Weight watchers in Rugby discover how to crush cravings and help charity

Weight watchers in Rugby have ditched picking for knitting to shed the pounds and help the hounds.
Maggie Kitson and Rita Bowen.Maggie Kitson and Rita Bowen.
Maggie Kitson and Rita Bowen.

Members of the Weight Watchers group began knitting squares to give to Battersea Dog’s Home and found the scheme helped them lose weight.

Coach Karen Kirby said: “Trying to encourage people to change their relationship with food can be difficult so I am always looking for new and inventive ways to get people motivated.

Poppy, Deneale and Denese.Poppy, Deneale and Denese.
Poppy, Deneale and Denese.
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“I had heard that Battersea Dogs and Cats home are always looking for the public to support them.

“So, after speaking with Battersea about the best way to do this, I decided to ask the weight watcher groups if they would like to help.

“The members reported that their most difficult time is usually of an evening.

“It’s then that they would pick and their relationship with food would be put to the test.

Beckie Williams.Beckie Williams.
Beckie Williams.
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“So what better way to stop the Rugby Weight Watchers from picking, than to start knitting?”

The group quickly discovered knitting was removing the temptation to pick at food in the evenings.

One group member, Beckie Williams, took to YouTube to teach herself to knit and has been amazed at how much it has helped her weight loss.

In her first week of knitting she lost 2.5lbs, and has since lost 8.5lbs.

Poppy, Deneale and Denese.Poppy, Deneale and Denese.
Poppy, Deneale and Denese.

She said: “ I feel quite emotional about it all.”

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Participants knit squares, which are then donated to Battersea Dog’s Home to be turned into blankets.

Rita Bowens, who attends the Tuesday night Hillmorton group has so far completed 20 squares. She said: “At Weight Watchers our coach Karen has invited us to join with her on a challenge for a good cause. Which involves knitting squares as many as possible.

“This is helping us as a group effort to focus on something other than food. One of our group has learned to knit and enjoying this new venture as we all are.”

Beckie Williams.Beckie Williams.
Beckie Williams.

Coach Karen Kirby’s weight loss journey

Coach Karen Kirby went through an impressive weight-loss journey before becoming a coach. In 2016 she lost 35lbs to assist in recovery from a disability.

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She said: “I didn’t want to become permanently disabled so I challenged my diagnosis and decided to do something about it. I knew that losing weight was going to be an integral part of my recovery. I also knew that helping to motivate others to lose weight was something I wanted to do.”

A combination of seeing a therapist at the gym and Weight Watchers classes helped her shed the weight.