One of the hardest things to do while on this rollercoaster ride that we call life is to implement and/or accept the swoops, loops, twists and turns of change. 

Whether you're the "control freak" who feels the need to hold on to normal at the first hint of change, or a "fly by the seat of your pants" kind of person who just holds on and hopes for the best, change is, at least for the city of Richmond, necessary.

At least as far as health is concerned.

As mentioned in the debut article of "Shapin' Up!" a 2007 Forbes study indicated that Richmond was ranked as the 18th most obese city in the United States. Well now it's time to ask what we can do, as individuals and as a city, to change that statistic.

For some, this means shifting your focus to what you eat, how you cook it and how much goes onto your plate, into your mouth and ultimately through your digestive system. For others, it's scheduling more time to get to the gym.

For most, however, and in order to reach that happier, healthier you, it's about making the commitment to both eat better and become more active, in hopes of making one, life-changing move for yourself.

However, for purposes of this column, we're going to focus on the latter.

Back in July, TIME.com ran an article based on a study from the Physical Activity and Weight Management Research Center at the University of Pittsburgh, questioning the conventionally accepted advice that 30 minutes a day will keep the poundage away.

In "The Myth of Moderate Exercise," author Laura Blue states, "what has become increasingly clear … is that the conventionally accepted advice -- 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity most days of the week -- is probably insufficient to spur any real change in a person's body weight."

Furthermore, in discussing results of the study, it was agreed that, "exercise was more strongly associated with weight loss than any other factor, including diet."

That's not to say even if you do exercise more than 30 minutes a day, that going home and, as a previous commenter pointed out "woofing down three cupcakes" is a good idea. In fact, it's a pretty bad idea.

But as far as spurring significant change in your own body weight is concerned, it's exercise you should be most concerned with.

So what does this mean for Richmonders who are looking for start their own weight-loss routine from scratch, and who are looking for the proper information and tools to do so?

The first step, and arguably most important, is to set realistic and obtainable goals.

"Most people begin a weight loss program with somewhat unrealistic weight loss goals.  An average person can aim to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week if following a reasonable diet and exercise program," said Matt Swanson, a nationally certified trainer, with Gold's Gym -- the Fan and Willow Lawn.

"Anyone who is serious about starting a weight loss program should first speak with their physician."

This means figuring out your body mass index (BMI), your target heart rate for maximum calorie burn, and most importantly, how to personalize your "get healthy" plan.

"The next step is to develop a workout program including a mixture of cardio and weight training," Swanson said.

Swanson goes on to suggest that most individuals, looking for sufficient and measurable weight loss, should complete between a 50 and 80-minute work out most days of the week, with 30 to 45 minutes dedicated to weights and 20 to 35 minutes dedicated to cardio.

These numbers directly correlate with the University of Pittsburgh's findings that "the biggest weight losers were active a full 68 minutes a day, five days a week."

"Most trainers with a common sense outlook on training overweight clients recognize that 30-minutes of cardio simply isn’t adequate to achieve measurable, sustainable weight loss," Swanson said.

The bottom line: more is better and don't slack off.

"It is important for people to realize that losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight are lifetime commitments," Swanson said. "Weight fluctuation is a normal part of every day life.  If someone is committed to themselves and their health, they can take those little fluctuations in stride, and maintain their happy, healthy weight indefinitely."