“Just eat more steak and white rice. It’s that simple.” When I first heard about the Vertical Diet from a powerlifter friend, I thought he was joking. A diet created by Stan Efferding—the “World’s Strongest Bodybuilder”—that revolves almost entirely around red meat and white rice? It sounded absurd. And yet, after struggling to hit my calorie targets while trying to build muscle without feeling bloated and miserable, I was curious enough to try it.
For 30 days, I followed the Vertical Diet’s food list religiously. Steak and rice became my daily staples. I cut out coffee, beans, brown rice, and even broccoli—foods I’d always considered “healthy.” The experience was… eye-opening.
Here’s everything I learned about what you actually eat on the Vertical Diet, how my body responded, and whether this extreme approach to eating is worth trying.
What Makes the Vertical Diet Different
The Vertical Diet isn’t about variety—it’s about efficiency. Created by Stan Efferding and dietitian Dr. Damon McCune, it flips traditional nutrition advice upside down.
The core philosophy: Instead of eating a wide range of foods (a “horizontal” approach), you eat a limited selection of nutrient-dense, easily digestible foods and simply increase the quantity (going “vertical”) based on your calorie needs.
The two pillars:
- Red meat: Primary protein source (beef, bison, lamb)
- White rice: Primary carbohydrate source
Everything else is just supporting these two main foods. The theory is that limiting variety makes your digestive system more efficient at processing nutrients, reducing bloating and improving absorption.
Why athletes love it: When you’re eating 4,000-6,000 calories daily to build serious muscle, digestion becomes the bottleneck. The Vertical Diet solves this by choosing foods that digest quickly and easily, allowing you to eat more without feeling like your stomach is going to explode.
The Complete Vertical Diet Food List
Here’s what I actually ate for 30 days straight. The diet is structured like an upside-down T—foundation foods at the bottom, macronutrient sources up the vertical axis.
The Two Main Foods (Eat Daily, In Large Quantities)
Red Meat:
- Grass-fed beef (ribeye, sirloin, ground beef from single cuts)
- Grass-fed bison
- Grass-fed lamb
- Venison
My approach: I ate 12-16 oz of steak daily, plus another 8 oz of ground beef. That’s over a pound of red meat every single day.
White Rice:
- Only white rice (brown rice forbidden due to phytic acid and fiber)
- Jasmine, basmati, or long-grain white rice
My consumption: 3-4 cups cooked rice daily. Sometimes I’d add a pinch of salt or even a teaspoon of sugar (yes, sugar) to increase caloric density—a Vertical Diet trick.
Foundation Foods (Micronutrients & Gut Support)
Low-FODMAP Vegetables (Daily):
- Spinach
- Carrots (baby carrots preferred)
- Celery
- Cucumber
- Bell peppers (all colors)
- Eggplant
- Zucchini
- Potatoes (white and sweet)
- Lettuce
My routine: I ate about 2 cups of cooked spinach daily and snacked on baby carrots. That’s it for vegetables.
Low-FODMAP Fruits:
- Oranges
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Blackberries
- Bananas (moderate amounts)
What I ate: An orange daily for vitamin C, occasionally berries.
Eggs:
- Whole eggs, unlimited
My intake: 3-4 whole eggs at breakfast most days.
Full-Fat Dairy (If Tolerated):
- Whole milk
- Plain Greek yogurt
- Cheese
- Butter
My choice: I added whole milk to post-workout shakes and used butter liberally for cooking.
Fish (Limited Amounts):
- Wild-caught salmon
- Fatty fish rich in omega-3s
My frequency: Salmon once weekly, mostly for omega-3s.
Chicken (Minimal):
- Stan considers chicken less nutrient-dense than red meat, so it’s allowed but not emphasized
I ate it: Maybe twice during the entire month when I got tired of steak.
Fats and Oils:
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Coconut oil
- Avocado oil
- Butter
- Beef tallow
Bone Broth:
- Homemade or store-bought, consumed daily
My habit: I drank 8-12 oz bone broth daily, often mixed into rice.
Foods to Avoid (What I Cut Out Completely)
Grains (Except White Rice):
- Brown rice, quinoa, oats, whole wheat bread, pasta
Why banned: Phytic acid and fiber can impair mineral absorption and cause digestive issues
High-FODMAP Vegetables:
- Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, onions, garlic
The hardest cut: No garlic or onions. I missed these intensely.
Legumes:
- Beans, lentils, chickpeas, peas (unless properly soaked and prepared)
Coffee and Caffeine:
- Completely eliminated
This was brutal: I’m a two-cups-daily coffee person. The first week without it was rough.
Processed Foods:
- Anything packaged, processed oils, sugar alcohols
Added Sugar (Mostly):
- Except the strategic teaspoon in rice occasionally
My 30-Day Vertical Diet Experience
Let me be honest about what actually happened when I ate this way.
Week 1: The Adjustment
What I ate daily:
- Breakfast: 4 scrambled eggs, 1 cup white rice, orange
- Lunch: 8 oz ribeye steak, 1.5 cups white rice, spinach sautéed in butter
- Snack: Baby carrots, bone broth
- Dinner: 8 oz ground beef with white rice, more spinach
- Post-workout: Whole milk smoothie with banana
Total calories: ~3,200 daily
How I felt: Surprisingly full despite the repetition. The lack of coffee gave me headaches for 3 days. I missed garlic desperately. But I wasn’t bloated after meals, which was new.
Weeks 2-3: Adaptation
Changes I noticed:
- No more afternoon energy crashes
- Digestion improved dramatically—no bloating, no gas
- I could actually eat my target calories without feeling stuffed
- Strength in the gym increased noticeably
- Mental clarity improved once I got past the caffeine withdrawal
The monotony: By day 10, I was sick of steak. I started varying the cuts (ribeye, sirloin, flank) and cooking methods (grilled, pan-seared, slow-cooked) to keep it interesting.
Week 4: Results
Physical changes:
- Gained 4.5 pounds (mostly muscle based on measurements)
- Strength increased across all lifts
- Energy levels consistently high
- Zero digestive issues
- Sleep quality improved
Blood work (before and after): I got basic bloodwork done before and after. My doctor wasn’t thrilled about the red meat intake, but the results were interesting:
- Iron levels increased (as expected from high red meat)
- Cholesterol barely changed (surprising given the saturated fat)
- No negative markers appeared
What I missed most: Coffee, garlic, variety in vegetables, the occasional burrito.
The Science: Does It Actually Work?
The digestive benefits are real—for some people.
Research shows that low-FODMAP diets can reduce digestive symptoms like bloating, cramping, and diarrhea, especially in people with IBS. For athletes eating massive quantities of food, this matters. I wasn’t bloated despite consuming 3,200+ calories daily, which is the diet’s main selling point.
But here’s the catch:
Most nutrition research shows that dietary variety improves gut health, not restricts it. The Vertical Diet does the opposite. You’re feeding your microbiome the same foods repeatedly, which could create long-term issues.
The red meat controversy:
Health organizations recommend limiting red meat to 18-21 oz weekly. I was eating 80-100 oz weekly—roughly 4-5 times the recommended amount. Excessive red meat consumption has been linked to increased risks of cardiovascular disease and certain cancers.
Stan Efferding argues that grass-fed beef is different, and that the nutrient density justifies the quantity. The research is mixed.
The fiber paradox:
The diet restricts fiber-rich foods to avoid bloating, but fiber is crucial for gut health, reducing chronic inflammation, and preventing disease. You’re trading short-term digestive comfort for potential long-term gut health issues.
Who the Vertical Diet Actually Works For
After 30 days, I understand why this diet has passionate followers—and vocal critics.
It works well if you:
- Are a serious athlete or bodybuilder eating 3,500+ calories daily
- Struggle with bloating on traditional high-calorie diets
- Have IBS or digestive issues with high-FODMAP foods
- Lift heavy and need maximum recovery
- Don’t mind eating the same foods repeatedly
- Can afford high-quality grass-fed beef regularly
Skip it if you:
- Don’t need to eat massive calories
- Have concerns about red meat consumption
- Want dietary variety
- Follow a plant-based lifestyle
- Have kidney issues (high protein load)
- Rely on coffee for sanity (like I did)
- Can’t afford grass-fed beef consistently
My verdict: The Vertical Diet is a tool, not a lifestyle. For 30 days, it helped me gain muscle while improving digestion. But I wouldn’t eat this way permanently.
What I Kept (And What I Ditched)
After my 30-day experiment ended, here’s what stuck:
Still doing:
- White rice as my primary carb source (it really is easier to digest)
- Higher red meat intake than before (but not daily)
- Low-FODMAP vegetables when I’m eating high calories
- Bone broth regularly
- Avoiding processed vegetable oils
Immediately brought back:
- Coffee (life is too short)
- Garlic and onions (food without them is sad)
- Broccoli and cauliflower
- More vegetable variety
- Occasional legumes
- Brown rice sometimes
Practical Tips If You Try It
Start with a 2-week trial: You’ll know quickly if the digestive benefits work for you.
Buy a rice cooker: You’ll be making rice constantly. A good rice cooker is essential.
Batch cook protein: I grilled multiple steaks Sunday and Wednesday, kept them refrigerated, reheated as needed.
Vary your cuts: Don’t just eat ribeye. Try sirloin, flank, bison, lamb—anything to prevent boredom.
Season aggressively: Without garlic and onions, you need to compensate with other herbs and spices. I used rosemary, thyme, smoked paprika heavily.
Budget for it: Grass-fed beef is expensive. I spent roughly $200 weekly on food, up from my normal $120-150.
Get bloodwork: Before and after. Especially if you’re eating this much red meat.
Don’t eliminate coffee if you don’t have to: This was Stan’s recommendation, but honestly, if coffee doesn’t bother your digestion, keep it.
The Bottom Line
The Vertical Diet delivered exactly what it promised: I could eat more calories with zero digestive issues, and I gained muscle efficiently. The focus on nutrient-dense, easily digestible foods meant I felt better day-to-day than on my previous “eat everything” approach.
But it’s an extreme diet designed for extreme goals. Stan Efferding created it for professional bodybuilders and strongmen—people who need to eat 5,000-8,000 calories daily while maintaining digestive health. For them, the tradeoffs make sense.
For the average person trying to lose 20 pounds or just eat healthier? This isn’t it. The lack of variety, excessive red meat, and restriction of otherwise healthy foods (coffee! broccoli!) make it unsustainable long-term for most people.
My 30-day experiment taught me valuable lessons about digestion and nutrient absorption. I’ll use elements of the Vertical Diet when I’m in a heavy training phase. But as a permanent lifestyle? I’m back to enjoying garlic, coffee, and the occasional bean burrito.
Sometimes the best diet isn’t the one that works perfectly—it’s the one you can actually live with.
