California is a blue-state hell hole.
And like "1984" is an instruction manual
"Escape From LA" is also a portent.

Everyone who reads this needs to leave the big cities.  Especially any that are majority blue.
Your life depends on it.

And yeah, you could have had a higher paying job (at first) and got used to the high pay and the corporate perks, and "been on your grind", but, as  you said, it is also a trap.
Comfort is one of the greatest traps.

When you are thinking about code on the job, you are rarely thinking about code off the job.  So, you would probably not have been as big in cryptos... but then again, if your life has some fate in it, all roads lead to that fate.

On your weight.  I would suggest changing/starting with your diet.
Read "Eat Right 4 Your Blood Type".
Find out what your body really needs and feed it those.

Andddd, it may be something like, growing your own garden that really helps out your metabolism.

I am sure that they just re-upped your lease a month or too early.
yeah, that's it.  That is why it doesn't seem to have been a year....