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. Keep reading »
