Karen Dobbelstein

For 35 years, I have helped around 1,500 people get stronger, lose weight, improve their mobility and balance, and eat better. They felt better and felt better about themselves. They liked their new look. My coaching is results driven. I have helped an equal number of men and women from the ages of 16 to 99.

Clients come to me for many reasons. Some want to get stronger and improve their endurance. They want to travel and be able to walk for hours each day. They want to work in their garden. They want to get down on the floor to play with their children or grandchildren. They want to climb stairs and not get winded and need to rest.

Some have serious medical conditions they want to improve. They may want to control their blood sugar, lower their blood pressure and cholesterol and stop having to take pills, lower their risks of heart attacks and cancer, improve their cardiovascular system, or get rid of severe back pain.

Others want to look and feel better. They want to fit into a great outfit for an upcoming wedding or class reunion, and then permanently maintain that size. They want to dance the night away on a special occasion without excessive joint pain and fatigue. They want to play tennis in a league with their friends.

Every reason mentioned above and many more are from actual clients I have and continue to work with. I help them turn their wants into reality.

Success Stories

One of my success stories is about a woman I worked with from when she was 80 years old to when she died at a month shy of her 97th birthday. She came to me with an injured back that would not heal. She hurt it by diving for a ping-pong ball! She wanted her back to feel better so that she could play tennis again. We worked together to get her back stronger and feeling better again and to get her mobility and balance ready for her to go out on the tennis court again. We accomplished all of these. She eventually stopped hitting tennis balls when she was around 90. But she remained independent, living in her own house until she passed.

Another person I enjoyed working with was a woman who wanted to lose thirty pounds so that she could enjoy hiking with her small children while on vacation. It took her about 6 months to lose the fat weight. She also gained eight pounds of muscle and dropped 4 sizes. She was stronger, more confident, and loved her new look! She still goes hiking with her family today—15 years later.

Education & Experience

I have always enjoyed many sports and physical activities, like hiking, biking, and whatever looked challenging and fun. After a false start studying marketing management, I promptly redirected my studies and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science (formerly Fitness Management) with a minor in Psychology from Youngstown State University and a Master’s degree in Sport Pedagogy from Kent State University.

I have taught physical education courses at two universities and a vocational school, all while running my personal training business and briefly owning a small corporate fitness center. I continue to study and keep up to date with the latest industry news, research, and wellness studies to make sure that I give you the best guidance.

Online Fitness & Wellness Coaching

In 2022, I transitioned to online coaching because I have always wanted to reach and work with more people. I feel my three decades of experience and knowledge can help many more people live their best active lives.

To achieve this, I created, “Active Living Fitness by Karen.” This program is more than sets and reps. It’s about a life-changing experience that makes you stronger, helps you move better, shed those extra pounds, eat better, and improve your overall well-being.

And I am introducing my new program called “Conquer.” It is an 8-week diabetes, prediabetes, and insulin resistance program. I used the latest research and my decades of experience to design a program that helps people lose weight, lower their blood sugar levels, learn what to eat, learn new lifestyle habits, and begin a new active lifestyle.

The Active Life

Don’t miss out on experiencing a full and active life just because you aren’t in your best shape, physically or mentally. Whatever you want to do with your life does not have to hinge on hope or an “I wish I could.” Improving your overall health allows you to do whatever you desire.

Are you ready to begin?