What an interesting and highly relevant picture, wouldn't you say?

Introduction: I am going to share with you in detail some of the areas in my life where I have and continue to struggle. Why am I doing this? There is something therapeutic about exposing things I might have tried to cover up to the light. Also, I want to be a leader in showing other men that they do not need to hide or cover up struggles. Please do not feel obligated to fix my struggles or point me to a resource, book, or seminar.  Why?  Because… 

1. I don’t struggle all the time. In fact, overall I am extremely blessed.    
2. I do have support in my life for when I do struggle.

But despite a great life and awesome support, I still struggle. And I want to share them with you. Cool?  Okay – let’s do this.

Dear Men: I Struggle… with Food.

I struggle with food. I restrict myself unhealthily.  I put rules around what I will and won’t eat.  And when I break a self-imposed rule, I punish myself by eating everything in sight. I wake up in the morning sometimes feeling guilty about what I have eaten the night before. And I don’t want to get out of bed. I try to compensate for overeating or poor food choices at the gym by working out longer and harder.  I eat fast. I don’t always taste food. I rush through my food to get to the next task on my agenda. Before I eat something, I over analyze whether it’s healthy or not.  After I eat something unhealthy, I can’t let go sometimes of the guilt in eating it. I usually overestimate my appetite - I will take too much.  Then, finish it so it won’t go to waste.  I find it hard to say no to free food or people wanting to give me more food.   

Above all, I think way too much about food.  I don’t enjoy it the way it was meant to be enjoyed.        

Dear Men: I Struggle. And I know you do, too.

Romans 7:15, 19 (New International Version)

15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 

19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.