Karen Asp

Karen Asp
Title: Nutrition Expert and Freelance Writer
Education: Miami University, Indiana University
Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana
Expertise: Health, Fitness, Diet and nutrition, Pets

Karen Asp, M.A., is an award-winning journalist and author who covers health, nutrition, fitness, travel, and animals (companion and farmed). She has extensive experience covering these topics for leading publications.

Highlights

  • Karen is a former contributing editor for Woman's Day and fitness columnist for Allure
  • She holds certifications through the American Council on Exercise as a group fitness instructor and personal trainer and is certified as a vegan lifestyle coach and educator through Main Street Vegan
  • She's written two books, including her latest titled, Anti-Aging Hacks

Experience

Karen is an award-winning, nationally published journalist and author who specializes in health, fitness, nutrition, animals, and travel. She has over two decades of experience writing for leading publications like Martha Stewart Living, Better Homes & Gardens, O, SELF, Real Simple, Forks Over Knives, Clean Eating, Oxygen, Shape, Reader's Digest, Eating Well, Health, Sentient Media, Prevention, Good Housekeeping, AARP, AARP's The Girlfriend, Vegetarian Times, and VegNews.

During her career, Karen has held several positions on mastheads. She was the fitness columnist for Allure for eight years and a contributing writer for Woman's Day for eight years. Today, she's a contributing writer for VegNews and Sentient Media and the contributing health editor for TheBeet.com. Although she spends the majority of her time penning articles, she's also the author of two books, including Food Allergies and Intolerances, which she wrote with two Harvard physicians, and Anti-Aging Hacks.

In addition, Karen is an ACE-certified personal trainer and fitness instructor who competes in Nordic walking. As a plant-powered athlete, she's won several world championships and holds two world records in the sport. She's passionate about spreading the message about the importance of plant-based diets and the vegan lifestyle, her expertise enhanced by being a certified plant-based nutrition educator, vegan mentor, and certified vegan lifestyle coach and educator. She's also a frequent podcast and web show guest.

She shares her home with a dog and cat and, since the pandemic, has opened her home to several foster dogs, including a paralyzed pittie mix. She volunteers regularly at her local animal shelter and is a former board member for Indiana's first farmed animal sanctuary.

Professional memberships:

  • Member of ASJA and SATW
  • Group fitness instructor and personal trainer certified through the American Council on Exercise
  • Certified in plant-based nutrition through the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies
  • Vegan Lifestyle Coach and Educator through Main Street Vegan
  • Vegan mentor through Vegan Outreach

Honors and Awards:

  • Three-time MORE winner from the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons
  • Sentient Media's 2021 Winner of the Most Read Story and Freshest Angle

Education

Karen holds a B.A. in journalism from Miami University and a M.A. in literature from Indiana University. She's an ACE-certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor and is certified in plant-based nutrition. She's also a certified vegan lifestyle coach and educator.

About Better Homes & Gardens

Better Homes & Gardens, a Dotdash Meredith Brand, is the only iconic home brand with a 100+ year history of providing trustworthy and achievable ideas for all doers and home-enthusiasts. We are the go-to resource for fresh takes on home, food, and gardening—inspiring people to bring their dreams to life at home on special occasions and every day. BHG reaches 45 million readers each month. Learn more about us and our editorial process.

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