Some might say Kris Fox is addicted to women’s wellness and they wouldn’t be wrong.

Now after over 15 years of leading both men and women as a trainer and fitness enthusiast, Fox has brought her passion and knowledge to downtown Oakdale. As owner and operator of THF – Thrive Health and Fitness – she has set up shop and is ready to help clients find their ultimate wellness.

Located at 145 N. Second Ave., Oakdale, Fox hosts classes Monday through Friday aimed not at helping clients get thin, but get healthy. In her prior years, Fox has hosted Bootcamps for both men and women. In her new location, her focus is now turned to helping women of all ages achieve overall wellness.

“As I listened to other people share things, I started noticing a lot of people saying the same thing,” Fox said of her recent discoveries. “So that’s why it slowly became more about women. I felt like women needed something. We needed something that was more about us. We needed a space that was sacred.”

The business owner further shared, she herself had gone through a period of gaining weight, putting herself last and losing herself. In doing so and hearing others struggling with the same things, she feels there is a definite need for a space that offers balance, support and a focus on total wellness: mind, body, spirit.

“We have the Tribe,” she said of the group that meets for classes. “It’s centered toward women pulling together.”

The concept she shared was inspired by a group of past clients supporting one another.

She feels it’s important to find the root causes of why someone might be struggling with their weight. Making note of the current GLP-1 weight loss medication trend, Fox is not opposed, but cautions if a person loses the weight without addressing what got them there, chances are they’re more likely to regain the weight. Her goal is to give the tools for long-term success for the Tribe.

To help with raising clients’ awareness, she includes journaling as part of the classes.

“It’s a way to trigger your mind, the way that you’re going to set the day,” she said. “If you do that over and over again it helps shift. That’s my philosophy on how I’m trying to pull in the workouts, the physical, the mindset, the nutrition.”

Fox also shared that she has learned that people consistently fall off the band wagon. So, she works at sharing a workout system that her clients can do in the gym, as well as at home. It’s also important to her that her space encourages clients to be less about image and looks and more about how they feel about themselves. To have a positive body image, she added, can help foster confidence in her clients.

“As we get older, things change,” she said. “I’m all about trying to teach clients how to do things so it’s realistic and works long term and it’s a way of life.”

Fox has plans of offering personal training to the menu in 2026, as well as some other services targeted to help women become their optimum selves. Until then, she offers three separate classes five days a week.

Group classes are currently hosted Monday through Friday at 5:15 a.m.; 6:15 a.m.; and 5:30 p.m.

“If you change your life, if you change your habits, that’s going to be a side effect,” she said of helping clients achieve a healthy body.

Since opening, she’s been delighted by the return of former clients and their encouragement for what she offers.

“I love it. They are my biggest joy,” she said of having them return. “Helping other people feel good about themselves; there’s nothing that makes me feel better than knowing that somebody else, I helped their life somehow.”

As Fox speaks, she offers examples of the success stories of past clients, as well as the community which happens as a result of their commitment to themselves.

“I love coaching. I love teaching. I love helping other people,” she said. “I’m very, very, very involved.”

Yet when all is said and done, Fox confessed it’s not just about training for her. She feels she is emotionally invested with her clients as well.

“That means that I understand them and it’s safe. This is long-term. I don’t want people just to come through here, pay money and be gone. I want them to know, I got your back,” Fox explained. “I just want people to be empowered again. We take care of our families, but we forget about us.”

For additional information on THF, Thrive Health and Fitness, visit them on Facebook at Thrive Health & Fitness/THF Oakdale or text or call 209-985-5095.