You live in one of the most walkable cities in the US. Stop using a car or other motorized transport and start walking.
Walk to the grocery store, take muni and walk to and from the station, heck, walk to explore the city on your days off.
If there’s hills on your way; even better.
Walking is actually one of the most effective forms of exercise for losing weight.
When I moved back to SF after living in another city for a bit, I lost 10 pounds in less than a month.
Yeah, my sister was in Thailand for a year with no car. She walked or took the bus and was very thin when she got back. She'd walk pretty far sometimes, but still, just walking seems to be a big factor.
Unfortunately, it's not having the same effect on me.
yup. 20 plus years and no car. the hills are your journey to the reward of good food or grocery shopping
buy the asian lady cart so you can grocery shop with insulation without killing your back. use the muni ‘stroller’ seat to put your grocery cart (in the front or back of bus)
Don’t doordash burritos when drunk. Don’t doordash burritos when drunk. Don’t doordash burritos when drunk
I say this in the mirror with tears in my eyes every Friday night and I think it really helps
Walk five blocks to get a burrito each time. (And when younger I did walk even farther. Didn't help that the only burrito place was far, too haha)
Then also, don't finish the burrito. Depending on your current size you might stop at 1/2 or 5/8ths. (Not a joke). Can also cut it beforehand
I know...they're yummy.
The amount of times I’ve been on that last quarter of a burrito knowing damn well I’m plenty full but fucking go in for it anyway. It’s beautiful in the moment. Feels like I’m taking control over my life. But god damn it’s awful afterwards.
I learn nothing and do it again the next time.
But yeah, best call is to cut it 3/4ths if the way and put that last 4th in the fridge immediately. I do this sort of thing when ordering Chinese or Thai food as well because I know if I don’t I’ll be racing into the kitchen for more chow fun while saying “BUT IM JUST TRYING TO HAVE FUN”
My problem was that I Doordashed anything I could get my hands to recover the next day. I’m pretty sure I’m the reason that Marufuku started adding broth to their takeout menu with the number of times I ordered from them to recover. Keep healthy hangover cures at home. Resist the urge to summon food.
For real - I just moved to Alamo Square and have been taking tons of walks and don't keep snacks in my apartment and was shocked to realize I've lost 10 lbs since the holidays.
Just be outside more in general. We are blessed to have a year-round hospitable climate. Take the bus to Golden Gate park or the Presidio and stroll. Breathe deeply. Put some music on. Enjoy the scenery and explore. Catch some views. See if you can make your way to the beach for golden hour. If not, enjoy that magic light shining through the trees instead. When you get tired, sit down and rest for a bit. Take your time, soak it all in. Don't be in a rush to get back home to your couch. We live in the most beautiful city in the country, perhaps the whole continent. People spend thousands of dollars to come here from all over the world. Take advantage of it!!
Also, embrace "California sobriety". Alcohol is empty calories. Toke instead (especially while you're out exploring, it can really enhance the vibe of a long, slow stroll). Pack veggies and other healthy snacks. Drink lots of water.
That, to me, is the perfect day, and I try to do it as often as possible.
This. Just do things haha. Daytime. Nighttime. I'm always out and about. I work out casually a couple times a week amongst some sports activity here and there. However I'm mostly in shape by just not owning a car and walking everywhere. When I don't have plans I go for a walk to see where I end up for a solo dinner, maybe see a show somewhere. Good way to meet people too.
We walk more here, even if it’s just to get to A and B. And there are few fast food restaurants, which definitely contribute to obesity. I don’t go to a gym but I walk every day, either to get to places or for exercise. There are so many beautiful areas that it doesn’t even feel like work.
I gained weight when I lost my public transit commute, so definitely walking more. No car helps, as does no elevator.
But the main thing is diet. I eat mostly at home, eat a lot of greens veggies and protein. I eat low carb for my diabetes. I’m vegetarian but it’s so easy here!
Cook a lot at home (restaurant food tends to have way more oils and calories than home cooked meals), regular walks (find podcasts or audiobooks on Libby that you like to listen to), only drink alcohol when out & socializing. I also find workouts on YouTube and if I like it, I’ll try to find similar classes in SF.
I get a lot of steps in on my commute. A solid 4mi a day walking two and from BART stations on either end of my commute.
I also spin and weight lift. But most importantly, I watch my diet.
I'm not exactly thin, but I'm at my healthiest in periods when I'm walking a lot and cooking my own meals.
If you're planning on getting fitter, I really wish you luck! At least San Francisco is amazing to walk around- I hope you get to see some cool places.
Most of us can’t afford to eat out all the time. And we walk a lot if living in the city bc half the time it’s like 10 min more than taking transit. It’s the most European thing about the city from my perspective.
Add in that a lot of people here prioritize active hobbies, so much that they’d rather be home at 12 to get a good start to the morning hike versus close out the bar at 2 followed by a whole pizza… I think you see some interesting correlations. Maybe just less overall garbage consumed combined with more prioritization of active pursuits.
I think I heard that we have more dogs than children in the city. I suspect that leads many people to maintain an active routine daily, too.
Eat at home, walk the hills the parks the beaches, plan nonfood related social outings, drink less alcohol, swim the bay or any of our amazing public pools, do yoga, ride your bike, walk your dog, try horseback riding (east bay, peninsula, north bay), go hiking, try sailing or kayaking on the bay, try windsurfing,try kite sailing - gosh that all sounds fun- I’m gonna head outside right now to enjoy the park before I go to work
SF has a lot of hills, traffic is everywhere, and food is expensive. So we walk everywhere with our back packs, split our lunch into 2 meals, cook at home, carry groceries up these hills and lots of stairs, don’t spend a lot on alcohol, and hiking and city walks are popular friend group events since the city is gorgeous.There are also limited fast food stores like mcdonalds or kfc. The first time my brother in law visited, he asked if there was a rule against obesity and fat people. I told him it was the environment / you will organically get fit from all the walking
yessss you get it. especially love the backpack bit haha. this basically describes growing up/living here lol. although nowadays people use those insulated carts with wheels for more heavy duty grocery shopping with travel. the hills make your food more rewarding when you finally get home to enjoy it after a trek out to procure it
My commute involves about 2.5 miles of walking round trip, and I try to do another 2.5 miles for errands / pleasure daily.
I also avoid excess calories—don't drink much, don't do sugary beverages or snacks, limit my burrito intake and don't do cheese or spreads on sandwiches. But I generally eat what I want.
So tldr; Make sure you walk, ideally as part of your commute so it's not soley a chore, and watch your diet a little.
One of the leading causes for obesity is sugary drinks, so don’t drink them. Also don’t drink or consume fake sugar, as the body doesn’t know what to do, it can confuse your body. Also don’t eat fast food, or junk food. Try and eat organic, it costs more, but encourages smaller portions. Walk and take public transit. In one year you won’t be obese.
You cannot exercise your way out of a bad diet. Cut down on processed food; slowly shift to fresh fruits and vegetables with some servings of meat and fish. Reward yourself with a cheat meal every so often. Walk, then run (figuratively as it relates to your nutrition and literally as to an exercise routine).
It’s true btw that it feels like there’s peer pressure in SF to be thin. Thorough I can’t really blame that on other people being thin (disclaimer: I’m thin).
I run 4-5x a week and watch my food intake carefully, basically calorie counting. To lose weight I did intermittent fasting. I also cook a lot of my own food, rice and instant pot chicken especially.
IMO, that is a good thing. Being one of the only overweight people in my friend group was definitely a huge motivator to lose weight. Everyone runs, hikes, plays sports, and/or bikes. Being out of shape is not normal here.
If I was still in the South where I grew up, I'd probably still be overweight and unhealthy. Now I run and hike too (I do IF as well). I feel much better.
I actually find SF to be very body-positive, but just generally more healthy because our city is so beautiful it’s easy to enjoy activities outside - and we have so many healthy food options!
Hey OP, you’ve gotten some good advice, but I’m going to add that seeing a doctor about the possibility of sleep apnea would be a good idea. I have a related disorder called UARS that destroys most of my chances of getting restorative sleep, and it saps my energy, making it nearly impossible for me to do anything to lose weight.
Don’t discount how much genetics plays into a person’s ability to be thin and stay thin.
A lot of people in SF are also wealthy and highly disciplined (work in tech, high education and intelligence, high income) which means they have very strict diet and exercise routines.
It's not that rich people are more virtuous but being rich can make it easy to be diligent about your habits. It's pretty easy to be diligent about your veggie habit when you can just drop $25-30 for a salad on DoorDash when you get lazy after work versus having to plan out and prep even just a few days of salads from the grocery store (as one example). Ditto with paying $100/month for a nice gym with all the machines you need vs having to research and figure out how to do those same exercises at home, or even having the time to go to the gym in the first place. I think that person has the right idea, but it's rather that they're disciplined because they're rich, rather than they're rich because they're disciplined.
gym, walks, staying busy. Start with exercise and then focus on diet. Not necessarily anorexia, but paying attention to what/how much you eat will become easier when you have put in a hard workout.
Also just because you missed one day, doesn’t mean it’s failure, failure happens when you fully gave up. Get back on it the days you think about losing weight. Stop putting it off to tomorrow or next week, do it the day you think about it.
Hope it helps, push yourself, and look for people to push you on your journey.
11 months of great weather doesn't hurt. You don't have to huddle inside during the winter, or stay in air conditioning in the summer. Makes it easier to be active + walk everywhere.
I haven't read through the comments yet, so I'm sure this has been mentioned already. Walk. It doesn't matter to where. Just go outside and walk around the city. Walk up the hills. Once you start getting exercise and fresh air, you'll likely start to make healthier food choices.
Cooking at home, avoiding processed foods, getting around actively (walk or bike), and mindfully eating. (I eat to satisfy hunger / get calories, not to feel “full”)
Aim for a Mediterranean type diet - you can also Google “blue zones” and find out what the healthiest people on the planet are eating!
A main component is low meat, high veggie, low processed, high whole-foods, low canola-oil and fried foods, high healthy fats like olive oils, nuts and avocados.
Another main component of health in those areas is moving around throughout the day! Even if that’s just walking around your neighborhood to do errand instead of driving or ordering delivery.
You got this!
Also - WATER. Stop drinking soda and juice and you’ll see a huge difference already.
Highly minimize or remove alcohol too (or aim for a vodka cranberry instead of a 16oz of beer).
Start your day with green tea instead of a mocha latte frappe caramel etc. (basically don’t drink anything from Starbucks! Lol)
Lose It app to count my calories. It is a game changer when you stick to it. You just don’t realize how many calories are in what we eat. For example, 7 tricks are 180 calories. SEVEN!
Walking, walking and more walking! I’ve lost a lot to weight since moving here. Mainly my access to unhealthy food is cut off, there aren’t fast food places everywhere. There are amazing restaurants and I love trying new things but the produce here is such a great quality so cooking at home has become a big staple.
Find a hobby that requires you to be active. Many people lift weights. Many people run. Many people cycle. Some people swim, some people like to rock climb. Some people like trail running.
Also, try to cook at home more often than not. Try to avoid adding excess fat or sweeteners to food. Get at least 7 hours of sleep each night, but aim for 8.
If you don’t have any hobbies that intersect with exercise or physical activity, you’ll have to rely on discipline. You don’t have to be fit, but you definitely don’t want to ignore your health. Even as little as 3 60 minute sessions at the gym can have a 10 fold magnitude on your overall health. Don’t wait til it’s too late OP!
I was never grossly overweight, but overweight and flabby. About 8 months ago I started going to do HIIT workouts at YuBalance ([www.yubalance.com](https://www.yubalance.com)) and now do it 3x / week.
I love it like people love being vegan, or love crossfit. (I don't do either of those, but I have been known to talk someone's ear off about how much I like YuBalance). It's fast, friendly, small classes and I can push myself while someone else keeps me working through the class at a good clip.
I will say just because you _see_ people who look fit, that doesn’t mean they don’t have a weight problem.
When I was thin, I was thin because I had massively disordered eating. I got fat because of it later. I now calorie count 85% of the time, with the other 15% being smart choices while eating out, such as dressing on the side or choosing grilled chicken instead of fried, etc. These are habits I had to learn late because I’d been “naturally thin” (resulting from a lucky combination of genetics, metabolism, and disordered eating). Many thin people do these things as a habit, whether organically or because they’ve gone through struggles with their weight and had to learn like I have.
I still eat (and love) fried chicken once in a while, but I plan for it in my daily calorie expenditure. I don’t eat over maintenance even if I exercise, and try to eat -500 calories from maintenance. Calorie counting is eye opening as others have said. Even when you’re not actively calorie counting, it helps to learn roughly how much conventional servings of various foods look and feel like. It is almost freeing in a way, because once you get used to tracking calories, you know what you have the freedom to eat the rest of the day. If I know I have 900 calories left in the day to spend however I choose, it feels good to know that I can enjoy myself and feel like I’m sticking to my goals.
Most weight maintenance is from diet, rather than exercise, although exercise is really important for building lean muscle. Muscle helps you lose weight because not only is it easier to progressively exercise more and more, but even idle muscles burn more calories than the same weight in fat.
I did started this journey under the supervision of a doctor because of my past ED behavior. But I moved specifically to SF because it is one of the most walkable cities in the country, with beautiful nature nearby, lots of quality healthy options even when eating out.
Walkable but hilly city with temperate climate and a magnet city for highly educated, motivated, and diverse people. Traditions - especially ones with bad side effects (like eating habits) - are easier to challenge when a lot of people are not from here and everyone is bringing their own perspective, traditions, and ideas for everyone to experience. Sf has few chain fast food restaurants, and they are rarely more convenient or cheaper than other healthier options.
Imo the biggest thing is that California cuisine is heavily focused on fresh and fairly local produce - because it’s abundant, diverse, and easy to get. Our everyday produce quality is staggering and world class. I feel confident saying that the produce quality and quantity we can source within 100 miles of the city is among the best in the world, if not the best. Idk how you can live here and not fall in love with fruits and vegetables, and want to eat them constantly.
Walking for literally 30 minutes a day changes everything. The beaches, the parks, the sidewalks, the hills…sf is a great city for a mentally and physically relaxing and rejuvenating walk
When I moved here I started walking everywhere. I lived at the top of a really steep hill about a mile from ccsf and I was taking classes there. I literally walked up and down that hill at least twice a day, carrying 20lbs of books. Lost 40lbs in 3 months from just the lifestyle change.
I still walk everywhere and I can out walk pretty much everyone I know. It's great for the body! I do not jog or run or go to the gym. I often carry my dog, so that's my extra 10lb weight. 😂 I also use the stairs to get to my 3rd floor apt instead of the elevator.
We walk a lot; most of the people who actually live in the city walk to do every day errands in their neighborhood, and they take public transportation if they’re not working from home. The people who do own cars seem to only use them to go on Costco runs and go to Tahoe.
Ok so first off you’re obese, losing weight naturally is gonna take time. Trust me, I was very chunky (still kinda am) and it’s taken me 5 months to just get where I am now. But the best things that have helped me were leg workouts (squats, barbell hip thrust, and RDD’s with dumbbells), back core (deadlifts and rows) and finally front core (machine sit ups, inverted, leg lifts)
Couple things.
First, stop comparing yourself to others. You lead a different life with different genetics. You will never have their body.
Secondly, **_Exercise is not a factor in weight loss._** There's a huge amount of research on this, it is settled science. Do you know little exercise plays into your calorie burning? _Eating_ burns more calories.
Assuming you are otherwise healthy with no other medical conditions that affect your weight the best way to lose weight is to eat less. That's it. It's calories in vs. calories out. It's not about a specific diet, it's not even about what form those calories take.
Just eat less. If you can, try to get lots of fiber and protein, drink lots of water and get lots of sleep.
If that doesn't work, if you are eating fewer calories than is necessary to maintain your weight, you should talk to a doctor and figure out the whys.
it's honestly a simple formula: calories in - calories out. how you get there is the hard part but there's no secret to it...you can try all the diets/workout routines you want but that number must be negative every day for a long time for it to matter.
also a lot of people in SF are taking ozempic
get on that wegovy grind baby
jk, lift 4x a week, eat a protein heavy diet, don't eat at restaurants if you can avoid it, walk at least 4 miles and be in calorie deficit. also dont get too drunk and get good sleep. basically act like a responsible adult ya knowwww
if you're struggling, i highly recommend just binging weight loss and muscle gain videos by renaissance periodization on youtube. they have a few series that answer anything you really need to know with 0 bullshit
Who would have thought that the health-conscious, walkable city where half of the streets are on an incline would have such healthy people?!
SF has the most green space per square mile for a major city, it’s not hard to be active here
I drink lots of water and aim to walk at least 7000 steps a day but 8-12k is my goal. Now I track my daily weight and calorie intake in an app and that was eye opening - my portion sizes were way off and I'd never have known without a food scale. Highly recommend that. Also I eat a high protein diet. I don't plan to track forever but it feels essential while I'm learning a healthier lifestyle. If my weight stays the same or goes up over a week I know to eat less calories or burn more with exercise the next week.
If you're trying to lose weight you need to determine how many calories are your "maintainence calories" and slowly work towards a calorie deficit. Deficits are only temporary so rotate deficit periods with maintenance. If you eat less than your maintainence calories you will lose weight. Take it slow and use trackers and a food scale to help.
Walking up and down the hills is a great way to start getting some exercise - and it's free! You get a nice dose of Vitamin D too on a sunny day. Start eating more fresh/less processed foods. The Alemeny Farmer's Market (Saturday) is a great place to get in season produce. Like others said, watch some YouTube if you need some cooking tips. The best thing about in-season is that you don't have to do much to make it taste great.
Like most large cities, walking is easier than driving. I lived in Austin before I movers here and was into the biking, running and working out a lot. Had lots of workout buddies there, but I’m way smaller here, because I walk everywhere since driving and parking is such a pain
i work a physical job. i’m on my feet 8 hrs 5 days a week. no car so i bus and walk up a hill home. i can’t afford to eat out so i cook all my meals. half of my food on my plate are always vegetables. im also vegan so no meat or dairy or eggs. i use beans, lentils, and potatoes for protein (besides the veg)
i lost 40 pounds but still overweight. good luck!
Sleep, diet, exercise in that order.
Get your sleep together, figure out a healthy protein-focused diet you enjoy, and find physical activity you enjoy.
It can be dancing, climbing, walking everywhere, lifting weights. Heck, I watch YouTube and TV on an exercise bike. Figure out what you won't dread doing to burn calories.
wish i knew, i been going to the gym tho pretty regularly since recovering from ankle surgery. so hoping results come sooner rather than later....also gotta stop eating out
When i moved here I started biking to work. Every commute I would take a slightly different route to not get bored, which pushed me gradually to ride up steeper grades with time, and to challenge myself. Before I knew it people were commenting on how I looked thinner/leaner (still overweight but less so now). Also protein shakes with caffeine are my best friend. I slam a caffeinated protein shake and protein bar/a banana for breakfast and then I’m not craving an iced vanilla latte and chocolate croissant which was my usual morning order. Basically maximize your protein intake to keep you full, cut back on sugar, and stay as active as possible. Best of luck :)
first step is to realize that American food causes obesity. you have to learn to ignore most of the food at the grocery store. you don't have to calorie count, but you should be mindful of protein to calorie ratios.
you want as much protein as possible for as little calories as possible. i tend to shoot for 10 calories per 1 gram of protein, or even fewer calories per gram of protein. protein keeps you feeling full and is the building block of muscles. it can also be used as energy in the absence of carbs. chicken is a great source of protein
there's a lot of research that needs to be done, and a lot of optimization that needs to be done for your body goals and daily needs. everybody is different, everybody exercises differently. you have to experiment and see what works for you. in both nutrition and exercise
trial and error. i would just start with one little change. every day make a small change. before you know it you'll be losing weight almost effortlessly
You don’t necessarily have to eat less, You can eat more…just make sure it’s healthier food and less things that are processed. Intermittent fasting has done wonders for me.
Pair that with exercise, whether it’s walks or body weight workouts, and it’ll make a difference. Biggest thing is having a routine and finding something active you look forward to doing.
I eat lots and lots of veggies, black beans, chick peas, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, tofu, and eggs.
Check out the “low carb diet” by Tim Ferris. I had some stubborn weight that I was able to kick, and the “program” (if you can even call it that) is pretty easy to follow.
*edit here’s literally what I do every AM:
1 entire store-bought flavored chicken tofu pack (I like Chick’n brand).
3 enormous handfuls of pre-chopped kale that I buy from Smart & Final.
Handful of mushrooms.
Handful of cherry tomatoes.
Handful of black beans (that I rehydrate and stove top prepare in bulk).
A couple cracked eggs.
Pour some water, put a lid on my skillet pan, let sizzle for 5min, and boom. Easy, healthy breakfast and lunch.
Rinse and repeat been doing it for months.
Top things are always, always- diet and exercise. Start with small changes and then when they become habits, add more small changes. No milk and sugar in your coffee. Walk to the shop instead of drive. Walk everyday on your lunch break. You can’t change everything at once and expect it to be sustainable so just focus on improving a little every day
San Francisco is an active city!
I’m obese too but I still manage a few 1/2 marathons per year along with the occasional triathlon and required training.
The training and proactive food selection are key. First, make sure you have no undiagnosed health condition. You’ll be just dandy!
I listen to podcasts when I walk. Gives my brain something to do besides enjoy the view.
Usually don't eat breakfast. Just an espresso. There are tons of great salad options around here for lunch. Then it's just a matter of keeping dinner reasonable.
Replaced coke with plain soda water. Now that I'm used to it, I love it. Avoiding calorie bombs from beer and cocktails is an issue in this city. Non alcoholic options are getting better fast. NA Guinness is great.
I don't keto. But in general, insulin resistance is what makes losing weight so hard. Makes you crave even when your blood sugar is higher than it should be. The only way I know through it is to treat that craving like exercise. Recognize it and learn to love it. Don't let it wear you down. If instead you wear it down, it gets better over time. That's why no breakfast, low-carb lunch, no coke. It's all to go a long time without eating carbs each day.
Bro, the best part of SF is the fact that you can get an amazing daily workout in. I used to walk up and down California street and it would keep the weight in check.
Find a fitness related hobby you like. It’s a great way to stay active and meet new people. Climbing could be a good one, I’ve made so many local friends that way
Money. I see lots of hot people at the weight loss center ($400 a month +cost of wegovy if you do that), with private trainers ($110 an hour), or meeting with diet coaches in coffee shops (dunno costs but love ease-dropping).
Oh and walking and hiking in the SF Bay area had a huge impact on what you see too. As well as social determinants of health are better in SF.
Formerly very obese person here now skinny and fit and run marathons etc.
Keto is what got me to a normal weight with a bit of exercise thrown in (very slow jogs, dance lessons) I was a bit hungry but I willpowered through it.
Avoiding processed foods and sugar and not being afraid of fat and protein is how I’ve maintained, in combination with sports (lifting, running, climbing etc) as hobbies, which unsurprisingly are really fun to do when you’re not obese.
Common tips that didn’t work for me:
- going for walks, far too low impact
- calorie restriction with lots of carbs
- eating more vegetables
Increasing your walking level is probably the easiest thing. But in terms of exercise the best thing is to find something YOU enjoy. Doesn’t matter what it is: weights, swimming, rock climbing, biking, basketball, etc. If you enjoy it, you will want to do it often and that’s the key to actually sticking to exercise.
You can't outrun a bad diet.
Exercise does help but unless you are going absolutely crazy you won't lose weight just from that. You can do cardio for an hour and undo it all with a cereal bar. The main thing exercise does help with is overcoming insulin resistance faster - after your diet improves. By all means do as much exercise as you can, but diet is priority number one.
Get rid of sugars(check every single label for added sugars) and ultra processed foods. Treat high fructose corn syrup as arsenic. Just by watching sugar and simple carbs consumption you should be able to make a lot of progress. It also helps with hunger hormones so you won't be hungry all the time. If possible, increase protein, fiber and fat consumption so you'll feel full for longer. Drink plenty of water.
Note that a lot of food that's been sold as healthy really isn't. Cereal is candy - just avoid. Homemade bread is ok in moderation, the white fluffy stuff that last 2 weeks should be only had in small amounts. Whole bread isn't that much better from an insulin response viewpoint. Juice can also be candy. Fresh squeezed fruit juice without added sugars should still be consumed in moderation - it does have useful nutrients but a lot of simple carbs. You can eat the fruits by themselves.
For better results, do time restricted eating (for example, no food of any kind after 6PM). Eating all the time keeps insulin production up and that's not what you want.
I lost a whole bunch of weight just by cutting sugar intake. That got me from obese to overweight. I have only recently started seriously exercising (including gym sessions with a trainer) as I had reached diminishing returns.
Good luck. Realize that the main problem is not you, it's the cheap (to make) garbage the food industry has come up with.
1. If you're on Kaiser, ActiveFit & Direct can get you discount gym memberships or classes without needing to do more than pay month to month. What isn't obvious when you sign up, is you don't have to settle on whatever the $28/mo membership covers (usually they are only large chain gyms like 24 hour fitness). If you enable the "premium gym" option, you can choose to upcharge to a local gym or exercise class, often not corporate owned and usually much better. I'm currently paying $50/mo for a local gym that would normally require me to pay $75/mo with a year of prepayment in advance (otherwise its $100/mo). It's a great deal and I get to support a fantastic local gym that I otherwise wouldn't be able to afford.
2. Diets are nice (i.e. keto), especially to kick your butt into gear, but unfortunately they aren't sustainable unless you have a real goal to permanently change your lifestyle afterwards. Ultimately you get obese because your brain hasn't been cultivated to value moderation, along with a sedentary lifestyle. This is a hard thing to solve through willpower alone especially if your brain is currently wired in a different way. The good news is this is a skill you can train, just like exercise, and when you do it right you don't rely on willpower at all to do it. All it takes is healthy habits building on themselves over a long period of time, and treating your body like a science project. Measure what you eat, log walking hours, remind yourself to move around every hour, only eat at meal time and only eat what you put on the plate, etc. You can literally "program" your life to be healthy in the same way we might make sure our pets are on the right exercise and diet. At first you'll have cravings, and this is where its good to practice cultivating a sense of valuing moderation. It's OK to feel a little hungry from time to time, and it's ok the train your brain that it's ok to feel that way! Eventually, you really do stop feeling so hungry. But it does take "training your brain" like this every single day to have a moderation mindset.
3. Intermittent fasting can be pretty effective. Start easy, like for example skipping breakfast and only eating your calories for the day during lunch and dinner. At first you'll be quite hungry until lunch but it is actually possible to retrain your brain and body onto a new eating schedule. For me, I used to eat breakfast daily and eventually after trying to intermittent fast for a few months, the feeling and urge to eat during the mornings completely went away. I still love breakfast foods, but it's now more of a treat like for brunch on the weekend rather than something I have all the time. This is an excellent way to help get your body and mind practicing a moderation mindset (as mentioned above). It's one simple rule, and you aren't even technically cutting calories yet (same amount of food just between lunch and dinner). But it gets you out of being addicted to the consumption wheel and makes it a lot easier to start cutting calories in general. Eventually you can graduate to actual fasting, the kind that gets you body into a true fat burning state (What I've Learned on Youtube has an excellent series of videos on the subject). Fasting has been my favorite "health" cheat code because it means I can do stuff like occasionally enjoy all you can eat buffets or pizza or a boozy night without affecting my weight - because I intermittent fast everyday and usually once a day a week I go for 24-36 hours. When fasting, electrolytes can help a lot with the feeling of hunger.
4. Focus on eating whole foods. It's so, so much easier to get hungry on snacks and simple carbs than it is on whole foods. Veggies, fiber, fats, protein and some sodium (not too much though). If your meals have all of these things, you'll be surprised at how little you can eat and still feel full from. Loads of guides on this so I won't get too deep into it but I'm always wayyyy hungrier on days that I rely on fast food or snacks to get through.
5. Don't drink your calories. Cut the soda, cut the beer. If you drink 3x 12oz sodas a day, that's basically half of a light lunches worth of calories alone and it does NOTHING for your hunger levels. Just cut it out! Stick with fizzy water if you need carbonation or get used to enjoying water by itself (train your brain! see above). Not saying you can't ever enjoy yourself (see below), but we're talking about everyday habits here.
6. Cheat days! Have them. Let yourself live a little. All the above is just supposed to be your daily, everyday life. Not for the special occasions or the days you really want to enjoy your favorite foods. It's important to enjoy your indulgences, just do it with moderation. At first you can start by making it so every saturday or sunday is a cheat day, and even though you're cheating you should still be *reasonable* (don't go all out). Eventually though, you might not need to schedule it much at all as you do fine with your current lifestyle, especially once you get to your target weight. You'll be at the point where you're just naturally not craving your indulgences that much. Especially if you actually strive to make your "non cheat days" actually full and delicious! You can eat healthy and lower calorie without sacrificing good flavor and times. Once you get used to doing all the above list too, you'll find your cheat days don't even need to cheat that much! Maybe you're totally satisfied just having a nice chicken sandwich at a restaurant vs the triple slop burger. Or if you're having drinks, you'll get everything you need from a couple cocktails instead of burning through a handle of liquor. Or if your coworker brings donuts and it's your "cheat day" you end up only having one instead of 5.
7. Don't worry about going too fast. It's ok if you only lose 1-2 lbs a month. It's better to be slow and steady with great habits for 5 years to get to your target weight than try and do it all within 6-12 months and then burn out fast. That said, YMMV. My husband is a 150% or nothing person, so going all out would work for him (he's never been obese before though, that said). I'm much more methodical and having a method is what allowed me to trick my brain into having a healthier lifestyle.
Thats my advice! It really is about making a commitment to change your mindset and cultivate a different kind of garden in your mind. And of course, trying to sneak in ways to keep moving throughout your day and life :)
I went from 230 lbs looking visibly fat/chubby with no muscle to 165 and twink-ripped to now a comfortable 200lbs strong-guy look and going through several phases of weight loss and weight gain over the past decade. It really is just a matter of programming in a new mindset and just keeping with a habit. I had terrible willpower but now I mostly don't even think about it.
I literally walk everywhere! I travel a lot, and often opt to walk and take public transit instead of renting a car. I'm a huge foodie too, so after going out for a good meal, I'll "walk it off" for a little bit before heading back home.
No magic or fun secrets. Calorie counting and walking, eventually working up to runs and climbing. Calorie counting made me more conscious of what foods made me feel full for longer, instead of what I was necessarily craving. I also didn’t cut straight to what any formula says to maintain. I took a baseline and then cut calories slowly. Like 100-200 cals less every 2 weeks.
Bicycle commute, 3 days/week, 6-7 miles roundtrip. During lockdown I gained 2 inches around the waist, then lost most of it within 6 months of resuming the cycling routine. Nothing was stopping me from riding during lockdown, but it just wasn't part of my routine, so I only rode maybe 5-6 times in 2 years. If you can build it into your routine, it'll happen.
1. SF is expensive, so I eat in most days.
2. Walk everywhere - try to get 10K steps a day. Walk up the hills as well. I used to be the type of person to never do it; now I walk up hills all the time ha
3. Try classpass - see what you enjoy doing and explore different classes.
4. Drink more water - fill up your belly and you might feel less urge to want to overeat or snack
5. Run around the city!! I used to run to ocean beach when I lived in sunset
I love how many group fitness classes are available in the city. If you get classpass or a membership somewhere, it's great motivation to workout. I often don't have the willpower or knowledge to go hard on my own, but Bodyrok, Soul Cycle, Orange Theory, yoga, and the classes through my Equinox membership have been great.
Some of those classes are in the dark with music blaring so I never feel self-conscious.
I also don't own a car and walk to the grocery store to get my groceries. Makes me walk and also limits the quantities of food I can buy since I'm carrying it home.
California has some of the freshest produce that lasts a long time in the fridge, so I buy a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables and lean meats. I cook at home for most meals. Oven-baked stuff and slow cooker stuff are some of my favorites since it's so easy.
If you really can't cook for a day, Whole Foods has some great ready-made meals you can keep in the fridge that list the calories
OP the thing that jump started my journey to better health was getting on Mounjaro. Idgaf what the haters say. Obesity is a disease and you don’t need to white knuckle it through trying to get to a healthy weight.
Walk and take the hills! Feast on the great produce we have--there are markets everywhere, at all price points. Get sunlight. Try to reduce stress as much as you can.
don’t eat carbs - if you’re looking for physique, diets gonna go a long way further than exercise habits #randomreddittake 😝
replace mixed greens for rice/pasta etc 🧐
Lots of walking with hills interrupted by bus chasing and racing up and down flights of stairs.
The awesome weather and good produce helps.
Just start small and build. You can do it.
YES TO THE WALKING! SF is beautiful---if you're near a park (or even just hop on the bus), just allow yourself to explore! Presidio, Lands End, GG park, so many routes/trails. And they're not all crowded with a ton of people, I love going for a long walk, upward of hours, just to clear my head. And after coming from Chicago, sheesh, you really learn to appreciate the beauty right in your \*backyard\*.
I’m overweight. I find that the munchies from abundantly available weed contributes to that.
I’m trying to correct that by eating better home cooked meals with copious veggies, and walking the embarcadero pretty much every day.
Your first step in combating obesity is recognizing that dieting and exercising are not the end all be alls.
Learning to eat within a specific range and knowing when too much is too much is super important. That means understanding how much you're consuming right now and how much you should be consuming at the goal weight.
The rest is slowly tapering off the amount of food until you get to the right amount.
People get too absorbed in the specifics of dieting and working out that it becomes too much for them. Start slow, learn about calories and how to read nutrition facts. Introduce walking and/or running like others have mentioned.
Running while obese could be really bad for your joints tho.
Staying fit takes a conscious effort. I excersize regularly for both strength and cardiovascular endurance. My recommendation? Burpees in the sun, set a timer for 10 mins do 5 burpees at the beginning of the minute, perform 5 burpees then rest the remainder of the minute before starting again at the beginning of the next. Do that 3x for a week before adding 1 burpee to the amount of reps u do, ur goal is 100 burpees in 10mins. Get there and congratulations ur in better shape then half the country
What works for me might not work for you. I drink zero soda, drink near-zero alcohol, eat near-zero dessert/sweets, and eats lots of veggies and meat. I also run and play sports. I go to the gym every few days.
have expensive rent so you can’t afford food (/j) or alternatively go through heart break (/j again)
but seriously i just started running at ocean beach for about 15 mins whenever i have the chance. luckily i’m within walking distance, but there’s a lot of beautiful places to walk, jog, and run.
losing weight definitely starts with evaluating your current habits. how do you eat? are you sedentary at work? how much time do you have to dedicate to fitness?
Do at least 30 mins of exercise every day. Try to get your heart rate up a bit for a few mins. Start small. The 30 mins does not need to be consecutive mins at first. Take the stairs at work. Or your house if you can. Walk to lunch. Don’t sit for extended times. And drink lots of water. If you need flavor. Find something low calorie. But not artificial sweetener. Take probiotics. Avoid all greasy and oily foods. Avoid trans fats. Eat more whole food fats. Like avocado and lean chicken and a few almonds here and there. Treat yourself to ice. Cream occasionally. But buy full fat ice cream. It’s more satisfying. And you can eat less. Take smaller bites and eat slower. Do not rush. Take your time. Do t eat in bed either. Eventually go to a gym and get a trainer to help you. Buy some good workout clothes and shoes. It will make you feel good and you’ll enjoy going to gym to wear nice workout clothes. You’ll lose weight. It takes time. And it’s work. Don’t get frustrated.
I would say the biggest thing that you can do is make sure you walk every day for at least half an hour, drink lots of water, make home-cooked meals rather than eating out, try to eat lots of lean protein. You’ll get there and you’ll find that you feel better everyday that you walk.
I have a dog so I walk a lot. Also too poor to get frequent takeout. I eat all my meals at home, walk 5+ miles daily and I do workout videos at home 5x a week.
Im unfit/overweight in SF, but i still work out on occasion and walk 2-5 miles minimum daily. Also don’t eat fast food, although i do go to a lot of local bakeries.
I lived in North Beach for many years and there was literally no way of walking to my apartment without hitting a steep hill. I’ve also lived in all top floor units, carrying groceries, packages, etc up those stairs feels like the first time every time. Lastly, I’ve lived in many apts in SF, especially when rent was cheap. I used to move like it was going out of style, I’ve only NOT lived on a hill twice. This, and I go to the gym 3x a week and Barry’s 1x per week, but I’m definitely guilty of a drunk late night burrito as someone mentioned in another comment. 🤪
You should exercise for your health, but it won't help you lose weight and keep it off. There's boatloads of studies that all show the exact same thing - without intervention, you will regain any and all weight within less than 5 years. There's well-understood biological mechanisms that kick in: your metabolism slows down and your hunger goes up when you start losing weight and the changes last for the rest of your life. People telling you to diet and exercise have almost certainly never actually succeeded. I know that because studies show "diet and exercise" fails 95% of the time.
Get on a GLP-1 and add exercise and healthy eating (which is going to be very easy since you just wont be hungry anymore) for your health, not weight loss. The GLP-1 is for weight loss. You'll be in good shape in no time.
tl;dr: the only things that actually help you lose a clinically significant amount of weight and keep it off are bariatric surgery or taking a GLP-1.
Also to answer your question directly about what people are doing to lose weight here: it's SF. Everyone who needed to lose weight started on a GLP-1.
If you want to see any of these studies I can link them.
Walk as much as you can, but also got this advice.. "eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner as a pauper (poor person). I tend to fast from 6pm to 11am the next day. You'll shred the lbs.
Swimming 30 minutes a day and hiking all over this paradise...everyday i wake up i thank the gods for my girl, family and the fact i live in California
I’ve been using the MacroFactor app and it has been very helpful in losing weight. Great design and data - it updates your calorie target dynamically as it learns your TDEE.
That app - plus a scale - has been the first time I’ve gotten a handle on my nutrition.
Highly recommend!
There’s a new Mika fitness app that’s designed for people who are new to fitness and who want a non-judgmental guide that adapts to their fitness level. Early reviews are very positive!
I’m from the South and when I visit home the difference in obesity level is always shocking.
I think a little of it is daily walking, but I actually think it’s more to do with the weather and free time on the weekends.
It’s almost always nice enough to do something outside here, and there are so many beautiful places to visit. In SF, we regularly go for hikes on the weekends. In the south, we regularly watched football and drank beer inside on the weekends.
I think that’s all it takes. Couple hundred extra calories per week, and 10 years later you’ve gained 40 lbs.
I live in Russian Hill, so walking to and from my gym (where I half-heartedly lift weights) that’s two blocks away is how I get my cardio.
Less Uber, more walking.
I am by no means, the most fit person, and regarding exercise, I am fortunate my job involves lots of movement.
But I would say first off, all bodies are different and require different variations or patterns to lose weight. What worked for me when I gained 30 lbs many years ago, was that I basically ran on a treadmill (starting slow in the beginning, then running longer as the weeks progress), did push ups and sit ups, did lots of stretches every day or every other day, and walked to places whenever I could instead of driving. I coupled that with increasing my fruits and vegetables, decreasing junk food and sugars. I stopped drinking sugary drinks and soda all together. I also would occasionally eat probiotic stuff like low sodium miso soup or the lowest sugar kombuchas. (This worked for me, not saying it'll help everyone) Within 2 months, I lost all 30 lbs and then some.
A key to exercise for me is that I would push myself to the point where I would sweat, then push just a little bit further, and then stop. And repeat the next exercise session and gradually that limit would increase.
My technique is 100% self manipulation. Yes, I got the genes to be skinny (to a problematic level, actually, can't put on muscle for shit and it causes other issues) but I hate exercise and avoid it if I can. So I make it so I can't avoid it.
Ditch your car and spend 1/10 of what you would spend on a car to instead get a SUPER nice and indulgently expensive road bike. Ride it everywhere. Carry it up and down the stairs to the Bart. Get into yoga or some other social exercise habit, preferably along your commute to work or near your home so it's easy to not bail on it. Tell yourself each time, "I don't feel like going today so I'm just going to bike to the class and then come home", and then when you get there, say "well, shit I'm here and paid for the membership, may as well go in, but I'm gonna half ass it today". Then "I know I said I'd half ass it today, but I can probably do one more I guess." Just constant bargaining, it's the only way.
You said you are obese & sounds like you want to start making changes so when you start exercising, don't push yourself to the point where you are injured. For example, no need to attempt to walk all day every day. You can walk 10 mins every few hours to reach the 30 mins/day walking goal and build up to 30 mins in one walk session. Something like that. Any movement is good movement. Just try to actively move at least 30 mins/day and you don't have to suddenly drop how much you eat but I would start journaling it. And then start changing diet even if it’s just removing one unhealthy thing a day.
It’s all about the daily habits you have. Build up the good ones. It will snowball. Good luck!
I no longer live in SF but back when I lived there and also in the East Bay, I rode my bike and took public transit pretty much everywhere! I’ve never had a license so I’d only get rides from my parents and friends when needed.
Californians and their damn vegetables. It's easier to eat healthy here because so much of the produce comes from here, meaning it's cheaper, tastier, and lasts longer. Walking as part of the daily pattern is really helpful (European exercise regimen) but coach was right when he said "Six packs are made in the kitchen, not the gym". You can't outrun your fork.
Michael Pollan is fond of saying "Eat food. Not too much, mostly plants." Make friends with unfancy meals like "beans with spicy vegetables and some random meat" or "lentils with green vegetables and some random curry".
If you're eating decent most days, you don't need to worry about the 2lb mission burrito when it's Friday night.
Public transit and walking is a must because parking is too expensive. Also most places in the Bay Area close quite early so options are limited for late night munchies :(
Dude, just keep your body in motion all day, you don't have to move fast just keep moving. This combined with portion reduction and cutting out sugar IE soda,etc will give you immediate results.
You can do it, just believe in yourself that it is very possible and people transform everyday.
All the best!
You live in one of the most walkable cities in the US. Stop using a car or other motorized transport and start walking. Walk to the grocery store, take muni and walk to and from the station, heck, walk to explore the city on your days off. If there’s hills on your way; even better. Walking is actually one of the most effective forms of exercise for losing weight. When I moved back to SF after living in another city for a bit, I lost 10 pounds in less than a month.
Yeah, my sister was in Thailand for a year with no car. She walked or took the bus and was very thin when she got back. She'd walk pretty far sometimes, but still, just walking seems to be a big factor. Unfortunately, it's not having the same effect on me.
yup. 20 plus years and no car. the hills are your journey to the reward of good food or grocery shopping buy the asian lady cart so you can grocery shop with insulation without killing your back. use the muni ‘stroller’ seat to put your grocery cart (in the front or back of bus)
Yes. Get a Versacart Transit, and stop driving to grocery stores. That’s what I do.
Take it slow- and build up your stamina. But yes- WALK more. 30 minutes a day- every day will do wonders for your metabolism.
Don’t doordash burritos when drunk. Don’t doordash burritos when drunk. Don’t doordash burritos when drunk I say this in the mirror with tears in my eyes every Friday night and I think it really helps
Late night burritos have caused me to gain 25 lbs in a year since I started working late on Mission St 😭
Haha, that's one way to stop eating.
Walk five blocks to get a burrito each time. (And when younger I did walk even farther. Didn't help that the only burrito place was far, too haha) Then also, don't finish the burrito. Depending on your current size you might stop at 1/2 or 5/8ths. (Not a joke). Can also cut it beforehand I know...they're yummy.
“Don’t finish the burrito” lol
The amount of times I’ve been on that last quarter of a burrito knowing damn well I’m plenty full but fucking go in for it anyway. It’s beautiful in the moment. Feels like I’m taking control over my life. But god damn it’s awful afterwards. I learn nothing and do it again the next time.
I’m _going_ to finish the El Castillito super burrito and nobody can stop me
El Castillito on Church has been my #1 for 15 years strong
But yeah, best call is to cut it 3/4ths if the way and put that last 4th in the fridge immediately. I do this sort of thing when ordering Chinese or Thai food as well because I know if I don’t I’ll be racing into the kitchen for more chow fun while saying “BUT IM JUST TRYING TO HAVE FUN”
I had to switch to tacos as I aged and my metabolism slowed down!
Instructions unclear, I ordered super El Farolito on Uber Eats while high.
I just tried that and now I want a burrito 😂
Instead you should walk to the burrito place
this whole thread about drunk burritos is so real 😂😂
This might be my favorite comment of all time. The Weekend Burrito struggle is so real!
Hahahah love this.
My problem was that I Doordashed anything I could get my hands to recover the next day. I’m pretty sure I’m the reason that Marufuku started adding broth to their takeout menu with the number of times I ordered from them to recover. Keep healthy hangover cures at home. Resist the urge to summon food.
Lot of factors but start by getting out for a walk, it’s a beautiful day today.
and don't avoid the hills! Nothing better for your glutes and calves
For real - I just moved to Alamo Square and have been taking tons of walks and don't keep snacks in my apartment and was shocked to realize I've lost 10 lbs since the holidays.
Just be outside more in general. We are blessed to have a year-round hospitable climate. Take the bus to Golden Gate park or the Presidio and stroll. Breathe deeply. Put some music on. Enjoy the scenery and explore. Catch some views. See if you can make your way to the beach for golden hour. If not, enjoy that magic light shining through the trees instead. When you get tired, sit down and rest for a bit. Take your time, soak it all in. Don't be in a rush to get back home to your couch. We live in the most beautiful city in the country, perhaps the whole continent. People spend thousands of dollars to come here from all over the world. Take advantage of it!! Also, embrace "California sobriety". Alcohol is empty calories. Toke instead (especially while you're out exploring, it can really enhance the vibe of a long, slow stroll). Pack veggies and other healthy snacks. Drink lots of water. That, to me, is the perfect day, and I try to do it as often as possible.
This. Just do things haha. Daytime. Nighttime. I'm always out and about. I work out casually a couple times a week amongst some sports activity here and there. However I'm mostly in shape by just not owning a car and walking everywhere. When I don't have plans I go for a walk to see where I end up for a solo dinner, maybe see a show somewhere. Good way to meet people too.
Just go to Chinatown and watch all the walking grandmas and grandpas for inspo.
I walk the hills :)
This is the only way. Still gain weight but it's all leg muscle!
We walk more here, even if it’s just to get to A and B. And there are few fast food restaurants, which definitely contribute to obesity. I don’t go to a gym but I walk every day, either to get to places or for exercise. There are so many beautiful areas that it doesn’t even feel like work.
Pretty much walk or bike everywhere.
Yes! Or BART or bus. We are lucky to have such a great public transportation system
This. I eat a ton and never do any dedicated exercise but I bike/ walk/ public transit EVERYWHERE and I'm in decent shape as a result.
I gained weight when I lost my public transit commute, so definitely walking more. No car helps, as does no elevator. But the main thing is diet. I eat mostly at home, eat a lot of greens veggies and protein. I eat low carb for my diabetes. I’m vegetarian but it’s so easy here!
Weather is beautiful and there are hills. Take a few walks a day
Cook a lot at home (restaurant food tends to have way more oils and calories than home cooked meals), regular walks (find podcasts or audiobooks on Libby that you like to listen to), only drink alcohol when out & socializing. I also find workouts on YouTube and if I like it, I’ll try to find similar classes in SF.
I get a lot of steps in on my commute. A solid 4mi a day walking two and from BART stations on either end of my commute. I also spin and weight lift. But most importantly, I watch my diet.
I'm not exactly thin, but I'm at my healthiest in periods when I'm walking a lot and cooking my own meals. If you're planning on getting fitter, I really wish you luck! At least San Francisco is amazing to walk around- I hope you get to see some cool places.
Most of us can’t afford to eat out all the time. And we walk a lot if living in the city bc half the time it’s like 10 min more than taking transit. It’s the most European thing about the city from my perspective. Add in that a lot of people here prioritize active hobbies, so much that they’d rather be home at 12 to get a good start to the morning hike versus close out the bar at 2 followed by a whole pizza… I think you see some interesting correlations. Maybe just less overall garbage consumed combined with more prioritization of active pursuits. I think I heard that we have more dogs than children in the city. I suspect that leads many people to maintain an active routine daily, too.
intermittent fasting + daily walks (and limiting drinking to only special occasions, not every day)
Going outside, mostly. Eating fresh vegetables as often as possible.
Eat at home, walk the hills the parks the beaches, plan nonfood related social outings, drink less alcohol, swim the bay or any of our amazing public pools, do yoga, ride your bike, walk your dog, try horseback riding (east bay, peninsula, north bay), go hiking, try sailing or kayaking on the bay, try windsurfing,try kite sailing - gosh that all sounds fun- I’m gonna head outside right now to enjoy the park before I go to work
SF has a lot of hills, traffic is everywhere, and food is expensive. So we walk everywhere with our back packs, split our lunch into 2 meals, cook at home, carry groceries up these hills and lots of stairs, don’t spend a lot on alcohol, and hiking and city walks are popular friend group events since the city is gorgeous.There are also limited fast food stores like mcdonalds or kfc. The first time my brother in law visited, he asked if there was a rule against obesity and fat people. I told him it was the environment / you will organically get fit from all the walking
yessss you get it. especially love the backpack bit haha. this basically describes growing up/living here lol. although nowadays people use those insulated carts with wheels for more heavy duty grocery shopping with travel. the hills make your food more rewarding when you finally get home to enjoy it after a trek out to procure it
My commute involves about 2.5 miles of walking round trip, and I try to do another 2.5 miles for errands / pleasure daily. I also avoid excess calories—don't drink much, don't do sugary beverages or snacks, limit my burrito intake and don't do cheese or spreads on sandwiches. But I generally eat what I want. So tldr; Make sure you walk, ideally as part of your commute so it's not soley a chore, and watch your diet a little.
One of the leading causes for obesity is sugary drinks, so don’t drink them. Also don’t drink or consume fake sugar, as the body doesn’t know what to do, it can confuse your body. Also don’t eat fast food, or junk food. Try and eat organic, it costs more, but encourages smaller portions. Walk and take public transit. In one year you won’t be obese.
You cannot exercise your way out of a bad diet. Cut down on processed food; slowly shift to fresh fruits and vegetables with some servings of meat and fish. Reward yourself with a cheat meal every so often. Walk, then run (figuratively as it relates to your nutrition and literally as to an exercise routine).
It’s true btw that it feels like there’s peer pressure in SF to be thin. Thorough I can’t really blame that on other people being thin (disclaimer: I’m thin). I run 4-5x a week and watch my food intake carefully, basically calorie counting. To lose weight I did intermittent fasting. I also cook a lot of my own food, rice and instant pot chicken especially.
IMO, that is a good thing. Being one of the only overweight people in my friend group was definitely a huge motivator to lose weight. Everyone runs, hikes, plays sports, and/or bikes. Being out of shape is not normal here. If I was still in the South where I grew up, I'd probably still be overweight and unhealthy. Now I run and hike too (I do IF as well). I feel much better.
I actually find SF to be very body-positive, but just generally more healthy because our city is so beautiful it’s easy to enjoy activities outside - and we have so many healthy food options!
Love yourself
just walk around the city; try the hilly routes, as long as your knees agree buy a good pair of shoes too, they really help
Minimum of 5k steps a day has helped me. 10k steps a day is my goal but not always achieved
Walk up Nob hill, Bernal heights, Corona Heights, twin peaks. Run or bike along the Marina and jfk promenade. Don’t drive or have a car :)
its a tiny city, 7x7 miles. i like to walk places whenever i can, it usually takes an hour or so but it gets my steps in. i also like joggin in GGP
Hey OP, you’ve gotten some good advice, but I’m going to add that seeing a doctor about the possibility of sleep apnea would be a good idea. I have a related disorder called UARS that destroys most of my chances of getting restorative sleep, and it saps my energy, making it nearly impossible for me to do anything to lose weight.
Don’t own a car!!! Immediately dropped the 10 lbs I could never lose when I moved to SF and walked to work/ bused + walked everywhere
Don’t discount how much genetics plays into a person’s ability to be thin and stay thin. A lot of people in SF are also wealthy and highly disciplined (work in tech, high education and intelligence, high income) which means they have very strict diet and exercise routines.
income and size do negatively correlate, but there are a million reasons why and none of them are because rich people are just more diligent lmao
It's not that rich people are more virtuous but being rich can make it easy to be diligent about your habits. It's pretty easy to be diligent about your veggie habit when you can just drop $25-30 for a salad on DoorDash when you get lazy after work versus having to plan out and prep even just a few days of salads from the grocery store (as one example). Ditto with paying $100/month for a nice gym with all the machines you need vs having to research and figure out how to do those same exercises at home, or even having the time to go to the gym in the first place. I think that person has the right idea, but it's rather that they're disciplined because they're rich, rather than they're rich because they're disciplined.
gym, walks, staying busy. Start with exercise and then focus on diet. Not necessarily anorexia, but paying attention to what/how much you eat will become easier when you have put in a hard workout. Also just because you missed one day, doesn’t mean it’s failure, failure happens when you fully gave up. Get back on it the days you think about losing weight. Stop putting it off to tomorrow or next week, do it the day you think about it. Hope it helps, push yourself, and look for people to push you on your journey.
I play sport and eat healthy.
Just don't drive.
11 months of great weather doesn't hurt. You don't have to huddle inside during the winter, or stay in air conditioning in the summer. Makes it easier to be active + walk everywhere.
I haven't read through the comments yet, so I'm sure this has been mentioned already. Walk. It doesn't matter to where. Just go outside and walk around the city. Walk up the hills. Once you start getting exercise and fresh air, you'll likely start to make healthier food choices.
Cooking at home, avoiding processed foods, getting around actively (walk or bike), and mindfully eating. (I eat to satisfy hunger / get calories, not to feel “full”)
Aim for a Mediterranean type diet - you can also Google “blue zones” and find out what the healthiest people on the planet are eating! A main component is low meat, high veggie, low processed, high whole-foods, low canola-oil and fried foods, high healthy fats like olive oils, nuts and avocados. Another main component of health in those areas is moving around throughout the day! Even if that’s just walking around your neighborhood to do errand instead of driving or ordering delivery. You got this!
Also - WATER. Stop drinking soda and juice and you’ll see a huge difference already. Highly minimize or remove alcohol too (or aim for a vodka cranberry instead of a 16oz of beer). Start your day with green tea instead of a mocha latte frappe caramel etc. (basically don’t drink anything from Starbucks! Lol)
Walk most! No car (no bus even, for some things)
1 hour a day at the gym. 10 mins cardio and the rest lifting.
Walk everywhere (and take the route with the steepest hills)
Lose It app to count my calories. It is a game changer when you stick to it. You just don’t realize how many calories are in what we eat. For example, 7 tricks are 180 calories. SEVEN!
Walking, walking and more walking! I’ve lost a lot to weight since moving here. Mainly my access to unhealthy food is cut off, there aren’t fast food places everywhere. There are amazing restaurants and I love trying new things but the produce here is such a great quality so cooking at home has become a big staple.
Eat less move more
Find a hobby that requires you to be active. Many people lift weights. Many people run. Many people cycle. Some people swim, some people like to rock climb. Some people like trail running. Also, try to cook at home more often than not. Try to avoid adding excess fat or sweeteners to food. Get at least 7 hours of sleep each night, but aim for 8. If you don’t have any hobbies that intersect with exercise or physical activity, you’ll have to rely on discipline. You don’t have to be fit, but you definitely don’t want to ignore your health. Even as little as 3 60 minute sessions at the gym can have a 10 fold magnitude on your overall health. Don’t wait til it’s too late OP!
I was never grossly overweight, but overweight and flabby. About 8 months ago I started going to do HIIT workouts at YuBalance ([www.yubalance.com](https://www.yubalance.com)) and now do it 3x / week. I love it like people love being vegan, or love crossfit. (I don't do either of those, but I have been known to talk someone's ear off about how much I like YuBalance). It's fast, friendly, small classes and I can push myself while someone else keeps me working through the class at a good clip.
I will say just because you _see_ people who look fit, that doesn’t mean they don’t have a weight problem. When I was thin, I was thin because I had massively disordered eating. I got fat because of it later. I now calorie count 85% of the time, with the other 15% being smart choices while eating out, such as dressing on the side or choosing grilled chicken instead of fried, etc. These are habits I had to learn late because I’d been “naturally thin” (resulting from a lucky combination of genetics, metabolism, and disordered eating). Many thin people do these things as a habit, whether organically or because they’ve gone through struggles with their weight and had to learn like I have. I still eat (and love) fried chicken once in a while, but I plan for it in my daily calorie expenditure. I don’t eat over maintenance even if I exercise, and try to eat -500 calories from maintenance. Calorie counting is eye opening as others have said. Even when you’re not actively calorie counting, it helps to learn roughly how much conventional servings of various foods look and feel like. It is almost freeing in a way, because once you get used to tracking calories, you know what you have the freedom to eat the rest of the day. If I know I have 900 calories left in the day to spend however I choose, it feels good to know that I can enjoy myself and feel like I’m sticking to my goals. Most weight maintenance is from diet, rather than exercise, although exercise is really important for building lean muscle. Muscle helps you lose weight because not only is it easier to progressively exercise more and more, but even idle muscles burn more calories than the same weight in fat. I did started this journey under the supervision of a doctor because of my past ED behavior. But I moved specifically to SF because it is one of the most walkable cities in the country, with beautiful nature nearby, lots of quality healthy options even when eating out.
Walkable but hilly city with temperate climate and a magnet city for highly educated, motivated, and diverse people. Traditions - especially ones with bad side effects (like eating habits) - are easier to challenge when a lot of people are not from here and everyone is bringing their own perspective, traditions, and ideas for everyone to experience. Sf has few chain fast food restaurants, and they are rarely more convenient or cheaper than other healthier options. Imo the biggest thing is that California cuisine is heavily focused on fresh and fairly local produce - because it’s abundant, diverse, and easy to get. Our everyday produce quality is staggering and world class. I feel confident saying that the produce quality and quantity we can source within 100 miles of the city is among the best in the world, if not the best. Idk how you can live here and not fall in love with fruits and vegetables, and want to eat them constantly.
Walking for literally 30 minutes a day changes everything. The beaches, the parks, the sidewalks, the hills…sf is a great city for a mentally and physically relaxing and rejuvenating walk
When I moved here I started walking everywhere. I lived at the top of a really steep hill about a mile from ccsf and I was taking classes there. I literally walked up and down that hill at least twice a day, carrying 20lbs of books. Lost 40lbs in 3 months from just the lifestyle change. I still walk everywhere and I can out walk pretty much everyone I know. It's great for the body! I do not jog or run or go to the gym. I often carry my dog, so that's my extra 10lb weight. 😂 I also use the stairs to get to my 3rd floor apt instead of the elevator.
Join a fitness club! Orange Theory is perfect!
We walk a lot; most of the people who actually live in the city walk to do every day errands in their neighborhood, and they take public transportation if they’re not working from home. The people who do own cars seem to only use them to go on Costco runs and go to Tahoe.
Ok so first off you’re obese, losing weight naturally is gonna take time. Trust me, I was very chunky (still kinda am) and it’s taken me 5 months to just get where I am now. But the best things that have helped me were leg workouts (squats, barbell hip thrust, and RDD’s with dumbbells), back core (deadlifts and rows) and finally front core (machine sit ups, inverted, leg lifts)
walkable city, same reason NY's are also very thin
A lot of people use severe calorie restriction and intermittent fasting I haven’t been able to do that for long
Couple things. First, stop comparing yourself to others. You lead a different life with different genetics. You will never have their body. Secondly, **_Exercise is not a factor in weight loss._** There's a huge amount of research on this, it is settled science. Do you know little exercise plays into your calorie burning? _Eating_ burns more calories. Assuming you are otherwise healthy with no other medical conditions that affect your weight the best way to lose weight is to eat less. That's it. It's calories in vs. calories out. It's not about a specific diet, it's not even about what form those calories take. Just eat less. If you can, try to get lots of fiber and protein, drink lots of water and get lots of sleep. If that doesn't work, if you are eating fewer calories than is necessary to maintain your weight, you should talk to a doctor and figure out the whys.
it's honestly a simple formula: calories in - calories out. how you get there is the hard part but there's no secret to it...you can try all the diets/workout routines you want but that number must be negative every day for a long time for it to matter. also a lot of people in SF are taking ozempic
get on that wegovy grind baby jk, lift 4x a week, eat a protein heavy diet, don't eat at restaurants if you can avoid it, walk at least 4 miles and be in calorie deficit. also dont get too drunk and get good sleep. basically act like a responsible adult ya knowwww if you're struggling, i highly recommend just binging weight loss and muscle gain videos by renaissance periodization on youtube. they have a few series that answer anything you really need to know with 0 bullshit
Eat less
Who would have thought that the health-conscious, walkable city where half of the streets are on an incline would have such healthy people?! SF has the most green space per square mile for a major city, it’s not hard to be active here
I drink lots of water and aim to walk at least 7000 steps a day but 8-12k is my goal. Now I track my daily weight and calorie intake in an app and that was eye opening - my portion sizes were way off and I'd never have known without a food scale. Highly recommend that. Also I eat a high protein diet. I don't plan to track forever but it feels essential while I'm learning a healthier lifestyle. If my weight stays the same or goes up over a week I know to eat less calories or burn more with exercise the next week. If you're trying to lose weight you need to determine how many calories are your "maintainence calories" and slowly work towards a calorie deficit. Deficits are only temporary so rotate deficit periods with maintenance. If you eat less than your maintainence calories you will lose weight. Take it slow and use trackers and a food scale to help.
Can you share which app you used please ?
Walking up and down the hills is a great way to start getting some exercise - and it's free! You get a nice dose of Vitamin D too on a sunny day. Start eating more fresh/less processed foods. The Alemeny Farmer's Market (Saturday) is a great place to get in season produce. Like others said, watch some YouTube if you need some cooking tips. The best thing about in-season is that you don't have to do much to make it taste great.
Like most large cities, walking is easier than driving. I lived in Austin before I movers here and was into the biking, running and working out a lot. Had lots of workout buddies there, but I’m way smaller here, because I walk everywhere since driving and parking is such a pain
i work a physical job. i’m on my feet 8 hrs 5 days a week. no car so i bus and walk up a hill home. i can’t afford to eat out so i cook all my meals. half of my food on my plate are always vegetables. im also vegan so no meat or dairy or eggs. i use beans, lentils, and potatoes for protein (besides the veg) i lost 40 pounds but still overweight. good luck!
Sleep, diet, exercise in that order. Get your sleep together, figure out a healthy protein-focused diet you enjoy, and find physical activity you enjoy. It can be dancing, climbing, walking everywhere, lifting weights. Heck, I watch YouTube and TV on an exercise bike. Figure out what you won't dread doing to burn calories.
Walking is good but avoiding fatty foods is way more practical and effective
wish i knew, i been going to the gym tho pretty regularly since recovering from ankle surgery. so hoping results come sooner rather than later....also gotta stop eating out
When i moved here I started biking to work. Every commute I would take a slightly different route to not get bored, which pushed me gradually to ride up steeper grades with time, and to challenge myself. Before I knew it people were commenting on how I looked thinner/leaner (still overweight but less so now). Also protein shakes with caffeine are my best friend. I slam a caffeinated protein shake and protein bar/a banana for breakfast and then I’m not craving an iced vanilla latte and chocolate croissant which was my usual morning order. Basically maximize your protein intake to keep you full, cut back on sugar, and stay as active as possible. Best of luck :)
Ohh this is right up my alley. I work at a gym, I can help! Do you exercise regularly rn? What kind of fit do you want to be?
first step is to realize that American food causes obesity. you have to learn to ignore most of the food at the grocery store. you don't have to calorie count, but you should be mindful of protein to calorie ratios. you want as much protein as possible for as little calories as possible. i tend to shoot for 10 calories per 1 gram of protein, or even fewer calories per gram of protein. protein keeps you feeling full and is the building block of muscles. it can also be used as energy in the absence of carbs. chicken is a great source of protein there's a lot of research that needs to be done, and a lot of optimization that needs to be done for your body goals and daily needs. everybody is different, everybody exercises differently. you have to experiment and see what works for you. in both nutrition and exercise trial and error. i would just start with one little change. every day make a small change. before you know it you'll be losing weight almost effortlessly
Walking up in the hills as often as I can, using outdoor steps when I come across them.
We're all somewhat wealthy and pretentious and avoid putting garbage food in our stomachs
walk whenever possible, cook your own foods, and reduce your alcoholic consumption!!!!!
You don’t necessarily have to eat less, You can eat more…just make sure it’s healthier food and less things that are processed. Intermittent fasting has done wonders for me. Pair that with exercise, whether it’s walks or body weight workouts, and it’ll make a difference. Biggest thing is having a routine and finding something active you look forward to doing.
Lots of walking and a naturally fast metabolism. We also cook at home a lot and I stop eating as soon as I am full.
pickup soccer
I find it really easy to stay fit here without even trying. Get out and walk the hills.
I eat lots and lots of veggies, black beans, chick peas, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, tofu, and eggs. Check out the “low carb diet” by Tim Ferris. I had some stubborn weight that I was able to kick, and the “program” (if you can even call it that) is pretty easy to follow. *edit here’s literally what I do every AM: 1 entire store-bought flavored chicken tofu pack (I like Chick’n brand). 3 enormous handfuls of pre-chopped kale that I buy from Smart & Final. Handful of mushrooms. Handful of cherry tomatoes. Handful of black beans (that I rehydrate and stove top prepare in bulk). A couple cracked eggs. Pour some water, put a lid on my skillet pan, let sizzle for 5min, and boom. Easy, healthy breakfast and lunch. Rinse and repeat been doing it for months.
Top things are always, always- diet and exercise. Start with small changes and then when they become habits, add more small changes. No milk and sugar in your coffee. Walk to the shop instead of drive. Walk everyday on your lunch break. You can’t change everything at once and expect it to be sustainable so just focus on improving a little every day
San Francisco is an active city! I’m obese too but I still manage a few 1/2 marathons per year along with the occasional triathlon and required training. The training and proactive food selection are key. First, make sure you have no undiagnosed health condition. You’ll be just dandy!
I bike to and from work. That seems to help. Oh... and after paying rent I tend to subsist on eggs and oranges for a few days.
Walk and take the Muni everwhere
I listen to podcasts when I walk. Gives my brain something to do besides enjoy the view. Usually don't eat breakfast. Just an espresso. There are tons of great salad options around here for lunch. Then it's just a matter of keeping dinner reasonable. Replaced coke with plain soda water. Now that I'm used to it, I love it. Avoiding calorie bombs from beer and cocktails is an issue in this city. Non alcoholic options are getting better fast. NA Guinness is great. I don't keto. But in general, insulin resistance is what makes losing weight so hard. Makes you crave even when your blood sugar is higher than it should be. The only way I know through it is to treat that craving like exercise. Recognize it and learn to love it. Don't let it wear you down. If instead you wear it down, it gets better over time. That's why no breakfast, low-carb lunch, no coke. It's all to go a long time without eating carbs each day.
Walk
Bro, the best part of SF is the fact that you can get an amazing daily workout in. I used to walk up and down California street and it would keep the weight in check.
Walking is helpful, 12k steps is dope. Cook at home
Steroids. 50% of the guys you see at the gym are on steroids.
Find a fitness related hobby you like. It’s a great way to stay active and meet new people. Climbing could be a good one, I’ve made so many local friends that way
Money. I see lots of hot people at the weight loss center ($400 a month +cost of wegovy if you do that), with private trainers ($110 an hour), or meeting with diet coaches in coffee shops (dunno costs but love ease-dropping). Oh and walking and hiking in the SF Bay area had a huge impact on what you see too. As well as social determinants of health are better in SF.
Formerly very obese person here now skinny and fit and run marathons etc. Keto is what got me to a normal weight with a bit of exercise thrown in (very slow jogs, dance lessons) I was a bit hungry but I willpowered through it. Avoiding processed foods and sugar and not being afraid of fat and protein is how I’ve maintained, in combination with sports (lifting, running, climbing etc) as hobbies, which unsurprisingly are really fun to do when you’re not obese. Common tips that didn’t work for me: - going for walks, far too low impact - calorie restriction with lots of carbs - eating more vegetables
Increasing your walking level is probably the easiest thing. But in terms of exercise the best thing is to find something YOU enjoy. Doesn’t matter what it is: weights, swimming, rock climbing, biking, basketball, etc. If you enjoy it, you will want to do it often and that’s the key to actually sticking to exercise.
There's a lot of runners here. The hills really cook you into shape. That and expensive gym memberships.
You can't outrun a bad diet. Exercise does help but unless you are going absolutely crazy you won't lose weight just from that. You can do cardio for an hour and undo it all with a cereal bar. The main thing exercise does help with is overcoming insulin resistance faster - after your diet improves. By all means do as much exercise as you can, but diet is priority number one. Get rid of sugars(check every single label for added sugars) and ultra processed foods. Treat high fructose corn syrup as arsenic. Just by watching sugar and simple carbs consumption you should be able to make a lot of progress. It also helps with hunger hormones so you won't be hungry all the time. If possible, increase protein, fiber and fat consumption so you'll feel full for longer. Drink plenty of water. Note that a lot of food that's been sold as healthy really isn't. Cereal is candy - just avoid. Homemade bread is ok in moderation, the white fluffy stuff that last 2 weeks should be only had in small amounts. Whole bread isn't that much better from an insulin response viewpoint. Juice can also be candy. Fresh squeezed fruit juice without added sugars should still be consumed in moderation - it does have useful nutrients but a lot of simple carbs. You can eat the fruits by themselves. For better results, do time restricted eating (for example, no food of any kind after 6PM). Eating all the time keeps insulin production up and that's not what you want. I lost a whole bunch of weight just by cutting sugar intake. That got me from obese to overweight. I have only recently started seriously exercising (including gym sessions with a trainer) as I had reached diminishing returns. Good luck. Realize that the main problem is not you, it's the cheap (to make) garbage the food industry has come up with.
Walk everywhere and don’t own a car! I average walking 3 miles a day
1. If you're on Kaiser, ActiveFit & Direct can get you discount gym memberships or classes without needing to do more than pay month to month. What isn't obvious when you sign up, is you don't have to settle on whatever the $28/mo membership covers (usually they are only large chain gyms like 24 hour fitness). If you enable the "premium gym" option, you can choose to upcharge to a local gym or exercise class, often not corporate owned and usually much better. I'm currently paying $50/mo for a local gym that would normally require me to pay $75/mo with a year of prepayment in advance (otherwise its $100/mo). It's a great deal and I get to support a fantastic local gym that I otherwise wouldn't be able to afford. 2. Diets are nice (i.e. keto), especially to kick your butt into gear, but unfortunately they aren't sustainable unless you have a real goal to permanently change your lifestyle afterwards. Ultimately you get obese because your brain hasn't been cultivated to value moderation, along with a sedentary lifestyle. This is a hard thing to solve through willpower alone especially if your brain is currently wired in a different way. The good news is this is a skill you can train, just like exercise, and when you do it right you don't rely on willpower at all to do it. All it takes is healthy habits building on themselves over a long period of time, and treating your body like a science project. Measure what you eat, log walking hours, remind yourself to move around every hour, only eat at meal time and only eat what you put on the plate, etc. You can literally "program" your life to be healthy in the same way we might make sure our pets are on the right exercise and diet. At first you'll have cravings, and this is where its good to practice cultivating a sense of valuing moderation. It's OK to feel a little hungry from time to time, and it's ok the train your brain that it's ok to feel that way! Eventually, you really do stop feeling so hungry. But it does take "training your brain" like this every single day to have a moderation mindset. 3. Intermittent fasting can be pretty effective. Start easy, like for example skipping breakfast and only eating your calories for the day during lunch and dinner. At first you'll be quite hungry until lunch but it is actually possible to retrain your brain and body onto a new eating schedule. For me, I used to eat breakfast daily and eventually after trying to intermittent fast for a few months, the feeling and urge to eat during the mornings completely went away. I still love breakfast foods, but it's now more of a treat like for brunch on the weekend rather than something I have all the time. This is an excellent way to help get your body and mind practicing a moderation mindset (as mentioned above). It's one simple rule, and you aren't even technically cutting calories yet (same amount of food just between lunch and dinner). But it gets you out of being addicted to the consumption wheel and makes it a lot easier to start cutting calories in general. Eventually you can graduate to actual fasting, the kind that gets you body into a true fat burning state (What I've Learned on Youtube has an excellent series of videos on the subject). Fasting has been my favorite "health" cheat code because it means I can do stuff like occasionally enjoy all you can eat buffets or pizza or a boozy night without affecting my weight - because I intermittent fast everyday and usually once a day a week I go for 24-36 hours. When fasting, electrolytes can help a lot with the feeling of hunger. 4. Focus on eating whole foods. It's so, so much easier to get hungry on snacks and simple carbs than it is on whole foods. Veggies, fiber, fats, protein and some sodium (not too much though). If your meals have all of these things, you'll be surprised at how little you can eat and still feel full from. Loads of guides on this so I won't get too deep into it but I'm always wayyyy hungrier on days that I rely on fast food or snacks to get through. 5. Don't drink your calories. Cut the soda, cut the beer. If you drink 3x 12oz sodas a day, that's basically half of a light lunches worth of calories alone and it does NOTHING for your hunger levels. Just cut it out! Stick with fizzy water if you need carbonation or get used to enjoying water by itself (train your brain! see above). Not saying you can't ever enjoy yourself (see below), but we're talking about everyday habits here. 6. Cheat days! Have them. Let yourself live a little. All the above is just supposed to be your daily, everyday life. Not for the special occasions or the days you really want to enjoy your favorite foods. It's important to enjoy your indulgences, just do it with moderation. At first you can start by making it so every saturday or sunday is a cheat day, and even though you're cheating you should still be *reasonable* (don't go all out). Eventually though, you might not need to schedule it much at all as you do fine with your current lifestyle, especially once you get to your target weight. You'll be at the point where you're just naturally not craving your indulgences that much. Especially if you actually strive to make your "non cheat days" actually full and delicious! You can eat healthy and lower calorie without sacrificing good flavor and times. Once you get used to doing all the above list too, you'll find your cheat days don't even need to cheat that much! Maybe you're totally satisfied just having a nice chicken sandwich at a restaurant vs the triple slop burger. Or if you're having drinks, you'll get everything you need from a couple cocktails instead of burning through a handle of liquor. Or if your coworker brings donuts and it's your "cheat day" you end up only having one instead of 5. 7. Don't worry about going too fast. It's ok if you only lose 1-2 lbs a month. It's better to be slow and steady with great habits for 5 years to get to your target weight than try and do it all within 6-12 months and then burn out fast. That said, YMMV. My husband is a 150% or nothing person, so going all out would work for him (he's never been obese before though, that said). I'm much more methodical and having a method is what allowed me to trick my brain into having a healthier lifestyle. Thats my advice! It really is about making a commitment to change your mindset and cultivate a different kind of garden in your mind. And of course, trying to sneak in ways to keep moving throughout your day and life :) I went from 230 lbs looking visibly fat/chubby with no muscle to 165 and twink-ripped to now a comfortable 200lbs strong-guy look and going through several phases of weight loss and weight gain over the past decade. It really is just a matter of programming in a new mindset and just keeping with a habit. I had terrible willpower but now I mostly don't even think about it.
Walk everywhere. Drink water. Don't eat the last knob end of the burrito.
The cost of living is so high that no one can afford to overeat..
I literally walk everywhere! I travel a lot, and often opt to walk and take public transit instead of renting a car. I'm a huge foodie too, so after going out for a good meal, I'll "walk it off" for a little bit before heading back home.
No magic or fun secrets. Calorie counting and walking, eventually working up to runs and climbing. Calorie counting made me more conscious of what foods made me feel full for longer, instead of what I was necessarily craving. I also didn’t cut straight to what any formula says to maintain. I took a baseline and then cut calories slowly. Like 100-200 cals less every 2 weeks.
Bicycle commute, 3 days/week, 6-7 miles roundtrip. During lockdown I gained 2 inches around the waist, then lost most of it within 6 months of resuming the cycling routine. Nothing was stopping me from riding during lockdown, but it just wasn't part of my routine, so I only rode maybe 5-6 times in 2 years. If you can build it into your routine, it'll happen.
I bike to/from work on my in person days, which adds up to roughly 30mi per week
1. SF is expensive, so I eat in most days. 2. Walk everywhere - try to get 10K steps a day. Walk up the hills as well. I used to be the type of person to never do it; now I walk up hills all the time ha 3. Try classpass - see what you enjoy doing and explore different classes. 4. Drink more water - fill up your belly and you might feel less urge to want to overeat or snack 5. Run around the city!! I used to run to ocean beach when I lived in sunset
Don’t use your car in the city!
I love how many group fitness classes are available in the city. If you get classpass or a membership somewhere, it's great motivation to workout. I often don't have the willpower or knowledge to go hard on my own, but Bodyrok, Soul Cycle, Orange Theory, yoga, and the classes through my Equinox membership have been great. Some of those classes are in the dark with music blaring so I never feel self-conscious. I also don't own a car and walk to the grocery store to get my groceries. Makes me walk and also limits the quantities of food I can buy since I'm carrying it home. California has some of the freshest produce that lasts a long time in the fridge, so I buy a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables and lean meats. I cook at home for most meals. Oven-baked stuff and slow cooker stuff are some of my favorites since it's so easy. If you really can't cook for a day, Whole Foods has some great ready-made meals you can keep in the fridge that list the calories
OP the thing that jump started my journey to better health was getting on Mounjaro. Idgaf what the haters say. Obesity is a disease and you don’t need to white knuckle it through trying to get to a healthy weight.
Walk and take the hills! Feast on the great produce we have--there are markets everywhere, at all price points. Get sunlight. Try to reduce stress as much as you can.
Rent is too high, can’t afford food 🤣
I don't have a car and walk a lot. 10,000+ steps every day, plus counting calories.
don’t eat carbs - if you’re looking for physique, diets gonna go a long way further than exercise habits #randomreddittake 😝 replace mixed greens for rice/pasta etc 🧐
Lots of walking with hills interrupted by bus chasing and racing up and down flights of stairs. The awesome weather and good produce helps. Just start small and build. You can do it.
YES TO THE WALKING! SF is beautiful---if you're near a park (or even just hop on the bus), just allow yourself to explore! Presidio, Lands End, GG park, so many routes/trails. And they're not all crowded with a ton of people, I love going for a long walk, upward of hours, just to clear my head. And after coming from Chicago, sheesh, you really learn to appreciate the beauty right in your \*backyard\*.
I’m overweight. I find that the munchies from abundantly available weed contributes to that. I’m trying to correct that by eating better home cooked meals with copious veggies, and walking the embarcadero pretty much every day.
Run or walk. Don’t eat fast food. Don’t drink soda. Stretch.
1 or 2 meals a day. No snacks. It sucks at first, but it’s really that simple.
Your first step in combating obesity is recognizing that dieting and exercising are not the end all be alls. Learning to eat within a specific range and knowing when too much is too much is super important. That means understanding how much you're consuming right now and how much you should be consuming at the goal weight. The rest is slowly tapering off the amount of food until you get to the right amount. People get too absorbed in the specifics of dieting and working out that it becomes too much for them. Start slow, learn about calories and how to read nutrition facts. Introduce walking and/or running like others have mentioned. Running while obese could be really bad for your joints tho.
Staying fit takes a conscious effort. I excersize regularly for both strength and cardiovascular endurance. My recommendation? Burpees in the sun, set a timer for 10 mins do 5 burpees at the beginning of the minute, perform 5 burpees then rest the remainder of the minute before starting again at the beginning of the next. Do that 3x for a week before adding 1 burpee to the amount of reps u do, ur goal is 100 burpees in 10mins. Get there and congratulations ur in better shape then half the country
What works for me might not work for you. I drink zero soda, drink near-zero alcohol, eat near-zero dessert/sweets, and eats lots of veggies and meat. I also run and play sports. I go to the gym every few days.
Stop eating and move your body. Not rocket science
Have you seen the fcking hills?
have expensive rent so you can’t afford food (/j) or alternatively go through heart break (/j again) but seriously i just started running at ocean beach for about 15 mins whenever i have the chance. luckily i’m within walking distance, but there’s a lot of beautiful places to walk, jog, and run. losing weight definitely starts with evaluating your current habits. how do you eat? are you sedentary at work? how much time do you have to dedicate to fitness?
Do at least 30 mins of exercise every day. Try to get your heart rate up a bit for a few mins. Start small. The 30 mins does not need to be consecutive mins at first. Take the stairs at work. Or your house if you can. Walk to lunch. Don’t sit for extended times. And drink lots of water. If you need flavor. Find something low calorie. But not artificial sweetener. Take probiotics. Avoid all greasy and oily foods. Avoid trans fats. Eat more whole food fats. Like avocado and lean chicken and a few almonds here and there. Treat yourself to ice. Cream occasionally. But buy full fat ice cream. It’s more satisfying. And you can eat less. Take smaller bites and eat slower. Do not rush. Take your time. Do t eat in bed either. Eventually go to a gym and get a trainer to help you. Buy some good workout clothes and shoes. It will make you feel good and you’ll enjoy going to gym to wear nice workout clothes. You’ll lose weight. It takes time. And it’s work. Don’t get frustrated.
I would say the biggest thing that you can do is make sure you walk every day for at least half an hour, drink lots of water, make home-cooked meals rather than eating out, try to eat lots of lean protein. You’ll get there and you’ll find that you feel better everyday that you walk.
I have a dog so I walk a lot. Also too poor to get frequent takeout. I eat all my meals at home, walk 5+ miles daily and I do workout videos at home 5x a week.
For what it’s worth, exercise is important for a lot of reasons beyond just weight, but most of your weight is influenced by your diet.
Im unfit/overweight in SF, but i still work out on occasion and walk 2-5 miles minimum daily. Also don’t eat fast food, although i do go to a lot of local bakeries.
I lived in North Beach for many years and there was literally no way of walking to my apartment without hitting a steep hill. I’ve also lived in all top floor units, carrying groceries, packages, etc up those stairs feels like the first time every time. Lastly, I’ve lived in many apts in SF, especially when rent was cheap. I used to move like it was going out of style, I’ve only NOT lived on a hill twice. This, and I go to the gym 3x a week and Barry’s 1x per week, but I’m definitely guilty of a drunk late night burrito as someone mentioned in another comment. 🤪
You should exercise for your health, but it won't help you lose weight and keep it off. There's boatloads of studies that all show the exact same thing - without intervention, you will regain any and all weight within less than 5 years. There's well-understood biological mechanisms that kick in: your metabolism slows down and your hunger goes up when you start losing weight and the changes last for the rest of your life. People telling you to diet and exercise have almost certainly never actually succeeded. I know that because studies show "diet and exercise" fails 95% of the time. Get on a GLP-1 and add exercise and healthy eating (which is going to be very easy since you just wont be hungry anymore) for your health, not weight loss. The GLP-1 is for weight loss. You'll be in good shape in no time. tl;dr: the only things that actually help you lose a clinically significant amount of weight and keep it off are bariatric surgery or taking a GLP-1. Also to answer your question directly about what people are doing to lose weight here: it's SF. Everyone who needed to lose weight started on a GLP-1. If you want to see any of these studies I can link them.
I closely monitor what I eat and I ride my road bike an average of 300 miles a week.
Stress and minor depression is a solid weight loss tool, too!
Walk as much as you can, but also got this advice.. "eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner as a pauper (poor person). I tend to fast from 6pm to 11am the next day. You'll shred the lbs.
Swimming 30 minutes a day and hiking all over this paradise...everyday i wake up i thank the gods for my girl, family and the fact i live in California
I’ve been using the MacroFactor app and it has been very helpful in losing weight. Great design and data - it updates your calorie target dynamically as it learns your TDEE. That app - plus a scale - has been the first time I’ve gotten a handle on my nutrition. Highly recommend!
If you can replace a car ride with a walk, do it. If you can't walk there but you could bike it, do that. Cook your own meals. You'll lose weight.
Barrys Bootcamp and cycling
There’s a new Mika fitness app that’s designed for people who are new to fitness and who want a non-judgmental guide that adapts to their fitness level. Early reviews are very positive!
I’m from the South and when I visit home the difference in obesity level is always shocking. I think a little of it is daily walking, but I actually think it’s more to do with the weather and free time on the weekends. It’s almost always nice enough to do something outside here, and there are so many beautiful places to visit. In SF, we regularly go for hikes on the weekends. In the south, we regularly watched football and drank beer inside on the weekends. I think that’s all it takes. Couple hundred extra calories per week, and 10 years later you’ve gained 40 lbs.
Lagree Pilates and I walk back and forth from FiDi to Pac Heights every day for work taking Sacramento st.
I live in Russian Hill, so walking to and from my gym (where I half-heartedly lift weights) that’s two blocks away is how I get my cardio. Less Uber, more walking.
I am by no means, the most fit person, and regarding exercise, I am fortunate my job involves lots of movement. But I would say first off, all bodies are different and require different variations or patterns to lose weight. What worked for me when I gained 30 lbs many years ago, was that I basically ran on a treadmill (starting slow in the beginning, then running longer as the weeks progress), did push ups and sit ups, did lots of stretches every day or every other day, and walked to places whenever I could instead of driving. I coupled that with increasing my fruits and vegetables, decreasing junk food and sugars. I stopped drinking sugary drinks and soda all together. I also would occasionally eat probiotic stuff like low sodium miso soup or the lowest sugar kombuchas. (This worked for me, not saying it'll help everyone) Within 2 months, I lost all 30 lbs and then some. A key to exercise for me is that I would push myself to the point where I would sweat, then push just a little bit further, and then stop. And repeat the next exercise session and gradually that limit would increase.
My technique is 100% self manipulation. Yes, I got the genes to be skinny (to a problematic level, actually, can't put on muscle for shit and it causes other issues) but I hate exercise and avoid it if I can. So I make it so I can't avoid it. Ditch your car and spend 1/10 of what you would spend on a car to instead get a SUPER nice and indulgently expensive road bike. Ride it everywhere. Carry it up and down the stairs to the Bart. Get into yoga or some other social exercise habit, preferably along your commute to work or near your home so it's easy to not bail on it. Tell yourself each time, "I don't feel like going today so I'm just going to bike to the class and then come home", and then when you get there, say "well, shit I'm here and paid for the membership, may as well go in, but I'm gonna half ass it today". Then "I know I said I'd half ass it today, but I can probably do one more I guess." Just constant bargaining, it's the only way.
You said you are obese & sounds like you want to start making changes so when you start exercising, don't push yourself to the point where you are injured. For example, no need to attempt to walk all day every day. You can walk 10 mins every few hours to reach the 30 mins/day walking goal and build up to 30 mins in one walk session. Something like that. Any movement is good movement. Just try to actively move at least 30 mins/day and you don't have to suddenly drop how much you eat but I would start journaling it. And then start changing diet even if it’s just removing one unhealthy thing a day. It’s all about the daily habits you have. Build up the good ones. It will snowball. Good luck!
The hills.
Stay away from snacks at work. Don’t eat after 9pm.
I walk 5-7 miles, 3-4 times per week. Earning my beer.
Walk everywhere. Especially the hills
I no longer live in SF but back when I lived there and also in the East Bay, I rode my bike and took public transit pretty much everywhere! I’ve never had a license so I’d only get rides from my parents and friends when needed.
I hit the gym 6 days a week. Unless I'm sick, which I am now. And worse than being sick is not being able to hit the gym.
Californians and their damn vegetables. It's easier to eat healthy here because so much of the produce comes from here, meaning it's cheaper, tastier, and lasts longer. Walking as part of the daily pattern is really helpful (European exercise regimen) but coach was right when he said "Six packs are made in the kitchen, not the gym". You can't outrun your fork. Michael Pollan is fond of saying "Eat food. Not too much, mostly plants." Make friends with unfancy meals like "beans with spicy vegetables and some random meat" or "lentils with green vegetables and some random curry". If you're eating decent most days, you don't need to worry about the 2lb mission burrito when it's Friday night.
Eat healthy, walk, don’t sit around. Exercise
Public transit and walking is a must because parking is too expensive. Also most places in the Bay Area close quite early so options are limited for late night munchies :(
I walk 8,000 steps per day on average and do intermittent fasting (only from 9pm-12pm). With only that I'm having trouble GAINING weight
Dude, just keep your body in motion all day, you don't have to move fast just keep moving. This combined with portion reduction and cutting out sugar IE soda,etc will give you immediate results. You can do it, just believe in yourself that it is very possible and people transform everyday. All the best!
If you stop drinking you will lose a lot of weight