Tragedy and Treasure

CEO, Amber Thiel

Although I was the skinny girl growing up and an athlete in high school and college, I wouldn’t have labeled myself as healthy. I struggled with depression, acne, eating disorders, insomnia and daily fatigue through my teens and into my twenties. I hated the way I looked and what I was doing to myself. I counted calories, I popped diet pills, I exercised for hours, I binged, I beat myself up and the cycle continued. I would do almost anything to stay “thin and perfect.”

Our Mom

Watching my mom die of breast cancer was the greatest gift and loss in my life. The gift was the reality of my mortality. I went on a journey of self growth and education that would later manifest as The Healthy Edge. I feel proud to say; I love myself and my body, unconditionally. The number on the scale no longer represents who I am or drives my choices. I live a life free of disease, depression, bondage and pain…and I’m thin as a side effect!

The greatest gift on my journey was finding my soul mate, Brian. Without him, the gift of The Healthy Edge would have never reached beyond the weekly meetings in our living room. His heart and soul is in every aspect of this program and cook book. Brian and I have committed our lives to redefining the health reality for future generations. You can have it all! Live the abundant life!

Amber’s Journey

Education & Athletics

Amber graduated Summa Cum Laude from The University of Findlay, earning a Biology degree and a Masters of Education. Earning a starting position all four years of her college career, Amber received many athletic and academic accolades including being honored as an Academic All-American volleyball player.

After graduating with her Masters Degree, Amber went on to teach Anatomy & Physiology and Biology at Findlay High School. As a first year teacher in her early twenties, Amber took on the head coaching position of a struggling volleyball program. In three years, she led the team to consecutive conference championships. Coaching and empowering young students and athletes was something Amber excelled at and is still extremely passionate about. Several of the athletes she coached went on to earn college scholarships for both athletics and academics.

Amber then went back to her Alma Mater as the Assistant Volleyball Coach for both the Men’s and Women’s volleyball programs at The University of Findlay. Her athletes would agree that she was always providing guidelines on how to fuel their body and was known to have “strict rules” when the van would pull up to a fast food joint after a game. Along with coaching, Amber was also a professor of Human Nutrition and Wellness.

Character & Leadership Preparation

After Amber and April’s mom’s death, they both completed all of the Klemmer & Associates seminars. K&A is a character and leadership development company that supported her in developing her purpose in her life and getting her own emotional and physical health in check.

Amber & Brian

Amber & Brian

In her late twenties, Amber met her husband, Brian, and moved to Seattle, WA. They were married in August of 2007. She became a NASM certified personal trainer and began training individuals and groups of people on their physical journey. Her passion, however, has always been to empower and teach people about how to be proactive in their health. Personal training was addressing only a small part of the scope of health. This passion and vision is what ultimately led to the first group of people being invited into Brian and Amber’s home to ignite the concept of The Healthy Edge.