WENNING STRENGTH

Diet Manual

A spinoff of Stan Efferdings Vertical diet for better compliance

Matt R. Wenning
M.S., CSCS

1st Edition

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 Foreword

I would like to thank Stan Efferding, Dr. Eric Serrano and

Mike Ohearn for getting me on the path to being healthy,
stronger and creating longevity. This knowledge started
in college with Dr. William Kraemer in undergraduate
and graduate level courses

As many have found eating cleaner and dieting can be

not only be difficult but nearly impossible for some. I
have found that with most diets, it can be a challenge to
adhere to, mostly due to satiety, taste and variety. In this
manual, I have done my best to take some common finds
at the grocery store and make the vertical diet easier to
adhere to and create long term success on eating clean,
sustaining and or building muscle and doing all of this
with better blood work and health parameters.

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 CHAPTER 1
‘Come to Jesus’ meeting with myself
My introduction into the Vertical Diet and eating clean

2013, multiple world records but blood work starting to show that a change was needed

The year was 2013 and I had been at the top of the lifting world
for nearly 10 years. My bodyweight was sitting around 310lb and
strength training had consumed my life for over 20 years. Since
strength at that time was my number one concern, I was focused
on gaining weight and lifting bigger numbers.
I noticed around 2012 I started not sleeping as well, I was waking
up 3-4 times per night and I could feel my heartbeat when I was
laying down resting. I knew that at that point it was time to make

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a change and see how much strength I could keep or increase
and put health first.
The first step was to see a skilled doctor. Luckily Eric Serrano was
here in town. Eric is a general practice doctor with decades of
experience with athletes and strength personnel. So, the first thing
we did was what every doctor does check the vitals and blood
work.
MATT WENNING (2013)
Body weight: 310
Blood pressure: 155-90
Resting heart rate: 90bpm
Triglycerides: 500
Blood sugar (fasted): 105

Dr. Serrano wasn’t upset, he just explained to me that we needed

to remove a lot of inflammation and reduce carbohydrate intake
and the type of carbohydrates that were being ingested.
So, I went in search of a new eating protocol that would allow me
to still compete at a world class level but start reducing bodyfat
and put health and longevity first.

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Family medicine Specialist, Graduated from University of Kansas in 1991 and specializes in family
medicine, endocrinology, and metabolic function. Located in Columbus OH

Dr. Serrano wanted me off milk (come to find out I was allergic
causing an increased amount of inflammation) and wanted me to
start working on using rice for my carbohydrate intake instead of
gluten products. This was a huge change for me as most of my
carb intake came from pasta, bread and other products but not
rice. As I started to dissect the Vertical Diet, I saw it was a huge
advocate of rice. So that was a huge plus.

Bloating – headaches- tired- abdominal pain – skin issues -changes in gut microbe – anxiety –
joint pain all of which I was experiencing. A common occurrence with gluten intake

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 People affected by lactose intolerance; I was one of them holding lots of inflammation

Finding Stan Efferding

Stan Efferding creator of the Vertical Diet

Around that same time Stan was doing some impressive things in
both powerlifting and bodybuilding. Stan was not only hitting
2300lb totals, he was also an IFBB pro bodybuilder. Very few have

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been able to accomplish both, and even fewer have accomplished
it at that strength level.
But what caught my eye was the information Stan was putting
out. He was posting his blood work and was much healthier than
me. Not only was his blood work better, he was also 12 years
older. At that point in time I knew I needed to reach out if I were to
last. So, I reached out to him through Mark Bell (his powerlifting
coach and my friend) and we started to talk.

Come to find out it was the perfect fit!!!!!

Before reading further you will need Stan’s Vertical diet for all the ins and outs
www.stanefferding.com
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 CHAPTER 2
How to go Vertical and stay that way
A 3-step process

Stan and I shopping at Costco for world’s strongest man competitors

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With the massive change in my eating habits I was certain there
were going to be ups and downs built into to the process. So, to
start this the best way I know how, was to create reasonable
goals. This path led me to a protocol that I use with almost every
one of my clients and my tactical personnel. The first thing I did to
make this change permanent was to look a literature in creating
lasting habits.

As you can see from the European journal of Social Phsychology, this 3 step plan can form
better retention. Step 1 is an easier habit working up to day 60 which is more difficult.

The issue with eating poorly for an extended period is that there
are certain addictive traits and habits that this can create. I know
this because I’ve been there.

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 This graph for most is all too real!!!!!!

Coming off sugar, processed foods and other wasteful calories

can be a living hell. It can change your complete lifestyle (places
you eat, people you eat with, and even family gatherings for
some).
So, to create a permanent change I developed a 3-step process in
order to train my mind and my body to go a different direction.

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 Step 1
Day 1 to Day 30
CREATE THE SHORT-TERM HABIT FIRST!

Cheat meal every 3 days

Giving my mind a short-term goal made the diet transition much
smoother this allowed me to eat within reason anything I wanted
every 3rd dinner. With this short-term goal, it was much easier not
to slip up in between the bad meals since they were so close
together (72hrs). With this in place only 1 out of every 12 meals
were bad. (on a 4 meal a day protocol).
What I started to notice by nearly the end of the 1st step was that
not only were my cravings starting to disappear, I was starting to
have stomach issues when I ate the cheat meal.
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 For most people they don’t even realize how bloated they are until after day 30!

My opinion was that this was enough time to start to change my

gut biome. Eating clean 11 out of 12 meals, meant that the 12th
meal was just not what my body was used to digesting, and it
started to show terrible food intolerances.

Step 2
Days 31-60
Gut microbiome change
Cheat meal every 5 days
Once day 30 was over I devised the next phase and decided I
would take the cheat meals to every 5 days. Not only was I now
mentally ready to go longer, honestly my stomach couldn’t take
cheat meals every 3 days any longer.

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Not only does your stomach start to have a successful environment, you cut your inflammation,
cancer risks, and everything else related to obesity and diabetes way down

I also started to realize that my cheat meals were becoming

cleaner selections and the portion sizes were starting to become
smaller. This was a huge small victory at this phase. By eating
clean 19 out of every 20 meals, this started to affect my portion
size. This was the real magic of eating similar foods consistently,
although the reason I wrote this manual is to help combat this.
At this phase the cheat meals had become more diet like by day
45-50. This was due to the stomach and digestion issues that
came along with eating foods that less than 8 weeks ago had no
effect on my digestion, just my failing blood work.

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 Step 3
The Long Term Habit Stage
Day 61 to forever
(cheat meal every 7 days) or in strength phases add back in
every 5 days.
At this phase the diet becomes comfortable. The difficulty of the
similar food intake can come and go in this phase (which this
manual really helps). At this point for me personally I was down
nearly 20lb and was ALL bodyfat reduction. By day 120 my waist
was down nearly 8 inches and leg – shoulder and chest size were
the same.

By now the habit has been formed and retention of the diet is possible

This cheat meal once a week allows you to still be social, but now
by this phase knowing what to order and where to eat should be
dialed in from previous stomach issues and or lack thereof. Some
of these tips include:
• Ordering steaks with no oils used for cooking
• Eating your sandwiches with no bread or bun
• Using lower carb condiments
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 CHAPTER 3
Protein Intake is Key
RED MEAT! THE KING OF PROTEIN

Protein intake not only helps with hunger but also helps maintain muscle while bodyfat comes
down.

When you read the vertical diet, you will notice it is mostly red
meat, and there are powerful reasons for that it’s one of the most
nutritious foods you can eat. It’s loaded with minerals, antioxidants,
and other healthy ingredients like these:
• Vitamin B3
• Vitamin B12
• Vitamin B6
• Iron- Zinc- creatine - carnosine
Now in my opinion I’m a huge fan of grass fed for two reasons:
1) More nutrient dense than grain fed containing more omega 3,
and vitamin A and E
2) It personally just tastes better.

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Personally, if cost is an issue the cheaper meat will work well, I
mostly just do it for the taste as if you do the research the
difference is marginal, but if you’re going to eat cleaner no sense
in not getting the better red meat.
For protein what do I use for change ups from red meat?

One of the biggest issues most people have switching to vertical

is the lack of variety. And the reason is that long term there really
isn’t a replacement for red meat. But we can use substitutes
occasionally to help with retention to the diet. This teaches us that
variety is possible, if it is controlled.

Simply the best tasting beef I have tried, hard to get tired of it (Costco)
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But this doesn’t mean you can’t have other sources occasionally. I
have found some tasty alternatives that I will use a few meals a
week to make vertical eating a little more sustainable. These
variations are added in as needed but only allot for about 10% of
the total meals of the week. Below are alternatives to your ground
beef and steaks, remember that I will only use these occasionally.
Red meat just can’t be replaced often when compared to nutrient
density.
Chicken Patties (Don Lee Farms)
I have found these to be a life saver for many reasons, but mostly
because the taste and texture is different. There are 20g of
protein per patty so 2 of these are more than enough for anyone
for one meal (goal dependent).

Serving size 1 patty per meal if you weigh under 150 or are trying to cut, 2-3 patties if your
gaining or are a large person

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Eggs (Eggland’s best)
Eggs are a no brainer and have a much different taste and texture
than red meat. I will use these when red meat just doesn’t sound
good or don’t feel like chewing as much. These are excellent
sources of B2 -B5 vitamins and Riboflavin.
The Eggland brand has 4 times the vitamin D- double the omega
3- 10 times the vitamin E- and 25% less saturated fat than regular
eggs. These are also great additives for getting more calories and
protein in while in a weight gain (one of Thor’s secrets).
You can use eggs as your protein, or you can add them in to your
existing meal for extra protein and good calories. (eat the whole
egg)

Serving size 3-6 eggs as a meal or 1-2 as an additive

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Scallops
Scallops are truly one of my favorite protein sources! I love the
taste- texture and are easy to cook. They are an awesome protein
source just 3oz of scallops are 17g of protein! They also have a
decent amount of potassium and magnesium and B12 and
phosphorus. On top of being good for all the above they are also
low calorie. They have also been linked to reducing colon cancer
and have cardiovascular benefits.

Serving size 3-6-8oz to cook squeeze all the water out -have the pan hot and sear in grass fed
butter!

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Shrimp
Shrimp is another one of those I throw in occasionally foods for a
change of pace. It is high in selenium which acts as a powerful
antioxidant and is crucial for thyroid function and your
metabolism, iron, iodine, niacin, zinc, and magnesium. It also has a
good amount of omega 3 and 6 and contains carotenoid
antioxidant. Its protein content is high at 24 grams per 100 grams
served.

Serving size 100-200grams, cooked like scallops or steam them, they can also do well on a grill!

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Bob Evans natural sausage
This may be one that I use that I’m sure there is a better selection,
but every grocery store has it, and it tastes amazing!! It’s a great
break from red meat for a meal or two and is zero carbs. Its
benefits are less in my opinion but still is shown to have high
levels of selenium for your immune system, phosphorus for
kidney health, and almost half your Niacin RDA for healthy skin.
I don’t use this often, but when I feel like I want something
different I will throw this in the mix. Fairly high in potassium, this
meat is the lowest on my scale due to higher fat content and not
as many other nutritional benefits, but hey, keep it real
occasionally

It comes in at 12grams of protein per 3oz, so 8-9oz should do you just fine for a meal. I usually
eat 9 oz putting the protein in at 36 grams

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 CHAPTER 4
Rice
(the baseline of the carbs used in the Vertical Diet)

If you want muscle and power there’s really no way around eating
carbs, but the type of carbs ingested will decide if you stay lean
and put on muscle or increase inflammation and fat.

Rice is my favorite carb as it seems the last 3 years my diet has

changed over to 95% rice based for the carb intake my waist has
went from 42in to 35in in that three years all while maintaining
over 30in legs. Eating white rice has allowed me to replenish

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glycogen stores, its easy on the stomach and easily absorbed,
because of its low bloating and high absorbability.
Personally, I’m eating close to 6 cups of rice a day, and I’m leaner
than I have ever been (going on year 3 of the diet) and stronger at
265 and 40 years old than I was at 300lb at 36 years old. The only
change has been this eating regimen. Now how much you need
to take in will vary on your training regimen, your muscle mass,
your goals, and your blood sugar issues or lack thereof.

By far the best rice in taste and re heating that I have found. (can be purchased at Costco in 25lb
bags).

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This rice prep with a rice cooker takes me about 20min in the
morning to prep the rice for the entire day. I put about 3 uncooked
cups of rice into the cooker and start it before the shower.
The rice cooker I use is an Aroma

Aroma rice cooker makes oatmeal, rice, and is very versatile. Mine was 60.00 at Costco.

This rice cooker is simple, plug in, turn on, put rice and water in
and hit white rice! In about 20min you will have all your rice ready
to eat and pack into your meal containers.

Meal Containers:
Try to keep plastic to a minimum (glass and or Pyrex)
I’m not a huge fan of plastic materials either to eat or drink out of.
Look up Parabens and you can see what I mean. The disrupt
hormone function and linked to breast cancer and reproductive
toxicity.
This means that testosterone and other positive muscle and
health hormones can be damaged or function improperly.

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 Meal prepping is crucial! already have your meals ready, it’s much harder to break down and
buy something else. Also try to use containers that are paraben free, such as Pyrex, glass,
ceramic, or stainless steel.

Rice additives for taste and nutrition

Salt
Stan has already done a great job in covering why salt is
important, needed and most times deficient, so I won’t go deep
into this topic but salt to taste. Make sure the salt that you get has
iodine. (mineral found in food that helps thyroid function, energy
use and repair)

Too little salt in the diet shows insulin resistance, increased risk of heart failure, elevated LDL,
cholesterol, and triglycerides. Also increasing your gut health helps you absorb more salt.

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Grass fed butter
This for me was a huge game changer. The first year or so of the
vertical diet I just salted the rice. But then I decided to melt a bit of
butter in the rice and my appetite was back!
My favorite brand is:

Vitamin K, Vitamin A, beta Carotene, and conjugated linoleic acid, and omega 3 fatty acids

Found at nearly every store and reasonably priced

The salt and butter really make the rice tasty and nearly
impossible to get sick of. It doesn’t take much of these products to
help but it keeps you hungry for the rice.

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 Eating similar foods helps control portions

The other unspoken advantage to eating similar as described in

the vertical diet and this manual, is that similar foods start to
regulate portion. As we need to eat mostly rice and beef,
obviously that can get difficult and becomes something we don’t
really crave. This is the switch to start treating food as fuel and not
as comfort.
We have all grown up to eat what tastes good, rather than think
of food as a fuel source. Unfortunately, that has been one of the
key factors in our obesity and poor health as a society.

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 CHAPTER 5
Seasonings and flavor boosters

For me it’s all in the seasoning and flavor changes

Eating beef and rice 95% of the time can get difficult. Especially in
the first 6-12 months you will find your mind and body wanting to
switch directions for more taste. This can be a drastic turning
point to achieving your goals.
I have come across some excellent seasonings and sauces that
can not only help you stay on course, but in moderation allow you
to have a tasty way to stay eating clean.

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 Seasonings and additives
Webber grill seasonings

This brand has saved my diet more times than I can count. By
mixing up and switching these flavors around, I can keep the taste
new and more exciting!!

G. Hughes sugar free barbeque

This brand has been my lifesaver, and to be honest hard to tell

from regular barbeque! Mix this with your rice and beef and it’s
amazing. Also great on those chicken patties.

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A1 Steak Sauce

Another huge go to that can mix in the rice and beef and give an
outstanding flavor. This is at every grocery store and the carb
amount is very low. Great taste, and fitting for the vertical.

RAOs Marinara

This is the closest thing to spaghetti you can get without killing
your diet. This sauce clocks in at only 6g of carbs and tastes

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amazing! Add some parmesan cheese and you have a meal that’s
hard to beat!
Kraft Parmesan cheese

One of my favorite additives to my beef and rice!! This cheese is

extra tasty and packs an extra 2 grams of protein with zero carbs!
Goes awesome with the marinara sauce as well as the next thing
I’m about to list!
Jacks Cantina Salsa

If you’re a salsa lover like I am than this will really help you adhere
to the vertical diet. I use this with the parmesan cheese, or just by

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itself and its amazing with the beef and rice. Using cheddar
cheese, it’s like street tacos and makes me feel like I’m eating a
new dish.
McCormick Grill Mates

Nearly all these flavors can make the same dish taste different. I
rotate flavors on the vertical diet, and it helps tremendously in
keeping me hungry for the same foods. All of these flavors taste
great with ground beef and on steak. When I cook my meals in
the morning, I will season each Tupperware bowl with a different
one and BAM a different tasting meal.

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Trader Joes’ Taco and Chile Lime seasonings

These two from Trader Joes I use the most. I’m a huge fan of
Mexican food and these two seasonings pack a ton of taste!

With all these seasoning options and tastes it’s much easier to
stick to the vertical diet and eat your ground beef and rice. As
stated with the McCormick seasonings, I like to mix each of my
meals in the morning with a different flavor. This allows me a
different taste and makes me look forward to eating similar foods
consistently.

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 CHAPTER 6
Top meal ideas I use on a regular basis and
portion size
Keep in mind every meal I have 2 baby carrots, handful of
baby spinach, and eat red peppers with most meals

These meals I have utilized the last 30 months and gives me a

good mix and match to rotate meals and throw in stuff that tastes
different but keeps me mostly on track. In time periods where I
want to get super lean, I cut out the variety and stick strictly to
beef and rice with as minimal taste enhancements as possible.
From measuring nearly 1 time every 2 weeks, I have found that
this eating style will maintain me at around 13-14% bodyfat, but by
going super strict with no cheat meals or enhancements I can
achieve 12% in a matter of 3-4 weeks. This is sustaining over
260lb bodyweight. Now I want to be clear in these statements if
your goal is to lose weight, then just cut the portion sizes. Eating in
this fashion allows me 4 -1,000 calorie meals per day. Your needs
may be much higher or lower depending on goal. My friend
Hafthor Bjornsson, World’s strongest man, weighs 450lb and eats
2500 calories every 3-4 hours so roughly 10,000 calories per day.

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Thor is still very lean at nearly 450lb! His diet has been vertical for
over 3 years.
Warning: If you are getting insanely lean (I.E. under 10% bodyfat)
you will have to be more concerned with which meals you select
and your portion sizes

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Meal size: This is very dependent on how much muscle you have,
the size in which you are trying to maintain or achieve, and well as
the bodyfat percentage your trying to get to. My advice is this:
Matt Wenning: bodyweight - 265, lean mass-230lb, 4,000 calorie
intake, body fat - 13%
Thor: bodyweight – 450, lean mass - 340lb, 10,000 calorie intake,
body fat - 25%
Stan Efferding: bodyweight – 240, lean mass - 220lb, 3,300
calorie intake, body fat – 10%

So, lets break this down into some math. For your own personal
goals, we need to know a few things to figure out our caloric need
and therefore, our portion size.
1- Our current lean mass
This is crucial do deciding how many calories you need. We don’t
want to feed bad tissue, so we starve the fat and feed the muscle.
2- Our current training regimen
We can want to eat like we are Thor or want to get to that level
but to be honest most people will never see over 250lb of lean
mass let alone almost 350. So, 10,000 calories are not in the
ballpark for most people.
My calculation is that most people are going to need between 15
and 20 calories per pound of lean mass. This is dependent on how
hard your training, and a few other factors, but this is a great
place to start.

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Male Female
Lean mass 165 Lean mass 100lb
Caloric need Caloric need
2475 weight loss 1500 for weight loss
3300 weight gain 2000 for weight gain
Now this is a rough estimate but works very well across the
board.
If your dieting for the first time. I would start in the middle but
estimating lean body mass can be difficult. There are few ways to
determine this
1 DXA scan (gold standard)
2 Underwater weighing (old gold standard)
3 Professional skin caliper pinch (bio signature)

12 site skinfold test is a great resource, if the person measuring is accurate.

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4 Bod pod
5 Bio electrical impedance
Your best bet for caloric need is to have the most professional
measurement done. DXA scan is the gold standard, but I would
put the Skin Calipers 2nd if it’s a professional doing the
measurement. A 7-site skin fold is good but Poliquin came up with
a 12-site skin fold test, chances are there is a local practitioner in
your area.

The late and great Charles Poliquin doing a triceps measurement

I’m not a fan of the bod pod or bio electrical machines as their
accuracy is still not good enough to base calorie intake, but if
you’re just starting out, it would better than just guessing for sure.

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 MEAL EXAMPLES
Below are nearly all the meals I have experimented and utilized for
the last 30 months. Having this rotation allows a better adherence
to the diet and therefore a superior outcome. The key is to
experiment, find out what tastes you like and can handle for
multiple meals. Portion sizes will reflect your goals, make sure that
you get a good estimate on your lean body mass for your calorie
needs.
The red color indicates meals I use consistently, usually 6-8 per
week. Blue color is a variation I will put in every 1-2 days. Orange
color means I use rarely but will put in for taste.
Vertical meal 1:
Ground beef – Rice – butter – taco seasoning-
Vertical meal 2:
Ground beef- rice (no butter) salt only- Salsa – parmesan cheese
Vertical meal 3:
Chicken patties – rice – Italian dressing
Vertical meal 4:
Scallops w butter – rice noodles – garlic seasoning
Vertical meal 5:
3-6 eggs – rice – butter
Vertical meal 6:
Fillet -rice with A1 Sauce

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Vertical meal 7:
Ground sausage – rice – marinara sauce
Vertical meal 8:
Chicken patties -BBQ -rice
Vertical meal 9:
Seasoned ribeye – rice-
Vertical meal 10:
Ground chicken or turkey with BBQ sauce on rice
Vertical meal 11:
Shrimp grilled in grass fed butter, rice noodles and garlic salt
These meals are what I rotate in and out. That means that these
other meals allot my protein and are solid in the rotation but are
only used as switch ups to keep me on track.

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 CHAPTER 7
Cheat meals and Tips
Ok guys here’s the long and short of it: unless you’re Stan or Mike
or another professional athlete it will be hard to stick to eating the
same for long periods of time. I have found that over the course
of 3 years that these meals become less frequent and your eating
regimen will become second nature. But for most of us, we will
need to let it loose occasionally.

The Rock with legendary 15,000 calorie cheat meals

Furthermore, if you’re working on gaining weight, you will need

bigger amounts of calories and higher levels of hunger to support
your goal. The leaner you want to become and more weight you
want to lose, the stricter your lifestyle will need to become.
For most of us, we just want to be healthy, lean up a little and not
waste all our time on working out and not seeing results. At an
average strength level and normal goals, there is more room to
make exceptions.

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 CHEAT MEAL 1
Tip # 1 - Still make a healthier choice.
Kodiak Pancakes / sugar free syrup

They have some whey protein included and hit the scales at 14
grams per serving, Now I’m not a huge fan of wheat products and
I have noticed some bloating after eating these, but it’s a good
change up every once in a while. I use these 1-2 times per month
to keep my sanity.

Walden Farms calorie free pancake syrup

This is a great cheat meal without killing yourself, add a little of this and you’re almost eating
horribly LOL

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Who doesn’t like pancakes or waffles? Well although this may be
just waffle mix that has more protein, it’s still better than normal
mixes. With the extra protein as well, I’ve noticed that this makes
me fuller and more satisfied quicker (therefore less total eating).

The trick is to control your cheat meals, and often what I would do
before a cheat meal is force myself to eat ½ pound of some meat
before starting (I.E. chicken, steak, any meat). I found if I went into
the cheat meal, especially the first 30 days, I had to have
something else to make me feel fuller at a faster rate.
If you have just started your dieting process, then this is a huge
help, get full on quality foods before you cheat, and you will find
yourself content with your food faster.

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 CHEAT MEAL 2
And tip #2 - earn your cheat meal
Pizza (post max effort legs)

Yes, I said it, pizza. Now when I order it it’s thin crust, and usually
only do one meat and some veggies, peppers, mushrooms etc.
Now I could go on and on about why the veggies, and only one
meat but at the end of the day it’s just pizza. I allot myself 1-2 pizza
days a month just to use it socially and eat. But my timing is usually
right after a heavy leg day. I make myself earn this pizza. Meaning
on these leg days I go extra hard; do a few extra sets and that way
I mentally feel like I deserve the cheat meal.
Here is the trick though! This is the last meal of the day and I’m only
allowed to eat this pizza if I haven’t missed any of the other meals
(for me 3) in the day. What I found was that if I skipped a meal or
missed a feeding time, I was just too hungry to have the pizza and
ate way out of my comfort zone (this was something I learned the
first 60 days). By not missing any meals my portion size for my
cheat meal was controlled and had a positive benefit to my
progress.

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 CHEAT MEAL 3
Tip #3 - give yourself a timed window
Pick something else you like as long as it has protein

I honestly narrowed it down now and these are the regular cheat
meals I eat above. Occasionally I may splurge on a dessert but no
more than 1 time every 14 days or so. What I have found after 30
months of eating vertical is, I still occasionally crave a cheat meal,
but I have learned to control them and have realized now that I
don’t really need them, or much want them anymore. The first
year was up and down.
Tip #3: Now as for the cheat meals in general, I give myself a 30
min window to eat this cheat meal. Meaning nothing extra, no
leftovers, and once I have eaten the thing, it’s back on the diet.
This has helped control the cheat meal and not let it throw me off
completely off the diet.

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 Chapter 8
Snacks to help with cravings and/or to help
with weight gain

Peanut butter and organic jelly (no bread)

This sounds elementary but has really helped when I’ve had a
sweet tooth, and with the plant fats- protein and adding in the
natural jelly, it seems to keep the amount under control. I find this
is huge to mix your carbs with proteins and fats to help curve the
overeating. Eating carbs alone can be dangerous to your diet.

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Beef Jerky (Jack Links)
These are awesome, decent protein and sodium and seem to help
if I need a treat but want to eat cleaner.

There are other brands, but I like the texture and taste of this brand

What I like about beef sticks is the protein (5g) and fats (10g) with
little to no carbs. Curbs my appetite without going into more
carbs. This type of snack and this brand can be found almost at
any gas station so it’s easy if you’re stuck traveling etc. But how I
make the diet work is that if I know I’m gone for more than 3-4
hours I take a vertical meal with me to keep me from getting too
hungry.

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Nuts (cashews, pistachios, peanuts)
I like using this snack because of the availability. Every grocery,
gas station, and rest area have nuts for snacks. Although I don’t
use them much anymore, but for firemen, police etc. I put them in
their diets to help with cravings.

Crystal Light (any) - My favorite is fruit punch.

I got this trick from Flex Wheeler, and it’s a great way to get in
more fluid, but not have any calories with a large amount of taste.
Now I’m not a huge fan of artificial sweeteners, but this is a good
way to start backing off taking in high calorie drinks. I’ve used this
with nearly 100s of fire department guys as well as normal clients
that were used to sodas, and other high calorie drinks. Many
times, you can assess someone’s intake of fluids and by switching
over to zero calorie drinks make a huge impact on overall
bodyweight.

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 CHAPTER 9
Fast Food Dos and Don’ts
(Think Keto when eating out)
Ok so you have misplaced or forgotten a meal and you’re on the
run for work, family or another responsibility. Is there a good
choice for fast food? Well yes and no. I have found that
occasionally you can grab some decent things at normal fast food
places, you will just have to order things a little different.

This becomes all too real even when eating cleaner as your body becomes aware of poor oil
and food choices, eventually having you prep 99% of your food

But the cleaner you eat and the more meals you prep yourself,
you will find that your stomach will not take subpar ingredients, or
cooking oils that most places use. But if you’re in a rush or
traveling long distances I will show you some things that I have
ordered and didn’t see too bad of a result with. Now keep in mind
the choices listed are portion sizes to maintain 260lb or over
bodyweight. So, adjust accordingly.
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McDonald’s
Double quarter pounders with no bun. (560 cal)

This one had been a major help until my diet plan was concrete,
the biggest issue is always just planning meals and having them
with you. Stopping and having these modified sandwiches
worked! But only for a moderate time. The oils and processing
started to be hard on my stomach once the diet was perfect. The
meat McDonalds uses is high fat but of the 560cal only 3% are
carbs and clocks in at 45g of protein.

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Wendy’s
Double sandwiches with no bun

This also for the first year was a huge benefit until I got used to
packing my meals. But for some reason Wendy’s beef rarely set
well with my stomach. So, this was another meal I used
occasionally in the beginning but never after 12 months. These
clock in at 43g of protein and 518 cal.

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Arbys
1/2lb roast beef sandwich with no bread

Now this was one that I used frequently again for a time when
first trying to eat clean. A great way to get some protein with
flavor. But as all other choices here listed, my stomach got used to
eating a cleaner type of food, this again did not sit well with my
stomach. This clocks in at 410 cal and 41g of protein. But this
worked well 6 months into the diet when I forgot a meal or
needed a change up without going off the rails.

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Chick Fil a
Grilled chicken sandwich no bun

This is another national chain, that can be used in a meal effort if

food isn’t prepped or available. The other thing I like about these
listed choices is that they are often at airports when I travel. The
Chicken lists at 260 cal with no bun and 32g of protein with only
4g of carbs, I will usually get 2 of these club sandwiches with no
bun.

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Conclusion to fast food choices:
Now these choices will get you through the first 6 months of the
diet and help with learning to be prepared for these choices to not
have to be considered. But as with anything that takes time to
change. Over time you won’t be able to drive by and smell these
places.
As I said this manual will help get you to the place where fast food
won’t even be tolerable. Now every time I eat from one of these
places my body can tell, and I end up paying for it by not
absorbing any of the food or at best just don’t feel all that hot.

2010 at elitefts. 30 years old, 310lb bloated, unhealthy, and

eating everything in sight. Sitting at 25% bodyfat.

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2019 260lb and 40 years old. Same strength 10 years older and
13% bodyfat leaner.

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 CHAPTER 10
The Supplements I use Regularly

This supplement company is from Canada, but why buy Canadian supplements?

Supplements are and have been a huge staple in my daily intake.

But until 2016 I did not realize many things about the supplement
industry. The first thing that I had found out is that there is no
governmental regulation by the FDA on anything made in the
USA. This means that at a local GNC and other Vitamin stores,
literally everything on the shelf is not monitored or controlled.
Scary, I know.
After doing classes and becoming friends with Charles Poliquin, I
had realized that Canadian practices were much different. Their
governing bodies were keeping the supplement companies legit,
and the industry there is more medical grade and true to the
nutrition and ingredient facts/labels.
Now for me, all the supplements that I take are to enhance health.
I’m not a huge fan of taking things for performance. I feel that if
health is 100% then the performance of my body will follow suit.

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So, some of the top supplements I take are listed below.

Magnesium Glycinate
(ATP labs synermag)

An important nutrient for the body, maintains health in the

muscles, brain, and heart. More than 50% of the population and in
some studies 4 out of 5 people are deficient in this nutrient. Its
benefits include calming, sleep, bone density, blood sugar control,
and healthy heart rhythms. I take 4 caps before dinner and 4 caps
before bed. If you have fatigue, loss of appetite, muscle cramps, or
depression, it could be a magnesium deficiency.

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Multi Vitamin
(ATP total defense)

Multi vitamins help with metabolism, formation of red blood cells,

tissue growth and health, immune function, antioxidant, and
function of the thyroid gland. This overall health supplement is
key in today’s world of processed foods and daily toxins we are
exposed to (plastics, metals etc.)

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Fish Oil
(ATP labs Omega 3 Triglyceride)

Having Fish oil in your diet is key for many reasons’ essential fatty
acids EPA and DHA, supplementing fish oil can help signaling
between cells helping burn more fat. Brain function, reduction of
inflammation, reducing cardiovascular disease, some cancers, and
a huge help in muscle soreness and arthritis. Eating fish on a
regular basis can reduce the need for this supplement, but I’m not
an avid fish eater. Charles Poliquin recommended 1,000 mg per
1% of body fat, so if your 15% body fat you would need 15,000mg
under his experience.

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Vitamin D
(ATP labs Vit D 3)

Vitamin D is another top supplement and for many reasons. It’s a

fat-soluble vitamin and it’s present in very few foods. One way to
receive Vitamin D is through sunlight, but many people work
inside and live in climates where sunlight availability is not
consistent. It’s a huge component for bone maintenance and
growth, as well as immune function, inflammation, and for lifters
and athletes can promote more testosterone.

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Beef Protein Powder
(ATP labs supreme beef protein)

Protein powder is a great thing to have with you at all times, let’s
face it getting adequate protein can be tough and sometimes its
easy to drink a shake than to eat a meal. I keep some of this with
me at the gym, home and in my vehicle in case I need to eat and
don’t have a food source ready. Now why beef protein instead of
whey or others? Well the beef protein seems to absorb with zero
bloating and doesn’t affect my appetite. I personally don’t react
well to whey (dairy), so this is a good fit for me.

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Jarrow Curcumin (turmeric)

This supplement I have stayed loyal to for 3 years straight. If you

read up on turmeric it is very interesting and very advantageous
for you. Heart disease prevention, cancer reduction, and an
awesome anti-inflammatory, if you train hard, then inflammation
and being achy is your enemy! This helps keep this at bay with
heavy training.

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I hope this manual has helped you with some
new ideas and thought patterns. I’m sure there
are better ways to go about this but these cheat
meals, and the 3-step process I have seen a
great adherence to. The real key is small
changes over a long period of time create great
results!
To use this manual correctly you will need
Stan’s Vertical Diet download. He can go over
many more of the fine tune points needed to
succeed if your goal is to be on stage or
something of that nature. This is a diet spinoff
that I have seen normal people with normal
eating habits stick to and have great results
with both bodyfat reduction and improved
blood work.

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www.wenningstrength.com
www.stanefferding.com
www.atplab.com

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