He Beat Depression, Became a Trainer. His Vegan Diet & Secret Move to Destress

Steve Pilot describes himself as a "normal guy" who dealt with major depression, anxiety, and devastating heartbreak and found a new way of living, eating and training that helped him recover from all three. His journey from a depressed, overwhelmed engineer to a magazine-cover bodybuilder involved changing the way he ate, worked out, and his career, and now he wants to help others live their best life. Pilot shares how he went from being a miserable, anxious round-the-clock desk jockey to a personal trainer and bodybuilder, including exactly what he eats in a day and his secret (simple) workout move that you can do anywhere that you have a wall and a clear floor space in front of it.

In his 20s, Pilot knew that he couldn't continue on his miserable path, working around the clock, eating garbage, and feeling both anxious and depressed. It was making him feel so inhuman that something had to give. He came home one day and told his then-girlfriend of two years that he needed to quit his job, that he had enough saved that he wanted to travel and he wanted her to come with him. The next day they decided they would set out on an adventure, back-packing around the world and supporting themselves on their savings. They traveled around Asia, visiting Nepal, Thailand, and China, and made their way to Africa, and eventually South America, enjoying some of the best meatless meals and meeting interesting people from all around the globe.

On this journey to be healthier, both mentally and physically he found out that the food he had been eating at his engineering job was contributing to his physical and mental distress. He watched the documentary Earthlings, which convinced him to try a vegetarian diet. He felt so much better but it was only the first step on his journey to a fully plant-based diet. Six months later, in Nepal, they attended the Gadhimai festival, which takes place every five years, which involves the sacrificial ceremony where animals are slaughtered to please Gadhimai, the goddess of power. That event prompted him to eliminate dairy from his diet and he became vegan.

Switching to a vegan diet was the best thing that's ever happened to him. He felt lighter, had more energy, and best of all, less depressed because he felt like a better person morally since he wasn't eating any animal products. He continued his vegan diet for the rest of their travels which took them to over 80 different counties, finally returning to Germany after living in hostiles around the world for five years.

When they returned from their travels, Pilot had no plans to return back to engineering, but nor did he see his relationship coming to an end. Just as they arrived back home to Germany, they split up after seven years. Pilot was devasted. He went to the gym and began to take all of his anger and frustration out by working out and he would spend 12 hours a day lifting weights and getting his body in shape. He began to feel good about himself. For months, his daily routine was the same: Wake up, head to the gym, come home, eat a vegan dinner, go to bed. He was perfectly fine with his schedule, but he needed some type of spark in his life. He decided to move to Thailand, his favorite travel destination that he had been longing to return to.

He packed up his life and began a fresh start in Bangkok, Thailand, where he fell in love with the beautiful landscape, spent time in nature, loved the people, and finally loved his own life all over again. In his new city, Pilot continued to workout and saw incredible results with the combination of heavy lifting and a plant-based diet. The only thing that was missing was a job. He wanted to do something he loved, so he started his own personal training company called Steve Pilot Fitness, which he grew over the years to help others meet their fitness goals and learn how to eat more plant-based.

Pilot has been on the cover of several magazines including Muscle and Fitness, and most people are shocked to learn that he has built his muscular physique without eating any animal protein. His client list is growing, and he teaches virtually and in person. One favorite class is a hand-stand class every Wednesday, to better his own hold time and introduce the strength concept to others.

He found that standing on his head helped his anxiety, calmed him down, "numbed his mental torment" and built upper body strength. Now he is known as the trainer who teaches others how to use handstands to help them feel better mentally and physically as well. You can watch his classes on YouTube. He does up to five hours of handstands a day. But you can start with a minute or two and build up your wrist strength with his easy tips.

We spoke to Pilot, now 40 and ten years into his vegan journey, about his incredible transformation, and he shared exactly what he eats in a day.  He hopes his struggles inspire others to make small changes that add up to a happier life. He tells people how he overcame heartbreak, depression, and anxiety, and teaches them how to get in the best shape of their life, without any animal products.

Steve Pilot: I was feeling depressed, stressed, and anxious for most of my life, and when I quit my job I wanted a healthier existence, so I researched all types of diets and came across the vegetarian diet and watched the documentary Earthlings.  It was almost immediate when I decided to eliminate meat from my diet after everything I learned. Then, when I traveled to Nepal and went to the Gadhimai festival I had to eliminate every animal product from my diet including dairy so I went from vegetarian to vegan in less than six months. It's been about 10 years since I went vegan.

Steve Pilot: I felt amazing. I had more energy, my spirits were lifted, and I felt like a better person now that I wasn't killing animals or hurting them. Now, I feel my best. My entire physique has changed and if the diet actually helps me get stronger in the gym, I don't feel sluggish. My clients who switch their diets, all notice a difference in the skin as well as improved physical performance. I've had some women talk about how their acne cleared up once they went vegan and they feel so much better.

Steve Pilot: It has opened so many doors for me. It actually inspired me to go learn about the culture and the foods people eat around the world and that's when I traveled to almost 80 different countries. Eating vegan has also impacted my career because I feel so good about helping others eat healthier and also workout in a smarter way, without inflammation.

Steve Pilot: I practice intermittent fasting, so my first meal is at lunchtime, unless I workout really early and I'm starving I'll eat a banana.

My lunch is always tofu, chickpeas, brown rice, broccoli, and pumpkin.

Then, I'll have a fruit smoothie at 4 pm and a coffee.

Dinner is always a homecooked meal. If I'm on the go, it's a big bowl of oats with different toppings and since I'm a single guy I don't like to cook big meals.

I actually have a favorite cookbook called Vegan for Beginners where you can find protein-packed vegan meals for singles.

Steve Pilot: Well, I train on an empty stomach which works really well for me because when I'm lifting or doing handstands, I want to be in a balancing position and I can't tuck my stomach in all the way [if I recently ate]. I also don't eat as much as most people think. I keep it very simple and my body adjusts to my eating schedule. Intermittent fasting helps a lot with digestion so I never feel bloated or heavy.

Doing handstands every day has helped me get through a lot and people think it looks so easy but if you kick your legs up against a wall, it'll be hard to hold it for a minute straight, and I'm not using a wall. Handstands are really good for you because you're bringing the blood from your feet to your head and it helps with circulation. I think it also makes me a happier person. There are seven billion people in the world and only 100 people can do what I do with handstands. I hold them for several minutes for at least five hours a day.

Steve Pilot: Yes, a few. Improve your movement capacity daily, become the best version of yourself, and get fit, stay healthy, and eat plants.

The base of Vega is pea protein, brown rice protein, and sacha inchi (a seed eaten like a nut) protein. One serving of Vega has only 80 calories and 15g of protein. Vega's protein powder is a great choice for anyone who struggles to get enough greens in their diet. The proteins are combined with alfalfa powder, spinach powder, broccoli powder, and organic kale powder giving you 2 servings of veggies in one scoop. The taste of this protein was described as "artificial" whereas others thought it tasted like birthday cake. We recommend adding this into a smoothie, but luckily all you have to add is fruit since Vega has the greens covered. This low-cal powder won't break the bank at $1.20 a scoop.

Tom Brady's TB12 pea protein powder consists of simple ingredients with no additives. For anyone who is allergic to soy or nuts, TB12's pea protein-based powder is a great option. It's hard to say no to this powder with 24 grams of protein. Don't hide this powder in a smoothie, mix it with water and you will immediately see a thick consistency resembling a vanilla milkshake. Not only does it look like a milkshake, but it tastes like it too. TB12 recommends drinking this powder up to 20 minutes after a workout for the best recovery. You have to order this powder on the TB12 website since it isn't available in stores or on Amazon. Less than $2 per serving!

PlantFusion is a blend of peas, artichokes, algae, and superfoods. The deep yellow-gold coloring of PlantFusion's protein powder set this brand apart from the rest. Some testers found the flavor wasn't overwhelming, making it a great addition to a smoothie, whereas others felt the powder was sweet. For those of you who aren't a fan of Stevia, buy the natural, no-stevia blend. This protein powder is low in fat, and carbs, making it a great choice for anyone wanting to lose weight while still getting enough protein (21g a serving). PlantFusion's powder has a sweetness not everyone enjoyed since Stevia is an ingredient. $1.20 a scoop, makes this a deal!

Vivo Perform is the most superfood-packed protein powder of this bunch. Athletes will appreciate this protein powder made of pea protein, hemp protein, plant-based BCAA (branched-chain amino acids), reishi mushrooms, acai berries, lucuma fruit powder, maca powder, and turmeric extract. Vivo Perform is $59 on Amazon so go straight to their website for a cheaper price at $51 for the pouch pictured below. With 25g of protein and complete amino acid profile helps athletes to build, perform, recover, and absorb. If you want a quick protein drink after a workout, use a shaker bottle when mixing or this powder will stick to the sides of the cup. In the mood for a protein-filled breakfast? Add to your oatmeal or smoothie bowl with this recipe.

Elevate is a pea and hemp protein-based powder that also is made with sweet potato powder. For anyone looking to convert from whey protein powders, Elevate is the plant-based protein for you. This powder is meant to be used in beverages such as smoothies. The thin consistency doesn't mix well with water and becomes chalky. If you aren't in the mood for a protein smoothie, add a scoop to your pancake batter. For a complete recipe check out Elevate's Chocolate Chip Banana Protein Pancakes. This powder is another affordable choice at $1.60 a scoop.

Momentous protein powder is a combination of pea and rice protein concentrate. Testers liked the initial scent of mint and thought it was refreshing. This powder is perfect for anyone who likes sweeter drinks. Momentous powders are NSF International Certified for Sport, which means the product label is 100% accurate and there are no banned substances present in this powder. This is one of the pricier protein powders at $60 a tub but is worth it for athletes looking for a clean and effective post-workout powder. We recommend either mixing with water or adding to a smoothie for a more nutrient-dense drink. The priciest powder of the bunch at $3 per serving.

Garden of Life is made of pea, buckwheat, amaranth sprout, and brown rice. We didn't love the green color of the powder or the way it smelled but once we mixed it with water, it tasted surprisingly good. Garden of Life is the easiest to mix with water, plan-based milk or in a smoothie. The vanilla flavor isn't overpowering so you can add this to any combination of smoothies and not be overwhelmed by the taste of vanilla. And it's only $1.20 per scoop!

Tone It Up protein powder is a blend of sunflower seeds and pea protein. The minute we opened the container, everyone loved the smell of this powder. Tone It Up is known to be a great addition to baked goods. The next time you make your protein muffins, add Tone It Up to the mix. We don't suggest adding this powder with just water but instead a smoothie with fruits and veggies.

The name of this powder says it all. Nuzest is the cleanest protein powder since it is made out of only 3 simple ingredients: Pea protein isolate, natural vanilla flavor, and thaumatin (a low-calorie sweetener). For $45, you are supposed to get 20 servings out of one container, but at a glance that didn't seem accurate. This high protein, low carb powder is perfect to blend with plant-based milk and ice. The consistency is smooth and adds thickness to any protein shake.