Healthiest Places to Live

(Images from Wikipedia)

The most popular — and oft-abandoned — New Year’s resolution is losing weight. Depending on where you live, staying healthy and shedding pounds is easier, though.

Some metro areas in the U.S. are better for those trying to stay healthy because they have less cheap food available and more gyms per capita. Trulia rounded up the 10 best and 10 worst metro areas for losing weight based on five measure:

Food options

The number of “slow food” establishments (supermarkets and full-service restaurants) divided by the number of “fast food” establishments (convenience stores and fast food restaurants).

Commute options

The percentage of workers who commute to work by walking or biking, instead of driving.

Gyms

The number of gyms, health clubs and fitness centers per 1,000 households.

Outdoor activities

To measure the number of outdoor sports opportunities, Trulia used the number of sporting-goods stores per 1,000 households.

Weight-loss programs

The number of weight-loss and diet centers offering education, counseling and support per 1,000 households.

Trulia didn’t take into account any measure of whether or not residents are overweight or obese. This list just considers what cities offer the best tools for people trying to lose weight. The Northeast dominated the top 10, capturing seven spots. Meanwhile nine of the top 10 worst are located in the Sunbelt.

Five Best

5. Lake County, Ill.-Kenosha County, Wis.

Located on Lake Michigan between Milwaukee and Chicago, these two

suburban metros have a high density of gyms.

4. Boston, Mass.

A high share of Bostonians get to work either on foot or by bike.

3. Long Island, N.Y.

This island, with two counties located in New York City and two mainly suburban outside of it, has a high density of gyms, plus, lots of easy access to beachs for outdoors exercise.

2. Fairfield County, Conn.

A suburb county of New York City, Fairfield has a high density of gyms and the Appalachian Mountains run through the county.

1. San Francisco, Calif.

The city was one of the best when it came to having more "slow food" than "fast food." But the outdoor exercise on the hills of San Francisco and the nearby hiking trails of Muir Woods don't hurt.

Five Worst

5. Riverside-San Bernadino, Calif.

4. San Antonio, Texas

3. Bakersfield, Calif.

2. Fort Worth, Texas

1. Las Vegas, Nev.

Mostly a tourist destination filled with casinos and buffets, Las Vegas doesn't give a lot of opportunities for staying health and losing weight.

See the full lists