I transformed my life by shedding 80 pounds with an innovative fitness program.

 Here's a rewritten version of the story:

>> Click here to get my fitness secret!

"The tide turned for Debi Mitchell.

At 285 pounds, the Floridian endured foot and knee pain, and struggled with shortness of breath, hindering simple tasks like crossing the street.

Retired and yearning for mobility, Mitchell, 68, lamented to TODAY.com last week, "I wanted to walk, to go places."

Concerned for her health, she scheduled a cardiac assessment. While her heart proved healthy, her weight compounded her fatigue and limited movement. An orthopedic surgeon suggested knee replacement surgery to ease her pain, contingent on shedding 10 pounds.

"I thought, 'I can lose 10 pounds.' But at 285, it seemed daunting. I'd hit plateaus and give up," recalled the St. Petersburg resident.

A Facebook ad introduced her to Fluid Running, a guided deep-water program leveraging water resistance to build strength and prevent injury.

A former competitive synchronized swimmer, Mitchell felt drawn to the program. With a pool in her backyard, excuses for skipping exercise dissolved.

The program includes a flotation belt and waterproof headphones for underwater audio workouts.

Mitchell enthused, "I love putting on the headset and hearing Coach Jennifer say, 'Hello, Fluid Runners.' Just when I slow down, she urges, 'Pick up your head and your balance. Let's go.'"

Fluid Running lets users control workout intensity, blending resistance, strength training, and cardio, with claims of burning 40% more calories than land running.

Initially challenging, Mitchell conquered the 55-minute regimen. "The first time I finished, I didn't know there was stretching afterward. And doing a 5K made me so proud."

Now two and a half years in, Mitchell swims regularly.

She maintains three Fluid Running sessions weekly, helping her shed 80 pounds. Crucially, she's progressed from struggling to cross the street to walking up to 5 miles daily.

"It's been a game changer — coaching, encouragement, motivation. It transformed my life," gushed Mitchell to TODAY.com.

No longer reliant on type 2 diabetes medication, Mitchell's weight loss spared her from surgery.

"An orthopedic surgeon said, 'Every pound lost relieves three pounds of knee pressure. You might avoid knee replacement,'" Mitchell shared. "He was right. No surgery, and no more knee pain."

Pain-free, Mitchell now enjoys traveling. "Retirement's better. Now I want to explore," she said. "I never walked a mile before. Now, up to five miles is doable."

With travels across Italy, France, Canada, and the US with her husband, Mitchell looks ahead proudly. "Now I say, 'If not now, when?' Time passes whether you change or not. Wish I'd thought this way 20 years ago."

>> Click here to get my fitness secret!

EXERCISE,  HEALTH AND WELLNESS, PRODUCTS,  POOLS,  SWIMMING,  WEIGHT LOSS,  WELLNESS