Yeah, the target members in my group seem to have as much trouble maintaining as we do losing, it is a bit of a constant battle but you've got to remember that they need you there too, you're still an inspiration to the rest of the group, despite a possible gain!
I think the best thing to do would be to bite the bullet, see what the damage is and work from there. I've been using the avoidance technique for the last 2 years and I've managed to put on 2stone in that time
there's no point hiding! Good luck, I'm sure it won't be as bad as you think xx