Say hello to a familiar face... guest post by Lauren.

Hi there – remember me? I can’t believe it’s been 18 months since I was last here!

For those of you who are new to Where Are My Knees, my name is Lauren and I was a member of the team for a few months back in 2012/2013. Unfortunately due to other commitments I wasn’t able to stick around longer, but I had some great experiences while part of the team and I was thrilled when Gemma got in touch to ask me if I wanted to do a guest post for the girls.

My story is one most people will have heard in some form or another – I lost 100lbs on Weight Watchers over the course of two and a half years while I was at university. After graduating and starting full time work the weight started to creep back on slowly…a year after I graduated I fell in love with a wonderful man and suddenly the weight wasn’t creeping on so much as piling on – a result of too many meals out and too many nights on the sofa with ice cream and sweets!

At my heaviest, I weighed 19st 11.5lbs – a number that will be ingrained in my memory for the rest of my life. At my lightest, I weighed 12st 9.5lbs. I was within the healthy weight bracket for my height (5’11) but still around 7-10lbs heavier than I wanted to be. As of this April, when I re-joined Weight Watchers and really re-committed myself to losing the weight again, I weighed 16st 5lbs. At first I was mortified that I had allowed myself to regain so much of the weight that I worked so hard to lose, but I’ve come to accept that this is just one stage in my journey. The truth is I will struggle with my weight for the rest of my life, and that is just something that I’m going to have to accept and learn to live with. What matters is that I re-dedicated myself to losing weight and living healthily, and in the last 14 weeks I’ve lost just over 15lbs. Not a miraculous weight loss by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s been consistent and I’m actually enjoying being back on track.

So, what changed? Well first of all I’m very lucky to have the support of my wonderful boyfriend. We recently made the decision to move in together, and we’re currently living in his lovely little house in a small town in Lincolnshire. It’s a far cry from the hustle and bustle of the busy commuter town in Essex I grew up in, but I’m loving being surrounded by gorgeous countryside and will soon be starting a brand new job about two miles from our home. Moving in with my boyfriend and out of the family home has had a huge impact on my weight loss because I have been able to take control of what food is in the house. Living with my mum, stepdad and brother was always problematic for me weight loss wise. Not only were the cupboards full of sweets, crisps and chocolate but my mum is an excellent cook and is not a fan of weighing or measuring – so while I knew that my meals were made from lovely fresh ingredients I never had any idea of how much was on my plate. Since moving in with Pete I have almost completely taken over shopping and cooking (even though he’s a better cook than I am!) and having this control has really helped keep me on track.

Probably the most important thing that happened was that I was finally honest with myself about how I felt about my body. Because I’m tall I can get away with carrying more weight, and even at just over 16st I was only wearing a size 16. I spent a long time trying to convince myself that my weight didn’t matter and I was happy with how I looked. I have a boyfriend that loves me no matter what size jeans I’m wearing, and it wasn’t like I’d regained all the weight after all…maybe this was just the size I was meant to be. I was wrong though, and I had to realise that and break the cycle of denial before I could really get re-focussed on losing weight. If I hadn’t, I have no doubt that I would have ended up back where I started in 2010.

As I said previously, mine is a story that most people will be familiar with. Almost everybody knows somebody who lost a significant amount of weight and then re-gained some or all of it. Gemma herself has spoken about her struggles with maintaining her weight loss and there are plenty more people out there in the same boat. If you’ve found yourself in this position, or even if you’re new to the weight loss game, I would advise you to above all else be honest with yourself. I spent two years pre-Weight Watchers telling myself that I didn’t care about being the fat friend, but it was a lie. It sounds shallow, but I was at my happiest in myself when I was at my slimmest. I was brimming with confidence, I smiled more, I laughed freely, I made friends easily. Over the past couple of years as the weight has crept back on I’ve found myself making excuses not to go out, shying away from the colourful and fun fashions I used to love, and generally withdrawing more and more. Being honest with myself about what the weight was doing to my happiness was the best thing I could have done, and I’m now looking forward to shedding even more pounds and re-embracing the slim, happy, confident girl I was a couple of years ago.

If you’d like to keep up with my weight loss journey and see a little more of what I’m up to now I’m living in the Lincs countryside then please stop by my new blog Life In Lincs, or say hello on Twitter or Instagram. I’d love to hear from you :)

Sunday Summary

We have a sad little update to share with you this week...

Lauren - Unfortunately due to work/life commitments, this will be my last Sunday Summary as part of Team Where Are My Knees?. I'm extremely sad to be going and I've loved my time as a part of the team, but unfortunately I can't commit to it fully at the moment (as I'm sure you've noticed from my absence over the last few weeks) and it's not fair on you guys or the rest of the team. Even though I seem to be on an extended weight loss hiatus at the moment, I haven't given up and I will continue to document my progress over on A Little Less Of Lauren, as and when I actually have any progress or any time to update about it, that is. I would like to say a massive thank you to all of Team WAMK for being so wonderful, and particularly to Sarah and Gemma for bringing me on board. The guys have already agreed to have me guest post from time to time, so you haven't seen the last of me yet! All my love and good luck to you all with your weight loss and fitness endeavors!

Sarah V - So sad to lose Lauren as part of the team. :( On personal news I have had a really good week, I've lost 2.5lbs which brings me just 0.5lbs away from a stone! I had a sneak peek at the scales last night and I THINK I've done it but I'll know for sure at my weigh-in tomorrow. My WW buddy and I have been trying to spend our time kickstarting our weightloss - we went on a 6 mile walk yesterday (I clocked over 20,000 steps on my pedometer!) and then made WW pork burgers for tea. I also had a booze-free weekend which I'm hoping will help. I do love a glass (or three) of red wine but alcohol is so calorific, and it makes me so snackish!

Rosie -Boohoo, bye Lauren - sad face! This week my boyfriend was away all week so I filled the house with healthy foods and pre-prepared oatmeal pancakes for breakfast and made lunches the night before.  I was chuffed when I'd lost a lb on Friday however I have probably put it all back on this weekend as we had take-away pizza on Friday and then I went out for lunch at a blogging event on Saturday.  Lately I seem to be really good at eating well and eating clean through the week and then I treat myself over the whole weekend and undo all my hard work.  I need to get better at isolating treats to one meal a week or a couple of nice things on one day rather than over two or three days.

Sarah - I have struggled this week, I have been mostly on plan but had two off plan meals out and some of the sticky toffee pudding I baked yesterday (couldn't resist, it smelt SO good!) but boy did I feel rough for it today.  I thankfully stayed the same (I really expected a gain) and have come to the conclusion that I really shouldn't eat wheat.  I will never not bake and will always want to try at least a little of my sweet treats and have made the decision to move to wheat free flour, it's not worth the headaches or bloating for the real thing.   If you bake with Doves flour let know how you alter a standard recipe please!

Gemma - This week has been a struggle and I didn't stick to my no alcohol rule. I didn't manage to weigh on Tuesday but I'm hoping that I maintained. I don't have any plans next week and hope to stick to the WW plan ridgidly all week so I can treat myself on Saturday when I go for afternoon tea. I've done a shop and got lots of healthy soups and salads for lunch so no excuses!

Bye, bye Lauren!  Good luck with your journey, you always know where we are (You can't get rid of us lot that easily!) How has your week been?

Sunday Summary 85

How have you all been getting on this week?

Sarah - Yesterday marked 31 days following the Harcombe Diet and I am happy to say that whilst I didn't lose the 14lbs I was aiming for I got pretty close, I lost 12lbs and a total of 5" from my waist, tummy and hips.  Blooming brilliant!  As someone who struggles to lose weight consistently this change of lifestyle has amazed me and even though it is restrictive I have had no problems sticking to it other than for planned occasions such as my birthday, that in itself is a miracle!  I feel so much healthier, more alert and awake and am actually looking forward to introducing some exercise soon to see what that does to my results.  I have lost another 0.5lb this morning bringing my total loss for this week to 3.5lbs.

Gemma - Is living it up in Paris this weekend, ooh la la!

Sarah V - I've had another really good week on Weight Watchers. I feel a bit like I'm part of a cult because I cannot stop singing its praises but I can't get over how easy I'm finding it! At my weigh-in on Monday, I lost another 1.5lbs, meaning I've now lost 7.5lbs in three weeks. My next weigh-in is tomorrow and I'm pretty confident I've lost again. I've been on-plan for about a month now and I haven't slipped at all, thanks to the 49 weekly points which mean I don't feel guilty about a meal out or a cheeky few glasses of wine. I'm eating plenty (you should have SEEN the size of the lasagne I had on Friday, all for 11 points!) and I'm even having chocolate every day. I think the reason it's working for me is because it's encouraging me to have a little bit of what I fancy, rather than depriving myself of treats for weeks on end and ending up having a huge binge. Also, it's helped me to rediscover my love for cooking, which I will keep sharing with you all on Wednesdays!

Chris - The likelihood is, if you're reading this, you've seen my nipples. That feels a little bit odd, but I'm glad I wrote it - and the comments underneath the piece and in my Twitter feed were lovely and supportive as well. I'm thinking about chronicling my battle with my extra skin over the next twelve months, so look out for more photos of me in the (partial) nip in the next year. That's both a promise and a threat.

Meanwhile, I'm still hitting the gym for 6-7 classes a week; I'm really enjoying pushing my body; challenging myself to do things that 6 months ago I would have found impossible. I don't really monitor my weight too strictly anymore, as the weight training I do made me put on a stone in the last 4-5 months or so, but I've definitely shifted any Christmas excess now, and I'm determined to spend this year focusing more on toning and shaping the haggard old mess that is my body.

Rosie - My boyfriend was away this week so I took the opportunity to really put a lot of effort into exercising and eating healthily.  I got up at 6am every day, did 40 minutes of an exercise DVD and then took my dog for a half an hour walk.  I ate nothing but good, healthy foods (minus a dinner out when Tom came home on the Friday) and made healthy lunches every evening to take to work the next day.  So I was pretty shocked when I'd actually put on a lb when I weighed myself.  My biggest frustration is my belly - I actually got quite upset today when I looked in the mirror to see that my arms are looking slimmer but my stomach still looks like I'm about to pop out a baby! I guess I will just keep at it though I can't help feeling a little downhearted!  I've been to the gym and swimming twice this weekend so I'm hoping all my hard work will eventually pay off.

Lauren - I thought I'd finally found my mojo this week, even after having a 49 propoints 'desk dinner' of Papa Johns on Monday evening. Then Thursday hit and its been downhill since then! I'm sick of saying 'this week will be perfect' when I know it won't, so I'm not going to bother saying that. Instead I'm just going to try to make it 'better'. I think it might be time for me to step away from Weight Watchers for a while and figure out what I want and how I'm going to shift the last couple of stone, because I'm stuck in a serious rut and have been for months. If anyone has any tips or recommendations then let me know!!!

Sunday Summary 83

Another week done! How have you been getting on so far this year?

Sarah - I moved onto Phase 2 of the Harcombe diet with a bit of a hiccup.  I reintroduced both cheese and cream at the same time and ended up with indigestion and feeling pretty rotten.  I had a feeling I am probably intolerant to cheese so cut them both out for 5 days and reintroduced cream with no issues yesterday.  Thankfully I didn't gain (if you eat food you're intolerant to it can cause you to gain a couple of pounds) though I do think it slowed down my progress.  I lost 2lbs this week bringing my total for 2013 to 9lb in 18 days of dieting, I am over the moon!  Wonder if I can make it to a stone in 31 days? Fingers crossed!!

Gemma - I stayed the same this week but I'm not too disappointed because I lost so much the week before and I've not really been able to get out and walk because of the weather. This weekend has been a complete disaster, I went to Las Iguanas and ate so much, had cocktails then went for a night out and have no idea how much I had to drink so don't know how much to count for it. I have a hangover today (not very clever at all, surely I should know better by the age of 25?) and I have eaten so many carbs. Oh well, I did have fun ;)

Lauren - I've finally managed to find a class that fits around my work schedule so as of last Monday I am back to weekly weigh-ins with Weight Watchers. I'm still finding my feet in terms of eating routines with my new job as its just so busy, but even when I've wavered from plans I've made healthy choices this week. I'm not sure if I'm going to get to WI tomorrow what with all the pesky white stuff everywhere, but the class is open all week so even if I don't make it tomorrow I can go on Tuesday. I'm hoping to see a loss this week but we'll have to see. I'm also planning to try to squeeze in some exercise before work every morning this week. It will mean some very early starts but hopefully when the days start getting longer I can go in the evenings instead.

Rosie - I weighed myself this morning and am still 4lbs heavier than at was just before Christmas.  It's frustrating but then, I did have four days away in Bath last weekend where I ate and drank whatever I wanted and I've already mentioned my indulgent Christmas! This weekend I tried to prepare some foods for the week as I know my failure points are when I don't have anything in the house or at work with me and I end up making bad choices at the supermarket or worse, the takeaway.  I cooked a gammon joint so I have gammon for lunches and I also made some oatmeal pancakes for me to heat and have with 0% greek yoghurt for breakfasts.  I've also bought all the ingredients for dinners this week, which will be falafel, steak and turkey burgers.  I'm feeling hungry just thinking about it! Along with carrying on 'eating clean' (look out for a post on eating clean here on Tuesday) I've also been on the exercise bike tonight and bought some kettlebells from Sainsbury's.  Sainsbury's actually have some amazing offers on gym stuff at the moment, I also picked up an exercise mat and was eyeing up a Pilates kit too! I tried running a couple of times this week but the cold really gets on my chest and it's too dangerous now with so much ice and snow on the pavements so I'll be doing exercise DVDs and more bike to keep my fitness up.

Chris - I've had another successful week at the gym - managing seven classes this week. (Body Pump x 3, One Body Combat, Two Body attacks and an Abs Blast, if you're keeping score) - and as such I feel great. I've had to but myself a Tubigrip to help support my left knee, however - it's very slightly weaker than the right, and 100-200 35 kilo squats a session are talking to take their toll on it.

As a result, I'm going to try wearing the support for the next few weeks and see if things improve - while being extremely care that I don't blow the damned thing out. I don't fancy a month (or more!) on crutches, thankyou very much.

Despite the above, to mark the new Pump release I've decided to up my weights for most of the session: I'd been at a sticking point for quite some time now, so I'm using what seems to be a slightly easier release to ease myself into some bigger plates.

I'm also strating to notice a difference in the cardio/aerobic classes I go to: I'm not the most co-ordinated person in the world, but after making an effort to do at least two a week since new year, I'm finding myself getting a little more nimble - although I admit I was pretty much a blank slate on that front.

Motivation Needed!

Its no secret that I'm not the biggest fan of exercise. When I first started trying to lose weight, the healthy eating fell into place fairly easily, albeit with a few slips off the wagon here and there. But I will always have to work super hard to keep up my motivation for exercise. Its not something that comes naturally to me at all. During my last term at university and for a while over the last few months I got myself into a good routine with going to the gym, but even then it was always something I had to really push myself to do - I never once thought to myself 'I can't wait to get to the gym'. Part of the reason that I made sure I went on a regular basis was because I didn't want to spend £40 a month on a gym membership that didn't get used enough! Its amazing how much of a motivation not wanting to waste money can be!

This was all very well and good, but I've recently changed my job, which means keeping my gym membership wasn't practical because there was no chance of it getting used enough. So now I am left with a dilemma...how am I going to motivate myself to exercise!? I have a couple of exercise DVDs, including the 30 Day Shred and an old Davina McCall one, which I'm planning to dig out of storage, and I was also lucky enough to be sent the Revoflex X-Treme Abs and Body Toning machine from XLS Medical which I'm looking forward to getting some use out of as my stomach is a real problem area for me. I would also like to start doing a bit more running once it starts getting lighter in the evenings - I was running at the gym but by the time I get home from work its far too dark and cold to pound any pavements. So all things considered, I am well equipped to get in some exercise that doesn't come in the form of the gym...the question now, is how to make sure I actually do it!?

Here is what I want to know - what motivates you to get off the sofa and get moving? I know I am by no means the busiest person out there, and yet I still struggle to find the time to work out - what are your tips and tricks for getting in some activity? I know I need to incorporate more exercise into my lifestyle but finding the motivation is so difficult - tell me what works for you!

Lauren

Sunday Summary 81

How's your first week of the New Year been? Managed to stick to those resolutions?

Sarah - My sister's baby shower was yesterday and I had originally planned to start my new plan today rather than January 1st but instead I did three days of the plan, took yesterday off and am back to it today.  There will always be something that gets in the way so I am trying not to use them as an excuse this year.  I have decided to follow The Harcombe Diet.  I have an issue with sugar and carbs in general and am hoping that this can sort out my cravings once and for all and mean I find it much easier to stick to a plan 100%.  The first five days are hell.  No sugar, only 50g brown rice for carbs, nothing processed just lots of veg, meat, eggs and natural live yoghurt.  Oh and no caffeine I did three days this week and am so pleased to say I lost 3lbs.

Gemma - The whole month of December was a bit of a disaster and I didn't manage to stick to my ten week pledge. I put on about 10lbs over December and a weigh in today shows that I have already lost about 4lbs since getting back on the Weight Watchers plan this week. I have started to keep a photo diary of what I'm eating over on instagram (fatfrocks, if you want to take a look) and track all my food on the Weight Watchers app. I'm hoping that a combination of tracking and a new sense of optimism about 2013 will keep me heading towards my goal. I'm currently looking through old editions of the Weight Watchers magazine for a bit of recipe inspiration but if any of you have some great, low point recipes please share them with me.

Lauren - Like Gemma, I didn't meet my Ten Week Pledge target, and managed to put on quite a bit of weight over the month of December after overindulging a lot. You name it, I ate it. Or drank it. The festivities continued this week with a trip to visit one of my best friends, but I am now back on the wagon. My meeting isn't until Thursday but I got back on it today and am pleased to say that so far so good. I did have a sneaky peek on the scales this morning (and almost died of shock) so I know roughly where I'm at. I'd like to lost at least 2lbs before I weigh in, but I will see how it goes. I start my new job tomorrow (exciting times!) and will be going out for lunch with a colleague. I have a sneaking suspicion that staying on track will be rather easier at my new place of work, as the agency actually works with Weight Watchers! More motivation in the work place - can't be letting the side down now, can I!? Mum and I have also done a big Weight Watchers friendly food shop today and have drawn up an exercise plan, so fingers crossed for a straightforward first week back on the wagon!

Rosie - I managed to meet my ten week pledge and lost another 2lbs on top of the 10 I lost for that, however from the 22nd December I really relaxed into Christmas and didn't watch what I ate at all.  On top of that, I got my feet and shins tattooed (one session on the 18th and one session on the 27th) meaning I haven't been able to run or exercise since then (for a lot of it I could barely walk!) Of course the result of lots of chocolate and Bucks Fizz coupled with not moving much meant that when I weighed myself at the beginning of last week I saw that I'd put on 5 lbs in 10 days.  Although I feel frustrated with myself that I let myself go to that extent I at least feel happy that I know exactly how to get back to how I was before and I've already planned my meals for the week and done a food shop so I can get back into clean eating.  My feet are also healing nicely so I should be able to go for my first run of the year either tomorrow or Tuesday.

Sunday Summary 80

Gemma -Another week where I can't report an amazing weight loss but I am feeling very positive. I had a meeting with Weight Watchers in London on Thursday along with a few other bloggers (including WAMKs very own Lauren) and I can't wait to start fresh in 2013. There is a new approach to the plan and I will be set little challenges for the first three months of the new year. I will reveal more about this in the new year, looking forward to finally reaching goal and I think this project will help.

Me and Lauren on the tube after our WW meeting

I also got to hang out with another Team WAMK member this week, Sarah! I will admit to eating more than one of her cupcakes at the Clothes Show Live yesterday. Ooops.

Rosie - I hope it's okay to say this, but I'm really proud of myself today.  For someone that has an almost permanent sense of guilt and is perpetually cross with myself about something, that's a big deal.  I've been working hard for the last couple of months and this morning heralded two achievements for me - hitting my 10 week pledge target weight, and running my furthest distance.

You might know from my writings on here that before July I'd never run before and couldn't run further than a few metres without my lungs burning and my feeling like I was going to be sick.  So running over 10k today is a huge achievement for me and something I honestly never dreamed was possible - even when I started running I laughed at people telling I might one day be able to run a 5k!  I now run before work a couple of times a week and it's become part of my routine and part of my lifestyle.  I am testament to the fact that anyone can run if they have the inclination.

My ten week pledge was to lose 10 lbs from my weight of 139 lbs in mid October.  Since then I've been running, doing 2-3 exercise classes a week and eating healthily and so, if I'm honest, my meeting my target has been the result of sheer bloody hard work! I have three Christmas meals coming up over the next few weeks so I'm going to carry on what I'm doing but let myself relax a bit and with a bit of discipline I can fit into a size 10 dress for one of these celebrations.  I'm now a healthy weight for my height so my focus now is on toning; I have a lot of flab around my belly that needs to be waved goodbye to!

Lauren - like Rosie I too am really proud of myself this week, although not for weight or exercise related things (more's the pity!). The week got off to a bad start and went rapidly downhill foodwise but after attending the Weight Watchers New Approach Bloggers Event on Thursday morning with Gemma I seem to have really reigned it in. I have been the exemplification of a Weight Watchers angel over the weekend, pointing everything when normally I would have said to myself 'its the weekend' and just gone crazy! I even went out for a bike ride this morning with my dad and actually enjoyed it! I'm still nowhere near my 10 Week Pledge weight but I'm hoping that I can lose another couple of lbs before Christmas Eve and also try not to go too mad over the festive period - I don't want to spend all of January losing the weight that I gained over the course of ten days at Christmas.

I'm also feeling extremely proud of myself this week for taking the plunge and baring all over on A Little Less Of Lauren. It wasn't an easy thing for me to do, but I was raging after a size 8 friend of mine was told she has 'thunder thighs' on a night out, and it brought it home more than ever the negativity that's bred from societal expectations of young men and women. It makes me so angry that people are made to feel unworthy because of some arbitrary picture on the front of a magazine. I don't want to go all hippie and self-help on you here, but why shouldn't we celebrate our bodies and what we've achieved?! Whether you're at goal, halfway there or just beginning we should all celebrate our triumphs and stop comparing ourselves to the people on the front of Closer - because we're never going to be those people. My body isn't perfect, but its a hell of a lot better than it was this time three years ago and I'm taking steps to make it even better - and that is far more important than any stretchmarks, loose skin or wobbly bits.


Chris - I think I speak on behalf of everyone when I say Lauren, I would. Phwoar, and etc. And also, well done of course; it takes a huge amount of nerve to post pictures like that online, and I think all of WAMK are proud of you for taking the plunge.

I have been a massive pile of ill, busy and injury recently: I had to abandon my six day shred after really seriously hurting one of my arms doing Body Combat - TOP TIP: When they tell you to have rest days, they mean it. I've also been having some knee trouble, which means that my ten week pledge has been shot in the head like an old, lame dog - mainly before somebody has to do it to me.

Then, I got myself a stinker of a cold that has lasted until aroundabout now, which has meant that my time in the gym has been seriously limited - and that, combined with a trip to London (and thus eating all the food) means that I've put on a couple of pounds - boo.

My works Christmas party was this weekend as well, so now that's over I plan on being extra super good for the next fortnight before Santa comes - although the other half returning from shopping in Chester with a massive bag of sweets as a thank you for nursing her through a hangover yesterday wasn't the best start...

Sunday Summary 79

Gemma - This 10 week pledge isn't going to well for me at all... It's 1 lb on, 1 lb off most weeks but I'm pretty happy to be maintaining through a really busy time of the year. I've made an effort to pack more low point lunches because I want to eat more when I get home from work so it seem silly to waste points in the day. I've also stopped taking snacks to work for my breaks. There's always chocolate and cake being brought in for birthdays in work and I inevitably end up having some. If I take snacks in I have cake AND the snacks so at least I'm cutting out one.

Lauren - I'm down another 2.5lbs this week which I'm thrilled about, although after spending the last three days drinking too much booze and eating everything in sight I'm not sure whether the same will be said next week at the scales. There's a lot going on at the moment and I'm enjoying being out and about and socialising, as well the confidence boost of being a few lbs lighter than I was a few weeks ago. I really need to focus on exercising and only using my weekly points when I really need to over the coming few weeks - more and more Christmas events are appearing on the calendar and I need to make my points stretch as far as I can if I want to be a few lbs lighter by Christmas.

Hope all you '10 Week Pledgers' are getting close to reaching your targets, only a few weeks left! If you need any support or want to ask us any questions feel free to contact us in the comments on here or on twitter.

Sunday Summary 78

Apologies for the delay in posting this - Team WAMK have all had an extremely busy weekend but we're still here and we still love you ALL!

Lauren - Despite a minor foot injury that effectively put the kibosh on any sort of exercise this week, I managed a loss of 2.5lbs. I put it down to having practiced what I preached this week and tracked everything. I'm well behind on my Ten Week Pledge and while I would love to get to the -15lbs mark by Christmas eve I can't see it happening. I don't think 15lbs in ten weeks was too unrealistic, but I also don't think I fully took into account everything that was going on in my life at the time. I will continue to strive for the 15lbs  but if I don't get there its not the end of the world - whatever I do lose will be down to having the pledge in the back of my mind and knowing that I made a commitment, which counts for something at least!

Rosie - This week I've really worked hard again - I went to a Pump class (absolute killer!), aqua aerobics, bootcamp (also a killer!) and advanced spinning, as well as fitting in a couple of runs.  I've eaten right, and kept my hand out of various tempting tins (Quality Street tins, biscuit tins, etc).  So I must admit I was a little disappointed when I didn't lose any weight this week, not a single lb.  I'm accepting that some weeks you lose and some weeks you don't and my clothes are feeling looser which is a better illustrating of having shed weight I think so I'm trying not to feel too disheartened.  I still only have 2 lbs to shake off on my ten week pledge so I'm hoping that might happen next week!

Gemma - As the instigator of the 10 weeks pledge I'm really not doing very well. The rest of the team are really putting me to shame. There are just so many social engagements this time of year that include food and I can't say no. I'm just trying to be as good as I can before going out to balance out all the high calorie food. I'm not gaining but I've pretty much maintained my weight since July and not lost anything. It's really starting to get me down now and I need something to get me back in the dieting groove. I'm really enjoying my weight loss and the confidence it has brought by going out an enjoying myself but I need to refocus my energy on reaching my -100lb goal.

Chris - Hello! I'm still alive, despite what my lack of activity here might suggest - but I bring exciting news! I'd like to take this opportunity to officially announce the winner of our Get Fit Feel Epic competition - the lovely Emma! She wrote a brilliant post all about how she keeps fit, and not only was the post passionate and inspiring, it also contained a line that made me think it was added purely to make me think it was awesome. We're hoping to bring it to you as a guest post tomorrow - watch this space! In other news, I'm going on a bit of a shred this next week: Monday-Friday I'll be attending a Les Mills class every day, eating Slimming World to the letter, and seeing what happens. I'll be keeping a diary and sharing my thoughts here, so watch for that too.

How are you all getting on? Have the Christmas goodies started creeping into homes and offices yet, or are you managing to avoid the naughtiness? If you are, please tell me how...there is a box of mince pies in my office that is positively screaming my name!

Sunday Summary 77

Another week gone already! Where is the time going? Christmas is just round the corner now - how are you all getting on with your Ten Week Pledges?

Team WAMK are currently looking for guest bloggers to contribute so if you want to tell us how you're getting on with the pledge or even if you just want to share your story then please drop us an email!

Lauren - I didn't get a chance to weigh-in this week as work and home have both been a bit manic. I'm pretty sure I regained what I had lost last week, and maybe more on top of that, after an indulgent few days in Canterbury and at my dad's. I'm back on the wagon now and have been tracking religiously for the last few days - I even worked out the ProPoints for the chocolate cake I made for my mum's birthday (13 ProPoints per slice, eeeeek). I've also been making a conscious effort to 'move more' during the day. I'm pretty sedentary at work so I've been making more of an effort to get up and move around instead of vegetating at my desk all day. I'm not saying a few more lengths of the office is going to make a huge difference at the scales, but it can't hurt right!?

Sarah - I want to give a big thank you to the beautiful Amy for her tweets following last weeks Sunday Summary, your tweets worked and kicked me up the ass I and I have managed to lose 2.5lbs this week.  I haven't followed any plan just made sure I have eaten under 1400 calories a day and allowed myself a little bit of freedom at the weekend.  

Gemma - Well, as predicted Manchester was a bit of a diet free three days but I wasn't expecting to go as far off the rails as I did. Went to a club that sold drinks for £1, drank a lot of those and then proceeded to eat cheese and chips. Cheese AND chips. I also had a killer hangover the next day and ate a huge bag of vegetable crisps and a wispa. I've had a very strict few days since I got back so hopefully there wont be too much of an impact on the scales on Tuesday. I don't think 10lbs in 10 weeks was too optimistic, I'm just being a terrible dieter at the moment. Can someone come and supervise me please and shout 'back away from the biscuits!' at me through a megaphone?

Rosie – After last week's no loss I've thankfully had a good week this week - I lost 2lbs which takes me down to 131 lbs and only 2 lbs away from my Ten Week Pledge goal weight! I wish I could say it was effortless but I’ve had to work really hard for these two; on Monday I ran 5k before work and then went to Aqua Aerobics in the evening and I’ve been running most mornings as well as walking the dog.  Next week I’m trying two new classes at the gym (Body Pump and Boot Camp) along with Spinning and Aqua Aerobics again and I’m really looking forward to it; just need to improve next week by keeping my hand out of the biscuit tin at work!

We've been really proud of those who've tweeted us or shared their blog posts about their own Ten Week Pledges and we can also now announce the winners of our Zaggora HotPants 2.0 Competition where you shared your pledges in the comments for a chance to win some of the lovely new HotPants.  We're pleased to announce that our two winners are Nikki and Laura - well done ladies! By coincidence, both of our winning ladies have also blogged about their ten week pledges and you can read their posts here and here.

WW Product Review

A few weeks ago Gem, Sarah and I were lucky enough to each receive a little care package courtesy of the lovely ladies at Weight Watchers. As usual the hampers were a joy to receive. Weight Watchers always go out of their way to make sure there is a good range of products for us to try, plus any package that arrives on my doorstep containing biscuits and cakes is automatically a winner in my book.

Lauren: One of my favourite aspects of the hampers is the Weight Watchers magazine and recipe book. I love the magazine and buy it every month from meetings anyway - there are always loads of brilliant recipes for the season and tips and tricks to get you through whatever occasion is next on the calendar. The Fresh and Easy Every Day recipe book is a real gem to have on the bookshelf as well. All the recipes are simple, quick, yummy and low points, which is exactly what you need after getting in from a long day at work and the last thing you want to do is spend hours in the kitchen.

Gemma: I love the magazine, it's full of great recipes which stop me from getting bored with the plan but what I really love in the inspirational stories. Reading about how other people struggled with their weight but reached their goals by following the plan really help me stay on track and think about what my goals are.

Lauren: These mini cookies are great and I've been buying them ever since I received the hamper. They're great for a sugary mid-morning pick me up and because they're mini there are lots of them (well, not lots, but quite a few!) so it takes longer to eat them than it would a couple of normal cookies from the packet - meaning that it feels like you get more for your points. This weight loss stuff...its definitely psychological! ;) My only criticism is that they're not as chocolatey as I would like... but then for 2 ProPoints, they probably never will be.

Gemma: Like Lauren, I also liked the cookies and so did my brother because they all disappeared before I got a look in.

Sarah: Not too keen on these to be honest, would much rather spend the 2 ProPoints on a nice slice of cake.  I found them a bit dry and not to my taste.

Lauren: I was pleased to get the squash, pasta sauce and crackers this month. I've had the crackers before and really enjoy them - great as a snack spread with 30g extra light Philadelphia for a total of 3 ProPoints. I wasn't particularly keen on the cordial but I'm quite fussy when it comes to drinks and tend to only drink the Robinson's Sugar Free Peach squash. My mum is a big fan of the squash though, so it went to work with her instead. The pasta sauce is great for a quick and easy low points meal. I normally make my own pasta sauce but this was really handy to just pour over and stir through when I don't have time to do it all myself. I had mine with tuna and some roasted Mediterranean and it was delicious. You can also make the sauce go a a lot further by stirring in some chopped tomatoes.

Gemma: I liked the cordial, it was nice and refreshing and I keep this in the fridge at work. I find it better to drink squash on my break because if I have a cup of tea I want something sweet to go with it. Such a bad habit. I also liked the sauce but tend to make my own for 0 ProPoints, probably wouldn't use these jars often.

Sarah: I didn't really like the cordial, I don't like lemon so gave this to the husband who loved it.  My favourite cordial is the Weight Watcher Red Grape & Pomegranate one which is so nice.  I loved the pasts sauce, it was really convenient and tasty.  Like Lauren I have been spreading Philly extra light on the crackers and eating them as part of lunch. 

   

Lauren: I have to admit to being a bit disappointed with the Blueberry Slices and Jaffa mini rolls, particularly as some of the other cake bars and slices are absolutely to die for. My favourites are the Carrot Cake Slices and Caramel Cake Bars. The Blueberry Slices taste fine but aren't anything to write home about, and the Jaffa mini rolls were a bit bland and nothing-y for my tastes. When chocolate and orange are combined I like the orange to be really strong - see Terry's Chocolate Orange or proper old school Jaffa Cakes. The taste of these was quite mild in comparison so I wasn't overstruck.

Gemma: The blueberry slices were a tad artificial for my tastes but the rest of my family liked them. I prefer the coconut slices that WW make or the chocolate bars I buy from class. I normally hate jaffa cakes and think mixing chocolate and orange is just plain wrong but I actually rather enjoyed these jaffa rolls. The jam in the middle tasted more like apricot and they were just the right size.

Sarah: I bloody love the blueberry slices, they are as good as normal cake in my opinion! The blueberry slices are definitely the highlight of the hamper for me.  I also enjoyed the Jaffa rolls and would choose them over the biscuits every time. 

Overall the products we received were great - tasty, convenient, and a good range of things for lunchboxes, snacks and meals. I love that Weight Watchers have such a huge range of products and that they're so easily available and conveniently packaged. Weight Watchers products are often on offer in the supermarkets too, meaning you can pick them up at a snip and keep stocked up on all your favourites so you'll never have to go without.

Sunday Summary 76

Another week gone and another week closer to Christmas! Tomorrow marks 7 weeks til Christmas Eve meaning we are now 3 weeks in to our 10 Week Pledge - how have you been getting on?

Lauren - I lost 1.5lbs this week which I was thrilled with, but I suspect know that I've regained it all and then some after all-you-can-eat Chinese, two lots of fish and chips and a kebab (admittedly a small chicken shish, but still...) as well as untold amounts of booze this week. I was visiting friends in Canterbury for Halloween/a birthday celebration so naturally there was a lot of food and booze. I'm at my dad's this afternoon for a yummy roast dinner but after that I have no more excuses until the end of the month. I'm heading home this evening and I'm actually looking forward to getting back in the gym and in a routine - my body is crying out for exercise and nutrients!

Gemma -  It was all going so well, I lost 1lb at weigh in on Tuesday.... then my mum bought fresh bread and shortbread biscuits and I've stuffed my face all weekend. Done a little walking to limit the damage but I'm going to need a week of being super strict to get this back off. I'm going to Manchester for three days with my best friend on Monday and I was going to eat out loads and have cocktails but I might be a little more sensible after this horrid weekend and stick to chicken salads if I eat out and swap the cocktails for a gin and slimline tonic. I need to work on my self control, there's no way I'm letting the weight creep back on.

Rosie - I've had another week where I've worked hard but unfortunately it hasn't paid off on the scales which tell me I haven't lost a single pound! I went to my first spinning class on Monday and then to a circuits class on Thursday as well as a few morning runs in between so I was disappointed to not see a loss this week, I'm just hoping for a bigger one next week to make up for it!

Sarah - I've been poorly this week so haven't even attempted to lose any weight.  I haven't even weighed myself for a couple of weeks which is really unusual for me.  I am finding it so hard to get back on track, what do you do when your motivation has disappeared? I need some help :(

Sunday Summary 75

Rosie - I was thrilled to discover when I stepped on the scales yesterday and found that I have lost 3lbs this week.  My target is to be at 129 lbs by the end of our 10 week challenge (I am a short person so that would make me a 10-12) and I'm currently at 133 lbs so well on the way! This week was another week of lots of healthy eating and a few early morning runs - very much looking forward to the lighter mornings now the clocks have gone back; running in the pitch black is not fun!

Lauren - I lost another 1lb this week which I'm really pleased about. I've had a few rubbish days since weigh-in on Thursday so now its all about eating properly again. I'm away from Tuesday-Saturday this week but staying with a friend who also does Weight Watchers so I know food won't be as huge an issue as it would if I was staying with someone else! I'm hoping to stay the same at weigh-in this week as I'll be weighing in two days earlier. I really need to focus on upping the exercise now too - I had a free personal trainer taster session at the gym and the trainer worked up a program for me to really focus on toning up and building strength so I'm looking forward to getting started on that.

Gemma - I couldn't attend class this week, my brother had an interview and I'm dependant on him for lifts. I weighed at home and had maintained weight but I'm pretty sure I will get better results at the scales this week. I'm not doing as well with the 10 week pledge as I would like but it's going in the right direction. I have so many events coming up in the next few weeks it is going to be important to be as good as I can in the day so I can enjoy the bubbly and nibbles at the events. I'm going to Manchester with my best friend next week and that is going to be one big three day bender of eating cake and drinking cocktails. I'm a little worried but I'm taking my Weight Watcher Eating Out Guide with me so I can make good choices.

Chinese Prawns and Broccoli

This recipe is from the Weight Watchers Cooking for One recipe book that Gem, Sarah and I were lucky enough to receive in our latest hamper. I've made this a couple of times already - its really quick and easy and perfect for the nights when the rest of the family are doing their own thing and I'm left to fend for myself. I tweaked the recipe the second time I made it and it was just as nice.

You will need:

• 1 teaspoon cornflour
• a pinch of cayenne pepper (I added quite a bit more, but then I like spicy food)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 100g raw peeled tiger or king prawns
• low fat cooking spray
• 25g unsalted cashews (I didn't use these the second time I made it as they account for half the total ProPoints value of the total recipe...they're yummy, but they're not that yummy)
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh root ginger
• 100g broccoli, trimmed
• 50g mushrooms (the recipe calls for shiitake but I couldn't get them so I used chestnut)
• 2 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 spring onion, sliced finely at an angle

• Mix together the cornflour, cayenne pepper and soy sauce. Add the prawns and mix well. Set aside in the fridge for half an hour.

• Heat a non stick frying pan or wok until hot and spray with cooking spray. Add the cashews and stir fry for about 30 seconds, or until they start to colour, then remove and set aside. If you're not using cashews then skip this step. Obviously.
• Spray the pan again and add the garlic and ginger. Cook for a few seconds and then add the broccoli and mushrooms. Stir fry over a high heat for 2-3 minutes.

• Add the rice wine or sherry, the prawns and 5 tablespoons of water. Bring to the boil and simmer for a couple of minutes until the prawns turn pink. Add the cashews (if thats you're thing) and half the spring onion and cook for another minute or so.
• Sprinkle over the remaining spring onion. The ProPoints value for this recipe is 8, but without the cashew nuts its 4. Serve with 150g cooked white rice or fresh egg noodles for an additional 6 ProPoints. (I was low on points, so I had stir fried peppers, onion and baby corn instead for an extra ProPoints value of 0)

Enjoy!

Sunday Summary 74

Rosie - Another week of hard work for me - sticking to no junk food and lots of meat and veggies and I also started running in the mornings again.  I'm really chuffed to say that I'm another 1.5 lbs down this week, meaning I am only 7lbs away from my 10lb in 10 weeks goal! Just got to keep up the good work now!

Lauren - I've been really good for most of this week. I've gone back to basics with tracking and pointing everything and I managed to get in a couple of good gym sessions wearing my snazzy new HotPants as well. I was unsure whether last weekends boozy/foody couple of days and Tuesday's accidental trip to TGI's (!!) were going to derail my efforts but I'm pleased to say I lost 3.5lbs this week! This puts me over a week ahead of schedule for the Ten Week Pledge so I'm absolutely thrilled. I've got a quiet week coming up so I'm planning to get my head down in the gym and be really good food-wise and hopefully I'll see another decent loss this week.

Gemma - I lost 1lb at weigh in this week which I was happy with, back on track and 1lb down into my 10lbs in 10 weekend challenge. I had a very good week, planned all my lunches in work and tried hard to cut out snacks and eat larger and more filling meals. I've probably gone over my points in alcohol this weekend but I'm hoping all my good work in the week won't go to waste. I've got a lot of parties and events coming up in the next few weeks which I'm worried about. Hopefully I can say no to nibbles and champers.

The ten week pledge

This coming Monday (15th) marks ten weeks until Christmas Eve.  If you're anything like me, the calendar really fills up around Christmas with various social events - work Christmas parties, Christmas Eve outings with old friends and of course New Year's' Eve.  Personally, this means at least a couple of new outfits and wanting to look your best; especially if you're the sort of person where Christmas brings together your whole friendship group and often means seeing people you might not have seen since last Christmas.

One of the challenges this brings is that Autumn and Winter do not lend themselves to preparing yourself to slip into glitzy outfits.  For me at least, Autumn and Winter lend themselves to mugs of hot chocolate, lolling on the sofa and wearing down the snooze button on your alarm clock when you look out at yet another dark, rainy morning.

But take a second to think of how amazing it would feel to feel confident about putting on your gladrags and getting out there this Christmas.  Imagine how proud of yourself you'd feel if you worked hard until then, and it paid off with some 'You look great' comments from friends, or just looking in the mirror and knowing that you've earned those roast potatoes on Christmas Day.

Here at Where Are My Knees we've come up with a fun idea to get you inspired and motivated over the next 10 weeks.  From Monday we'll all be getting started on a 10 week pledge, and we want you to join in too.  The good news is that not only is there feelings of personal pride and achievement in the pipeline for you, there's also two pairs of the new Zaggora Hotpants (2.0) up for grabs too.

Here are the pledges we've all signed up to that we'll be updating you on over the next 10 weeks.

Rosie - Lose 10lbs before Christmas Eve. (Currently 139lbs - would love to be 129 and fit into a size 10 dress on Christmas Eve! 129 lbs is also bang in the middle of healthy weight for my height.)

Gemma - Lose 10lbs before Christmas Eve. Currently 13 stone 11.5. If I can lose 12lbs and break under that 13 stone barrier that would be great but there are going to be lots of parties and trips away before Christmas so I'm going to be realistic.

Sarah - I would just like to get back on track and actually have time to follow a plan.  I have so much coming up before Christmas that if I stop and think about it my head hurts but I don't want this to get in the way of achieving my weight loss goals.  I would love to lose a stone before Christmas but being realistic I am going to set a target of 7lbs.

Lauren - Lose 15lbs before Christmas Eve. This is a big ask what with parties and all the yummy food that has already started appearing at home and in the office, but I'm hoping this pledge will keep me motivated at the gym and make me think about what - and how much - I'm putting in my mouth. As of this week's weigh-in I am 13st 13lbs - I was 12st 12lbs at my dad's 50th birthday party in April (which you can see here) and it'd be amazing to get back to that in time for Christmas. I definitely think 1.5lbs per week is do-able, even if it is a tall order!

Chris - I'd like to be able to run 5k in less than 25 minutes. This probably doesn't sound like much, but I'm not a very good runner - in fact, my first pledge should probably be to actually go and buy some running shoes! At the moment I'm hitting 4.5k in about 30 mins, so I've got some distance to go.

What would your 10 week pledge be? Remember it doesn't have to be a weight loss, it could be 20 trips to the gym, be able to run 5k by Christmas, giving up chocolate for 10 weeks, walking 10,000 steps a day or  making sure you have healthy breakfasts.  It has to be personal and achievable to you, or it won't work.

Leave us your 10 week pledges in the comments and we'll pick two at random on the 26th October to win the hotpants.  But we really want you all to get stuck into this - you can tweet about it using #wamkpledge, comment and tell us the links if you've blogged about it, and we'll keep you updated on our own progress in the Sunday summaries and other posts.  Remember, your journey to a confident Christmas starts on Monday! We've even made you a little badge you can use to show you're getting involved.

<a href="http://wherearemyknees.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/the-ten-week-pledge.html"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYVUhamtMMUQegRlvzSR0Hfync7_EAIAsALQRMQszlV_89Sp22mfNqzs3gROAfESjjSuSW_U7F6kF_0cDddaqpcClbUZixuZaTIzxyLWxcn4MPY33xfcRivZaPjT0n2ZMv57kTEkeFOByg/s1600/wherepledge+copy.jpg"/></a>

You are of course welcome to get involved in the ten week pledge without entering the giveaway, but if you'd like to enter you can do so below.


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