In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleWhat Is the Vertical Diet?Foods You Can Eat on the Vertical DietFoods You Can’t Eat on the Vertical DietPotential Benefits of the Vertical DietPotential Drawbacks of the Vertical DietThe Bottom Line
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
What Is the Vertical Diet?
Foods You Can Eat on the Vertical Diet
Foods You Can’t Eat on the Vertical Diet
Potential Benefits of the Vertical Diet
Potential Drawbacks of the Vertical Diet
The Bottom Line
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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 aweight lossregimen 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 areeasily digestibleand don’t aggravate the digestive system. The thought is that sometimes foods just pass through the body and leave as waste. Eating foods that your body prefers, according to the Vertical Diet, will help you absorb the nutrients you’re eating.
Also, when you limit the food variety in your diet, the Vertical Diet suggests that 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.
The two most commonly eaten foods on this diet are red meat andwhite ricefor the following reasons:
Specifically, the Vertical Diet encourages consuming the following foods:
The Vertical Diet emphasizes consuming high calories to increase energy and gainmuscle 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.
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, in the long run, could lead to nutrient deficiencies and risk for chronic diseases. More importantly, many of the foods restricted include essential nutrients that are 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
Someresearchhas shown the common strategies of a high protein, low fiber and simple carb diet may adversely affect the microbial makeup of the gut and in turn, impact one’s athletic performance. A 2021studypublished inAdvances in Nutritionnoted that consuming adequate fiber, protein and omega-3 fats may improve the athletes' health and optimize their performance. The same study also suggested that probiotics along with prebiotics (the food for probiotics) are essential in maintaining the gut health of the athletes. Surprisingly, foods with prebiotics, such as garlic and onion, contradict the Vertical Diet.
High Red Meat Consumption
Affordability
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 Vertical Diet may provide short-term performance-related benefits, but it certainly does not support a lifestyle change. If you are an athlete engaging in high-intensity activities, you could possibly give the Vertical Diet a try with the support of a registered dietitian who specializes in sports and endurance. If you are an average gym-goer or looking for ways to manage weight or tone your body, you are better off eating abalanced dietthat 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.
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