Different methods of dieting have come and gone in recent years. Many of them offer something that makes losing weight simple yet efficient. The Vertical diet gained attention due to its promise to provide the body nutrients it needed to perform at its greatest potential.
According to its official website, this dieting method is suitable for anyone, as it fits any gender, age, and even purpose.
Stan Efferding, a professional bodybuilder, developed this diet method, and described it as a performance-based nutritional framework. He explained performance is guaranteed as the diet is based on a solid foundation of highly bioavailable micronutrients.
He added, it is these micronutrients that support easy digestion of macronutrients. Learn more about the diet now.
Where the Name Comes From
The Vertical Diet got its name from the method’s approach to dieting. The diet’s strategy inverts the food pyramid, and instead of consuming a lot of vegetables and fruits, you are required to eat more protein like red meat, and carbohydrates like white rice.
The main focus of the Vertical Diet is eating only the best foods. Efferding highly emphasizes consuming only the best food that offers protein and carbohydrates to achieve greater muscle mass and performance.
Additionally, going vertical adjusts calorie consumption based on an individual’s needs. For example, an athlete who demands and needs greater training demands need to have higher calorie intake compared to others.
Efferding explained this kind of food consumption allows the body to develop efficiency in digesting food taken. In sum, the manner in which food is consumed in this diet dictated where it got the name.
Foods on The Vertical Diet
The Vertical Diet was built upon the idea that achieving your ideal body can be done by consuming more food rich in protein and white rice.
Efferding believes by limiting foods on the Vertical Diet, individuals can achieve their goal in better time and with better chances. The professional bodybuilder claimed food restriction is based on the fact not all foods are created equal.
He further explained not all food consumed would be converted into nutrients and energy needed by the body. Thus, there is a need to focus on foods that offer benefits to the body.
Steak and rice are the foundations of the Vertical Diet. Efferding developed the diet based on lessons he gained through bodybuilding.
Foods included in the diet are limited to those capable of delivering micronutrients, highly bioavailable, and easily digestible.
On consuming high amounts of carbohydrates, Efferding explained it is what keeps a person going while aiming for their ideal muscle mass and performance.
Fitness and The Vertical Diet
The Vertical Diet was created with professional athletes in mind. It promises the development of muscle mass and greater performance.
Additionally, it offers faster recovery times after an intense physical workout. This recovery is made possible by consuming water and sodium to take advantage of high levels of insulin sensitivity.
In terms of how the relationship between fitness and the Vertical Diet, the latter helps in bringing out greater performance. Its secret lays on consuming protein-rich food and easily digestible carbohydrates.
It is the combination of meat and white rice that is intended to enable the individual to replenish gone glycogen faster. Traditionally, protein fills the void of carbohydrates in most diet plans.
Vertical Diet saw an opportunity and instead combined red meat and white rice to enable faster recovery of glycogen. It must be pointed.
However, glycogen recovery is only important for athletes who are training to achieve optimal performance. So, if you train once a day, glycogen recovery might not be as important.
Health Claims and Myths of The Vertical Diet
As with other dieting plans, there are also health claims and myths related to the Vertical Diet.
Fitness experts have mixed reactions to Efferding’s method of dieting, and some said the Vertical Diet was structured to deliver what it promises. However, some fitness professionals raised concerns over the food limitation.
Efferding claimed this diet method is for high-performance athletes. Though, the Vertical Diet method can also work for individuals looking for a diet capable of fueling the everyday demands of their body.
The professional bodybuilder chose red meat over chicken and fish as he claimed it offers greater protein. A comparison of the protein content of both types of meat showed there is not much difference between the two. However, beef did still beat chicken by one gram.
Efferding said he is not really against consuming other kinds of protein-rich foods like chicken. He explained that for Vertical Diet to be effective, those who follow it need to consume food that offers only the best. It is this reason that made Vertical Diet ideal for high-performance athletes.
Final Verdict
If you are thinking about gaining muscle, the Vertical Diet is for you. The diet requires you to consume a large amount of protein-rich foods, and it is this strategy that makes you bulkier, but instead of fat, you are gaining muscle mass.
Gaining muscle mass is possible as the diet focuses mainly on consuming red meat and other protein-rich food, as well as white rice.
Efferding claimed the restriction allows individuals to smoothly achieve their body goals.
However, some experts claim a horizontal diet is a better alternative as it a vertical diet restricts food choices. They add that such limits the energy the body needs in its daily function.
