Finally, A Doctor With Time To Actually Help You Get Healthy

After 30 years in traditional primary care, Dr. Charles Klettner is doing something different: personalized, one-on-one lifestyle medicine that prevents chronic disease and builds lasting vitality—without the constraints of insurance companies or 15-minute appointments.

A semi-retirement passion project focused on helping motivated individuals build sustainable health

Limited availability • Traverse City

Schedule Your Free Consultation

About Dr. Klettner & His Story

Why I Left Traditional Medicine After 30 Years

After many rewarding years in primary care, where I truly enjoyed building long-term relationships with patients and managing a wide range of health concerns, I reached a point where I knew it was time for a change.

The traditional medical system often felt geared more toward reacting to illness than proactively preventing it — limited time, heavy administrative burdens, and a general focus of the healthcare industry on medications/surgery left limited room for the deeper, personalized guidance that I wanted to provide.

In primary care, I encountered plenty of patients who simply weren't ready or able to make meaningful lifestyle changes, no matter how much we discussed the benefits. That was unfortunate, but understandable; change is hard, especially when life's demands pile up.

At the same time, I saw a solid number of patients who seemed genuinely open to positive shifts like better nutrition, more movement, or stress reduction, but struggled to follow through on their own without consistent support, clear guidance, or accountability.

That's exactly why I'm moving in this direction now: to partner more closely with those motivated individuals who want evidence-based help and are ready to invest in real, sustainable improvements to their quality of life.

A Semi-Retirement Passion Project

I want to be transparent: This is very much a semi-retirement venture for me. I'm not looking to build a large client base or scale up into a big practice. My main goals are simple:

  • Help a few folks on their longevity journey
  • Stay engaged with work I truly enjoy
  • Be part of the Superior PT team
  • Feel fulfilled along the way

I'm not chasing big profits. I'm trying to keep my prices reasonable and straightforward. This is about doing work I love with people who are genuinely motivated to improve their health.

Credentials & Unique Qualifications

A Rare Combination of Expertise

Dr. Klettner brings credentials to lifestyle and longevity coaching that you simply won't find elsewhere:

Board-Certified Internal Medicine Physician

Nearly 30 years as a board-certified internal medicine physician, giving him deep clinical expertise that goes far beyond what most health coaches can offer.

NASM Certified Personal Trainer

He can design a safe, functional movement program tailored to your age and health status.

Culinary School Graduate

As a graduate of the Great Lakes Culinary Institute, he understands food from both a medical and practical cooking perspective, making evidence-based nutrition advice realistic and enjoyable.

Advanced Functional Movement Trainings

Currently enrolled in the Gray Institute for Functional Transformation (GIFT) program—a renowned 40-week mentorship in Applied Functional Science® led by Dr. Gary Gray and team.

Unlike typical coaches, he's qualified to thoroughly review your medical history, medications, and labs. Patients can get guidance that is clinically sound and customized.

The Approach

Evidence-Based Pillars of Longevity

Dr. Klettner focuses on the core basics of longevity: evidence-based pillars like smart nutrition, consistent movement, quality sleep, stress management, and building sustainable habits that add healthy years to life.

Exercise & Functional Movement

Training Philosophy
Dr. Klettner’s training style focuses on functional movements that prepare your body for real-life activities: efficient, multi-joint patterns that build practical strength, mobility, balance, and coordination rather than isolated muscle work.

Resistance Training
We will incorporate resistance training to develop solid, usable strength.

VO2 Max Training
We will also prioritize improving your VO2 max through targeted cardio efforts to boost endurance, energy, and overall cardiovascular health for the long term.

TRX Suspension Training
The TRX suspension trainer is a go-to tool because it leverages bodyweight with instability to challenge core stability, full-body integration, and reactive movements to help you stay confident and steady on your feet.

What you won’t see: Complicated Olympic lifts, very heavy weights, or anything overly technical. Dr. Klettner builds sustainable programs that fit your life, reduce injury risk, and help you move better every day.

The Philosophy: Testing + Action
Dr. Klettner thinks VO2 max testing is genuinely valuable because it’s a proven longevity marker and gives people a concrete number to improve. But he’s seen people spend thousands on fancy tests and then nothing changes. His approach is: do the testing that matters, then actually work together to improve those metrics that truly help with your healthspan through training and lifestyle changes. The coaching, accountability, and staying consistent is where the real value is, not just collecting data.

Nutrition & Cooking

The Philosophy: Testing + Action
With his culinary background, Dr. Klettner counsels people on nutrition in a practical, everyday way that fits seamlessly into real life—no fancy recipes or formal cooking classes required.

During your training sessions, you’ll chat about simple, effective strategies:

  • Smart meal planning
  • Quick and nutritious meal prep ideas
  • Cooking techniques
  • Portion awareness
  • Making sustainable changes to what you’re already eating

The focus is on actionable advice that supports your training goals, energy levels, recovery, and long-term health without overcomplicating things.

Medical Oversight

Medical History & Medication Review
Dr. Klettner will review your medical history and current medications to make sure everything is safe and tailored to you. If he spots anything worth discussing, like any potential changes to support your goals, he might offer some thoughtful recommendations you can share with your primary care physician if you’re interested.

Vital Signs Monitoring
You can regularly monitor vital signs during sessions and pass those updates along to your doctor.

Optional Lab Testing
Laboratory testing is completely optional—it’s not a required part of working together. For those who are interested, Dr. Klettner is happy to help order more advanced labs through Quest Diagnostics, such as ApoB, inflammatory markers, insulin levels, or comprehensive metabolic panels. These tests are often not routinely covered by insurance and are not necessarily ordered by primary care doctors during annual exams. He’s also glad to review any labs you’ve previously had done and discuss what they might mean for your plan. The real heart of what we do will always be actionable lifestyle changes —especially dialing in consistent nutrition and effective exercise—rather than chasing more and more data without putting it into meaningful practice.

Working With Your Medical Team
Dr. Klettner is not here to replace your primary care physician. He’s here to complement their care, not replace it or question it. Your primary care physician remains the leader of your medical team, and Dr. Klettner aims to be a helpful extension, working alongside them to support your long-term health and progress.

Sleep & Stress Management

Sleep as Foundation
Dr. Klettner sees sleep as foundational—”you can’t out-exercise or out-eat poor sleep.” During coaching sessions, he’ll cover evidence-based sleep hygiene such as consistent schedules, bedroom environment, and pre-sleep routines. For stress, he’ll teach practical techniques like breathing exercises and help people identify and modify stress triggers. It’s not formal therapy, but rather practical tools based on what the research shows actually works.

GLP-1 Medication Support (When Appropriate)

Dr. Klettner won’t prescribe GLP-1s since he’s not acting as a primary care physician, but many patients are already on them from their regular doctors. His approach: GLP-1 agents can be appropriately used in some patients, but should always be paired with making lifestyle changes. The goal should be to use the lowest effective dose and, more importantly, build exercise and nutrition habits for the long term.

GLP-1 agents can be a potential tool but hopefully not a long-term strategy for all patients. The real work is building sustainable habits. If you’re on GLP-1s, Dr. Klettner can help with proper nutrition and strength training to prevent muscle loss and build the foundation for eventually discontinuing safely.

What This Practice Is NOT

Clear Expectations

I'm all about focusing on non-pharmacologic measures —things like better movement patterns, solid nutrition, sustainable lifestyle changes, and consistent coaching—to help you feel stronger, more energetic, and healthier over the long term. Your primary care physician remains the leader of your medical team, and I am here to complement their care, not replace it or question it.

I hope to develop the foundations that make everything else work better.
What I won't do:

  • I won't be pushing supplements, as I truly believe that for the most part, they're unnecessary when you're eating real, nutrient-dense food consistently.
  • I'm not a fan of compounded agents often sold through clinics with little or no accountability for better nutrition, exercise, or lifestyle changes.
  • I won't prescribe medications for ongoing health issues like high blood pressure, diabetes, etc. (I'll make recommendations to your PCP when appropriate).
  • No quick fixes, magic pills, or overnight transformations. Real, lasting change takes time and consistent effort.

Programs & Pricing

Personalized Programs For Your Goals

All programs include one-on-one sessions, medical oversight, and are limited to a small founding group.

$1,000

(Introductory Pricing – Limited Availability)

Our most comprehensive program for people serious about transformation.

What’s Included:

  • Initial and final VO2 max metabolic testing to track cardio gains and efficiency (gold standard for longevity)
  • 6 training sessions and 3 lifestyle counseling sessions
  • Thorough medical history review and medication review
  • Potentially helping order advanced labs through Quest Diagnostics (optional)

Best for: People with pre-diabetes, obesity, heart disease risk, or anyone wanting to prevent chronic disease and optimize health span.

Get Started

$300

Great for continuity after formal therapy.

What’s Included:

  • Direct consultation with your physical therapist to align with their program
  • 6 one-on-one sessions: Customized continuation of PT exercises, blending functional fitness, strength/mobility work, and VO2 max elements if needed
  • Integrated lifestyle/nutritional tips to support recovery
  • Medical oversight: Review history/meds to ensure safe progression

Best for: Anyone finishing physical therapy who wants to maintain gains and transition to long-term wellness.

Get Started

$150 (single test) or $275 (two tests 3-4 months apart)

What’s Included:

  • Comprehensive VO2 max test (treadmill or bike) with metabolic insights
  • Post-test debrief: Interpret results, discuss heart rate zones, and recommend next steps (training tips)

Best for: Anyone wanting to establish baseline cardiovascular fitness and track improvements.

Single Test Two Tests

Custom Programs Available

Don't see a package that fits your needs? Let's talk about building a custom plan for you.

Schedule Your Free Consultation

Why This Works / Benefits

Compared to Other Options in Traverse City

Local "longevity clinics": $7,500 per year for testing with minimal follow-through. They focus on measuring (DEXA scans, lab testing, DNA testing, grip strength, VO2 max, movement screening) but lack instructions for people to actually improve their testing.

Functional medicine doctors: $3,000-5,000 for initial consultations and supplement protocols.

Health coaches without medical backgrounds: $200/hour. Personal trainers: $80-100 per hour.

Dr. Klettner's pricing is intentionally much more accessible. He's running this as a semi-retirement adventure rather than a full-on business. His main goals are to help a few folks, stay engaged with work he truly enjoys, be part of the Superior PT team, and feel fulfilled along the way. He's not chasing big profits.

His approach: Do the testing that matters, then actually work together to improve those metrics through training and lifestyle changes. The coaching and accountability is where the real value is, not just collecting data.

Who This Is For

Is This Practice Right For You?

This practice is designed for motivated individuals who are serious about taking control of their health.

You might be a great fit if you:

  • Are a former patient who already knows and trusts Dr. Klettner
  • Are already health-conscious and want to optimize and prevent problems before they start
  • Are not healthy now but are very motivated to make a significant change
  • Have a primary care physician and want a second doctor to help guide you more
  • Are middle-aged and noticing the first signs of health decline (rising blood sugar, blood pressure, weight gain, declining energy)
  • Are on a weight loss journey and want medical expertise and proper guidance
  • Are a more mature patient looking to build or maintain functional strength, improve mobility, prevent falls, and stay independent
  • Have tried to get healthy before but need expert guidance and accountability
  • Understand that real results require time and consistent effort

Important: You don't need to be in great shape already, and you certainly don't have to be ready to overhaul your entire lifestyle overnight—this program is designed for people at any starting point. Whether you're just looking to start moving a little bit more consistently, want straightforward nutrition and movement guidance, or simply a supportive judgment-free place to build confidence and feel better day by day—that's exactly what Dr. Klettner is here for.

He will meet you right where you're at, going at a pace that feels sustainable and good for you, and focus on small, realistic steps that actually stick. Feeling stronger, more energized, and more capable is possible no matter where you're starting from.

The Superior PT Partnership

Why This Location Matters

Dr. Klettner has partnered with Superior Physical Therapy because he's seen multiple success stories with their approach firsthand. "I really enjoy their functional movement philosophy —it's all about looking at how the body actually moves in real life, using things like Applied Functional Science to address root causes rather than just symptoms. It also gives patients access to their excellent physical therapists should that be needed. It aligns perfectly with helping people get back to doing what they love comfortably and confidently." Dr. Klettner has been a top referring physician to Superior Physical Therapy for 15 years and has also attended himself as a patient. He believes in their team approach and their full-body Applied Functional Science approach to patient care. He will be collaborating directly with them onsite.

This partnership creates:

  • Seamless transition from PT to wellness programs
  • Access to physical therapists when pain or limitations arise
  • Collaborative, integrated care under one roof
  • A true continuum from injury recovery to long-term wellness

What to Expect Long-Term

Your Journey Beyond the Initial Program

Dr. Klettner's goal is to support patients in building and maintaining long-term health and vitality. That will look different for everybody depending on each person's unique situation, goals, and lifestyle.

Some patients might thrive with ongoing collaboration, while others may prefer quarterly check-ins paired with VO2 max testing periodically.

Dr. Klettner would love to be there for patients, offering ongoing guidance, accountability, and adjustments whenever they may need them.

Ultimately, the goal is for patients to remain active and enjoy life without major limitations for the long haul.

Success looks like: healthy body weight, exercising daily, confidence, setting and meeting goals.

Accountability That Works for You

Accountability in this practice isn't about weighing in weekly or tracking every little calorie—that kind of micromanagement isn't the focus. The main thing emphasized is showing up consistently for your sessions and doing your best to follow the movement, nutrition, and lifestyle protocols set outside of the clinic.

There will be continued support and encouragement when life gets busy, offering guidance and adjustment as needed. That said, every patient is different—some prefer more structured check-ins, progress tracking, or accountability, and Dr. Klettner will try to meet those needs.

Getting Started

The Process

Step 1

Schedule Your Free Consultation

Contact Dr. Klettner to schedule a complimentary in-person meeting. No pressure, no sales pitch—just an honest conversation.

Send a Message or call 231-944-6541

Step 2

Initial Consultation

Meet at Superior Physical Therapy to review your medical history, discuss your goals, and determine if this is a good fit for both of you. This is your opportunity to ask questions and see if Dr. Klettner’s approach resonates with you.

Step 3

Choose Your Program

If it’s a good match, select the program that best fits your needs—or design a custom plan together.

Step 4

Begin Your Transformation

Start your one-on-one sessions, testing, and coaching. You’ll have support throughout your program.

Note: Dr. Klettner is intentionally starting with just a limited number of patients so he can fine-tune the systems, ensure everything runs smoothly, and give each person focused attention. Space is genuinely limited.

Frequently asked Questions

Based at Superior Physical Therapy, Traverse City

No. Dr. Klettner is not replacing your PCP. You’ll keep your current doctor for ongoing medical care. Dr. Klettner will coordinate with them and make recommendations when appropriate.

No. This is a cash-based practice not billed through insurance. This allows Dr. Klettner to spend the time you actually need without insurance company restrictions.

That’s exactly who Dr. Klettner has 30 years of experience helping. He’ll work safely within your medical limitations and coordinate with your primary care physician for any medication adjustments.

Absolutely. Everything is personalized to your current fitness level and medical situation. Dr. Klettner will meet you where you are and progress safely.

The 3-Month Longevity Kickstart is designed as a comprehensive starting point. After that, some people continue with custom programs, others do periodic check-ins, and some maintain independently with annual VO2 max testing. It’s flexible based on your needs.

Life happens. Dr. Klettner works with you to reschedule when needed. The key is consistency over perfection.

No. Dr. Klettner doesn’t sell supplements. If specific supplementation is medically appropriate, he’ll recommend it, but the focus is on real food and sustainable habits—not pills and powders.

Most charge $7,500+ per year for testing with minimal follow-through. Dr. Klettner’s approach is affordable, focuses on actual coaching and training (not just collecting data), and combines medical expertise with hands-on nutrition and fitness guidance—all from one experienced physician.

Ready to Begin?

Limited Availability

Dr. Klettner is starting with a small founding group to ensure personalized attention and exceptional care.

Founding members receive introductory pricing.

Schedule your complimentary consultation today:

Send a Message or call 231-944-6541