In a wellness landscape increasingly shaped by trends, algorithms and quick fixes, BeLife Fitness stands intentionally—and refreshingly—apart. For founder Dan Donlevie, fitness is not a fad but a lived philosophy built from more than 25 years of coaching and competing, combined with cutting-edge science and technology to help others. Donlevie understands the body from the inside out—from metabolic health to biomechanics—and what it takes to build strength and endurance, lose weight and manage metabolic challenges.
“Be the life that you want,” he says. “Be the life you don’t think is possible.”
It’s more than a mantra. It’s the through line of his career, his own health journey, and the deeply personalized coaching he now brings to his upscale, one-on-one Bernardsville studio.
A Career Built on Science, Not Shortcuts
Long before wearable trackers and macro calculators became mainstream, Donlevie was studying exercise science, sports medicine and metabolic health. He launched his personal training business in 2002—at a time when customized plans, mindset coaching and nutrition-plus-training programs weren’t yet standard practice.
Over the years, he evolved from high-end personal training into endurance coaching, completing 19 Ironmans, ultramarathons and two world championships along the way. But the racing credentials are only part of what sets him apart.
“I think the big difference is that I don’t just know it in the books—I actually do it,” he explains. “I’ve been out there applying it, struggling through it, and figuring it out.”
His combination of real-world athletic achievement and academic training—plus certifications in strength and conditioning, diabetes education, triathlon coaching and athletic training—allows him to create highly individualized programs for athletes and everyday clients alike.
A Personal Health Journey That Became a Professional Calling
In 2012, Donlevie was diagnosed with diabetes, a moment that transformed not only his personal life but his professional approach. What followed was years of self-experimenting, data tracking and learning—long before continuous glucose monitors and wearables were widely accessible.
“I was literally a human guinea pig,” he notes. “The wearables we have now give us so much data—sleep, inflammation, recovery, glucose. They let us truly understand what people are going through.”
That lived experience is what makes BeLife Fitness so uniquely resonant for clients navigating metabolic disorders, hormonal shifts or chronic conditions.
“You’re not going to find many personal trainers with an insulin pump,” jokes Carly during the interview—a simple but powerful truth about Donlevie’s empathy and relatability.
With more than 80 percent of Americans now living with a metabolic disorder, Donlevie sees this work as more critical than ever.
“It’s not just calories in, calories out anymore,” he explains. “It’s hormones, metabolism, inflammation. People need personalized guidance—not noise.”
The Rise of Personalized, One-on-One Coaching
Like many small businesses, BeLife Fitness shifted dramatically during and after COVID-19. Donlevie transitioned fully to one-client-at-a-time training, creating a private, focused environment that clients increasingly crave.
“People needed connection,” he says. “They needed someone in their corner—someone who really understood what they were going through.”
Today, BeLife offerings center on optimizing metabolic health, the body, the mind and daily habits, including:
Medical weight loss: GLP-1s and peptides, in partnership with a physician
Women’s and men’s health metabolic and hormonal coaching, especially for those 50 and older
Programs for type 1, type 2 and prediabetes
One-on-one strength training
Endurance and triathlon coaching, often delivered through TrainingPeaks
Clients range from first-time 5K runners to world championship qualifiers, from new mothers to grandmothers tackling the New York City Marathon.
“No matter where you’re at, I can enhance you,” he shares. “I’ve worked with everyone from elite athletes to people starting from zero.”
Metabolic Health, Longevity and the Future of Fitness
Donlevie’s current research mirrors a broader shift in the wellness world: a move toward metabolic health, longevity science and precise, data-driven training.
He believes GLP-1 medications and peptide therapies—when medically supervised—will soon become standard tools for longevity, much like wearables did a decade ago.
“They’re not shortcuts,” he emphasizes. “They’re tools that help stabilize the internal environment so the work you do externally—lifting, running, eating well—actually sticks.”
His philosophy remains grounded in fundamentals:
mindset, nutrition, strength training, cardiovascular conditioning and consistency over time.
But he also sees the importance of preparing clients for real life.
“A third of your workouts will be great, a third will be okay, and a third will kind of suck,” he says with a laugh. “People don’t talk about that—but it’s the reality.”
His emphasis on resilience, adaptability and forgiveness gives clients more than a fitness plan—it gives them freedom from perfectionism.
Community, Accountability and the Human Side of Health
Though data and science drive his coaching, Donlevie believes the real secret to lasting health is deeply human: relationships, accountability and purpose.
“Most people move toward a deadline,” he explains. “Having something to train for—an event, a race, a goal—keeps people focused.”
He encourages clients to choose one or two meaningful goals each year, ideally shared with partners, friends or family. Connection, he emphasizes, is often the missing ingredient.
“We're not robots,” he notes. “The human element is everything.”
What It Means to “Be Life”
At its core, BeLife Fitness is a place for people who want to be more—physically, mentally, emotionally.
His clients don’t need experience, perfection or even confidence. They only need openness and commitment.
“It can be intimidating to start something new,” Donlevie shares. “But it always starts with that first workout. You don’t need to be a world-class athlete to walk through the door.”
What they will find inside is a coach who offers empathy balanced with accountability, expertise grounded in lived experience and a program built entirely around them.
“People want more out of life,” he says. “My job is to guide them there.”
For more information visit belifefitness.com.
“Be the life that you want, be the life you don’t think is possible.” - Dan Donlevie
BeLife Fitness
Address: 59-65 Mine Brk Rd Suite 301, Bernardsville, NJ
Phone: (973) 650-7580
Website: belifefitness.com