A little about us...

Hi! We're so glad you're here! We're the Overbys. After setting ourselves free from the SAD Standard American Diet, we're passionate about making plant-based eating SIMPLE.

It breaks our hearts when people tell us they want to pursue a plant-based lifestyle but that they don't know where to start or that they'd never be able to sustain a new diet.

We did it. We coach others to do it every day. We truly believe that you can do this, regardless of where you are or where you've been. 

So who are we? We thought it might be fun to answer about each other.

Justin - loving husband, incredible father, certified nutrition advisor, science nerd (might as well throw in data and math nerd to that one), personal trainer, unbelievably impressive runner (seriously, he runs 10+ miles pacing under 7 minutes like it's nothing), leader, and recipe connoisseur 

Jenna - supportive wife, mama bear, recipe quality control ;), photographer, marketing and management guru, encourager, aspiring meal prepper, and walking enthusiast

Taylor Grace - lover of tickles, slides, singing, dancing, and veggies (true story - really anything with fruit, beans, and veggies and she's golden)

Julian - adores his big sister, mama’s milk, and everything we’re eating…and skipping naps at the beach.

OUR STORY

JENNA: There was quite a buildup to the moment we each decided to completely change our eating habits. Rewind 11 years to the year we met, and Justin was working hard 2x/day at the gym to lose the weight he added on in college (80 pounds!), and I was in the never-ending cycle of hormonal issues and weight fluctuations and recently diagnosed with a gluten intolerance.

JUSTIN: I really enjoyed experimenting with new fitness routines and diets, so we’ve tried them all. Crazy 5am spin classes for Jenna, daily weightlifting for me, high carb, then low carb, then low fat, then high. I dove head first into the hype of high protein to build big muscles. All of these “diets” had one thing in common: they didn’t work! We didn’t feel good, we felt restricted, and it wasn’t sustainable. It also took a lot of time and effort to figure out how and where to start with each new diet.

Justin was determined

JUSTIN: Everything I read contradicted something else I read or heard to the point where I was about to give up. I knew there had to be the right diet out there for us...one that fit our needs and was sustainable.  In my research, I was introduced to the plant-based diet and was pretty intrigued. I kept researching, spending all my free time reading books, reviewing worldwide studies, and learning about the environmental impacts of eating animal-based products and animal treatment.  I even went back to the classroom to obtain a nutrition advisor certification.  I knew what I needed to do next - see if and HOW this lifestyle would work for us.

Jenna was skeptical

JENNA:  He came to me with a crazy idea to radically change our eating habits by cutting back on animal products, and I rolled my eyes, covered my ears, and stomped my feet. No way was I giving up cheese! Plus, this wasn’t the protein-obsessed man I knew. I remember asking him what the heck we would eat if we gave up animal products.  He responded with a smile and a simple “We will have to figure it out.” I wouldn’t commit at the time, and I honestly went through a bit of a grieving process for the “life” I always thought we’d have. No ice cream dates with our daughter? How would we ever eat out?

JUSTIN: We each ate differently for a few months. I tried to lead by example but not force anything on Jenna. A big turning point was when we needed to start introducing solids to our daughter. Once again, I went into research mode to validate that she would flourish on this diet as well.  I spent hours meal planning for her to ensure she would receive all of the nutrition she needed.

JENNA: Justin presented me with the data and the facts. After watching (and taste testing ;) ) his new habits, seeing his mood, energy, and appearance improve, and even watching a documentary or two, I decided to give it a shot. The hardest part was getting started - figuring out not only what to do but how to do it. As sappy as it sounds, I attribute my success to the way Justin was able to encourage and teach me based on everything he learned.

and they lived healthily ever after...

It was a difficult journey, one filled with conflict, trial and error, and a mindset shift that has turned us upside down emotionally and physically.  We encountered criticism, withdrawals, hunger, and conflicts in our home. But at the end of the day, together we left a life of guilt and pain for a life of abundance and freedom.

With the unbelievable amount of time spent researching, sorting out the nutrition confusion, finding recipes, wondering why we felt so bad in the beginning, and handling situations with friends and family members, it would have been nice to have an easy button - a button that would give us our time back to be doing things we love, like playing at the park with our daughter, going on family walks, reading, and watching romantic comedies (ok, maybe it’s only Jenna who enjoys that one).

We unravelled the mystery of starting a plant-based lifestyle, and we don’t want others to have the burden of trudging through our same struggles.  We have seen life-changing results from so many of our students, allowing them to revitalize their lives by taking the questions and excuses out of the equation.