I lost 80 pounds thanks to a new exercise program: ‘It really changed my life’

The tide has turned for Debi Mitchell.

The 285-pound Floridian suffered from leg and knee pain and shortness of breath that made it difficult for him to cross the street.

“I had retired. I wanted to travel, and I wanted to go places,” Mitchell, 68, told TODAY.com last week.

Fearing for his life, he decided to exercise his heart. His doctor found that although Mitchell’s heart was in good condition, his weight contributed to his fatigue and inability to walk properly. The orthopedic surgeon recommended knee surgery to relieve his pain, but to qualify, he needed to lose 10 kilograms.

“I thought, ‘I can lose 10 pounds.’ I weighed 285, so I had a lot to lose. But I found that no matter what I was doing, I would reach the top, and then quit,” recalled the resident of St. Petersburg.

A Facebook post introduced him to Fluid Running, a guided deep water program that builds water resistance to help users build strength and avoid injury.

A competitive swimmer in her youth, Mitchell thought the fitness program would be a good fit. He had a swimming pool in his backyard, which meant he had few excuses to avoid exercising at home.

The Fluid Running program includes a flotation belt and waterproof headphones to listen to underwater audio workouts.

Mitchell asserts, “I love when I put the headset on and hear, ‘Hello, Fluid Runners,’ from Coach Jennifer … when I start going down, she’ll say, ‘Okay, I know you.’ tired. Get your head back up. Let’s go.’ It’s like you’re in over your head.”

Fluid Running allows users to control the intensity of their workout, which combines resistance, strength training and cardio.

Combined with the low impact program, Fluid Running says participants can burn 40% more calories than they would running on the ground.

At first, Mitchell struggled to complete a 55-minute Fluid Running session. I didn’t even know it was there. And when I did the 5K, I was proud of myself. ”

Two and a half years on, Mitchell is sticking to his swimming.

He’s continued his Fluid Running workouts, averaging three a week — a commitment that’s helped him lose 80 pounds and counting. Most importantly, he went from not being able to cross the street to walking 5 miles a day.

“I started doing it, and it was a turning point for me. It was exactly what I needed – training and encouragement and inspiration. It really changed my life,” he told TODAY .com.

Better yet, Mitchell no longer needs medication to treat his type 2 diabetes — and his weight loss has helped him avoid surgery.

“One orthopedic doctor told me, ‘Every pound of weight you lose takes three pounds of pressure off your knee. So while you’re taking pounds of pressure off your knees, you may not need a knee replacement,’” Mitchell explained to TODAY.com. “He was right. I haven’t had any knee surgery, and they don’t hurt like they used to.”

Pain free, Mitchell is also free to walk. “It definitely made retirement better. Now I want to do things. I’m at the age where I want to walk,” he said. “Before, I couldn’t walk a mile. Now, as long as not more than five miles, I can do it.”

She and her husband have traveled throughout Italy, France, Canada and the US.

Mitchell is proud of his progress and looking to the future, “So I always say, ‘If not now, when?’ Time flies whether you make changes or not. I wish I had had this idea 20 years ago. ”