat and if we recommend giving it a try.

What Is the Vertical Diet?

The Vertical Diet is a way of eating designed to help athletes who are engaged in high-intensity activities consume a large number of calories they need to gain weight, increase muscle mass and strength and maximize workouts. It has recently been promoted as a weight loss regimen with followers including Camille LeBlanc, Crossfit Champion and former “fittest woman on the planet,” Hafthor Bjornsson, who played “The Mountain” on Game of Thrones, and Lane Johnson, Offensive Lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles.

The central premise of the diet is to eat nutrient-dense foods that the body likes—foods that are easily digestible and don’t aggravate the digestive system. The thought is that sometimes foods just pass through the body and leave as waste. According to the Vertical Diet, eating foods your body prefers will help you better absorb the nutrients.

The Vertical Diet also suggests that when you limit the food variety in your diet, your body will become more efficient at digesting and absorbing nutrients. Efferding’s company also sells its own meals and proteins, like chicken and beef, that you can have delivered right to your house.

Foods Allowed on the Vertical Diet

The two most commonly eaten foods on this diet are red meat and white rice for the following reasons:

• White rice provides quick energy—it’s easy and fast to digest.
• Red meat offers iron, zinc, selenium and B vitamins, as well as its muscle-building potential.

Specifically, the Vertical Diet encourages consuming the following foods:

• Red meat, preferably grass-fed bison and beef. Skip pre-ground beef as it’s usually made from scraps, according to Vertical Diet advocates.
• Hormone-free chicken
• Beef tallow and other “unprocessed” fats
• Line-caught salmon
• Eggs
• Full-fat dairy
• Low-gas vegetables, as defined by the low-FODMAP diet, such as carrots, celery, spinach, cucumbers and colored bell peppers
• All fruits, with a focus on low-FODMAP ones such as oranges, papaya and strawberries
• Sprouted or soaked legumes and oats, but only in small quantities

Foods to Avoid on the Vertical Diet

• Brown rice and other grains
• Processed vegetable oils (which is essentially any vegetable oil)
• Legumes, including soy, beans, peas, lentils and peanuts
• Onions and garlic
• Coffee
• Added sugar and sugar alcohols
• High-FODMAP vegetables, including broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts and more

Potential Benefits of the Vertical Diet

The Vertical Diet emphasizes consuming high calories to increase energy and gain muscle mass. The diet also focuses on easy-to-digest carbs, like white rice, to provide a quick boost of energy, which athletes and bodybuilders need.

Potential Drawbacks of the Vertical Diet

While the Vertical Diet may offer some benefits, it also has several drawbacks, including:

Limited Food Variety

The Vertical Diet is extremely restrictive. Limiting the variety of foods could lead to nutrient deficiencies and risk for chronic diseases in the long run. More importantly, many of the restricted foods include essential nutrients important for gut health, like fiber. Specifically, whole grains and a variety of vegetables are rich in fiber and offer numerous health benefits, including promoting regularity and satiety, preventing spikes in blood sugar levels and more.

May Adversely Impact Gut Health

There is some evidence that a low-fiber diet may adversely affect the microbial makeup of the gut, impacting athletic performance, according to a 2024 review in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences. The gut’s microbiome may influence multiple facets of an athlete’s physiology, including immune response, macro- and micronutrient absorption and muscle endurance.

High Red Meat Consumption

Research published in 2022 in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology found that individuals who consumed at least 1.1 more servings of red meat and processed meat daily for 12 to 26 years had a 22% higher risk of developing heart disease than those who did not. Researchers theorize that red meat contains high amounts of the amino acid derivative L-carnitine. When it reaches the gut and is metabolized by the gut bacteria, it produces a byproduct called TMAO, or trimethylamine N-oxide. TMAO in humans may be linked to an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and kidney disease, per a 2024 review in Frontiers in Microbiology.

Affordability

While you don’t necessarily need to purchase premade meals sold by Efferding’s company, animal-based proteins such as red meat can be pricey. And unfortunately, grass-fed and hormone-free meat costs even more. So, the question is, is it worth paying a premium to follow a diet that may or may not provide promising results?

Not Suitable for Vegetarians and Vegans

The Vertical Diet places an emphasis on meat consumption, so if you are a vegetarian or a vegan, this is not a suitable diet for you.

The Bottom Line

The Vertical Diet may provide short-term performance-related benefits, but it does not support an overall healthy lifestyle change. If you are an athlete engaging in high-intensity activities, you might consider trying the Vertical Diet with the support of a registered dietitian specializing in sports nutrition. Regardless of what sport you engage in, it’s important to work with someone who can tailor your nutritional needs to your sport and goals, per a 2024 review in Nutrients.

If you are an average gym-goer or looking for ways to manage weight or tone your body, you are better off eating a balanced diet that emphasizes a variety of foods, including whole grains, vegetables, fruits, low-fat dairy and alternatives, lean meats and plant-based proteins. Work with a registered dietitian to help you make sustainable lifestyle changes and set realistic goals that meet your health needs.