The tide has turned for Debi Mitchell. At 285 pounds, the Floridian was suffering from foot and knee pain and shortness of breath that made it difficult for her to cross the street. “I was retired.
I wanted to walk, and I wanted to go places,” Mitchell, 68, griped to TODAY.com last week. Fearing for her health, she scheduled a cardiac workup.
Her doctor found that while Mitchell’s heart was in good shape, her weight contributed to her fatigue and limited mobility. An orthopedic surgeon recommended knee replacement surgery to alleviate her pain, but to qualify, she needed to shed 10 pounds. “I thought, ‘I can lose 10 pounds.
’ I weighed 285, so I had so much to lose. But I found that no matter what I did, I would hit a plateau, and then I would quit,” the St. Petersburg resident recalled.
A Facebook ad introduced her to Fluid Running , a guided deep-water program that leverages water resistance to help users build strength and avoid injury. A competitive synchronized swimmer in her youth, Mitchell thought the workout program would be a good fit. She had a swimming pool in her backyard, which meant fewer excuses to avoid exercise at home.
The Fluid Running program includes a flotation belt and waterproof headphones to tune in to underwater audio workouts. Mitchell maintains, “I just love it when I put on the headset and hear, ‘Hello, Fluid Runners,’ from Coach Jennifer ..
. just when I’m starting to slow down, she’ll say, ‘OK, I know you’re tired. Pick.
