Gary Todd’s life has never been spared out with tragedies. His wife and daughter, the two most important women in his life were both killed in a car accident in 1982 and 1995, respectively. “It was a rough time, especially the first two or three years after (his daughter’s) death. It’s terrible to deal with the loss of a child, especially when you don’t have a spouse to help you cope with it.” With him alone, he coped with depression and grief by overeating. He was 53 years old.

In December 2002, severely overweight, Gary decided to do something. He started walking in his backyard everyday and since got his body fit. He dropped 92 pounds and 12 inches. He managed to include this to his routine. “I put my headphones on, and I walk around the fence for 45 minutes. I’m really moving that whole time. It’s about 3 1/2 miles,” he says. His walk is his second-favorite time of the day. His favorite is the 30 to 60 minutes after he is finished: “I feel so relaxed.”

“Research shows that regular exercise improves mood and boosts the immune system, and Todd believes that’s true. He says he’s happier since he began walking regularly and has had only one minor cold in the past few years.”

According to a study presented at the American Heart Association, one can feel more energetic, happier and calmer after taking a brisk walk for as short as 20 to 30 minutes a day, three times a week.

The director of preventive medicine research at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Timothy Church agrees. “Exercise makes you feel better, the more you do, the more you benefit.”

Read more USA Today, photo courtesy of USA Today.