Stan Efferding is an accomplished powerlifter, bodybuilder, and dietitian with years of experience helping individuals lose weight while perfecting their fitness. In a recent YouTube video on January 11, 2025, Efferding broke down his two non-negotiable supplements, post-workout nutrition, and dieting advice for sedentary individuals.
Stan ‘The White Rhino’ Efferding is celebrated in the world of powerlifting and bodybuilding. Throughout his career, he dropped jaws with impressive feats of strength. At one point, he was named the Mr. Olympia 2010 World’s Strongest Professional Bodybuilder. Given his decorated status as an IFBB Pro, his opinions on dieting and supplementation carry substantial weight.
Efferding created the ‘Vertical Diet,’ which caters to athletes and larger individuals who require a greater caloric intake. From adequate protein and carbohydrate demands to making the most of dieting approaches, he remains a pillar of knowledge for those seeking better bodies, regardless of their fitness levels.
Stan Efferding Reveals Top 2 Supplements for Workout Performance, Discusses Dieting for Sedentary Individuals and Post-Workout Nutrition
In a recent YouTube video, Stan Efferding revealed that Vitamin D and magnesium glycinate are the two most important supplements to be taking. He explained that both are crucial and are difficult to obtain from food.
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“Yeah, they are hard to get from food, that’s one of the big challenges, to get sufficient vitamin D, particularly in your climate, up in Canada,” he shared. “Vitamin D, the sun vitamin, the hormone, Pro hormone, I have seen consistently and I’ve experienced myself with blood testing that it can be low with athletes in particular.”
He wouldn’t suggest mega-dosing vitamins even if you’re deficient. Efferding also mentioned that if your Vitamin D level is 50, bringing it up to the 70-90 range probably won’t offer any performance benefits.
“If it’s below 30, it makes sense to bring that up. Now, if your vitamin D is 50, bringing it up to 70, 80, or 90, isn’t going to give you any additional performance benefits. I don’t want to suggest mega-dosing vitamins is a good plan. Generally speaking, we have a high percentage of the population that’s deficient in vitamin D.”
In addition to Vitamin D, Efferding suggested individuals take magnesium, which can improve sleep quality. He takes magnesium glycinate which is more absorbable than other options.
“If you take vitamin D right before bed, it may impair sleep. I suggest taking that in the morning. Magnesium, just the opposite. When you take magnesium with dinner, it seems to help sleep.”
“Magnesium glycinate is the one I currently take. There’s multiple types. Some might cause loose stool. Some are less absorbable than others,” he shared. “Those are the two that’s the foundation.”
As for post-workout fuel, Efferding doesn’t see an issue with ingesting protein and carbs after training, especially if you’re an athlete who demands more fuel.
“I know that the scientific community has talked about there not being an anabolic window and you don’t need to jam down protein immediately after a workout. My answer to that is nobody ever got big not eating.”
“We have a different demand on us [athletes], calories are king. We got to get so many meals in a day. So, there’s nothing wrong with taking in protein and carbs post-workout it’s just another feeding opportunity to get more calories in,” he shared.
When offering dieting tips for sedentary individuals, Stan Efferding emphasized the importance of sleep and 10-minute walks after eating.
“Well, the general sedentary person trying to be healthy, we’re still focusing on sleep, We’re still taking 10-minute walks after meals. When we get to diet, generally speaking, if they are carrying excess body fat that’s the one thing we want to focus on.”
To shed fat, he believes sticking to a small calorie deficit is best. He also focuses on satiety.
“The general population, they typically want to lose weight, get into a calorie deficit, a small calorie deficit, so they need to focus on satiety.”
“I’m focused mostly on satiety. I’m looking at that satiety index. I’m looking at raising their protein.”
With years of experience coaching athletes like strongman Mitchell Hooper, there’s no denying Efferding’s knowledge of diet and supplementation. His holistic approach to wellness is welcome in a community full of misconceptions.
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Watch the full video from the Mitchell Hooper YouTube channel below:
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