Brian Anderson, a 911 fire dispatch supervisor, transformed his life by losing nearly 300 pounds through diet and exercise, inspiring others with his dedication.

SAN DIEGO — A San Diego 911 fire dispatch supervisor has lost nearly 300 pounds over the past five years through exercise and dietary changes, earning him a feature in People Magazine’s “How I Lost 100 Lbs.” cover story.

Brian Anderson, 40, a San Diego native who recently celebrated his birthday, approached 600 pounds at his heaviest before deciding to transform his life. “It feels like it is impossible, but if I can do it, anybody can do it,” said Anderson.


Working as a 911 Dispatch Supervisor in Kearny Mesa, Anderson spent years struggling with his weight. By 2019, he had reached 578 pounds and knew he needed to make a change. “I had to do something, or I felt like life was done,” he explained. 

Anderson achieved his weight loss through exercise, intermittent fasting, and cutting out unhealthy habits—particularly reducing his juice consumption from nearly a gallon per day to none. Notably, he did not use weight loss surgery, GLP-1 medications, or other weight loss drugs, preferring instead to rely on his own willpower and discipline.


“No weight loss surgery, no GLP-1’s, no weight loss medications,” said Anderson, explaining his approach.

Despite the physical toll of his weight-loss journey, Anderson has achieved numerous victories. “I love this picture now because I hated this picture,” he said, reflecting on his transformation. Recently, he rode the Giant Dipper roller coaster at Belmont Park for the first time in decades, after previously being unable to fit on it. “I was like a kid again, I just screamed and put my hands up,” said Anderson.

Anderson’s feature in People Magazine moved him deeply. “Speechless to be honest. It’s such an honor,” said Anderson. “It felt like everything that I worked for had all come together. I cried when I saw it because it’s like that’s me.”


With a target weight of 225 pounds, Anderson still hopes to lose another 70 pounds. He credits his People Magazine feature with providing additional motivation to maintain his progress. “The good thing about being in People Magazine, the best part, I can’t go back to the old weight after being in People Magazine for losing weight, it just adds an extra motivation and an added discipline,” said Anderson.

Anderson emphasizes that his struggle involved more than just physical changes. He noted that addressing the underlying emotional issues that contributed to his weight gain was essential to his success. “Having an aid like a GLP-1 can help, but if you don’t deal with the issues that caused you to gain weight in the first place, then once you are done using those aids, it will put you back in even a worse position than you were to begin with,” said Anderson.


For those attempting their own transformations, Anderson offers simple advice: take it one step and staircase at a time. “We can do anything we put our minds to,” said Anderson.