When my mom started trying to lose weight just so she could be skinnier than me, I tried to support her sadistic desire. Okay, maybe her personal trainer wasn’t a personal attack at my waistline, but I thought once you hit a certain age, you just looked forward to getting fat — I already feel like I’m there. Anyway, when my mom, who I shared a size with, started trying giving me her “fat clothes” because she got so thin, I knew she was sick, but I didn’t realize she was part of a growing epidemic known as Desperate Housewives Syndrome, named for the popular television show that stars skinny minis like Teri Hatcher. With their role model-types looking “fit” over 40, more middle-aged women are feeling pressure to lose their extra rolls. Although it’s hard to pinpoint eating disorders, researchers in Australia have seen around a 25% jump in bulimia, anorexia, and fasting in women ages 45-64. Needless to say, the statistics are getting excessive! So while Americans obsess over the “obesity crisis”, the “eating disorder epidemic,” and celebrity, perhaps we are losing sight of the real fitness issues associated with weight. Like everything else we do, when it comes to your health and body shape, it’s best to just be your normal, healthy self. Don’t forget, even if you aren’t on TV, you are still a model for your daughters and granddaughters. [Diet Blog]
