On June 14th when I decided to give up alcohol of any kind for 30 days I had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into.

Originally, the goal of this challenge was to experiment with my body to witness what, if any, affect the absence of even the limited amount of alcohol that I do consume would have on my overall health.

However, this challenge quickly evolved into a battle of wills and the ultimate social experiment before I could say, “I’ll have a virgin Pina Colada please“.

[Sure sheep are cute, and love to party, but it's best to climb out of the pen and think for yourself]

I never realized what a central role “drinks” play in our everyday social environment. When I posted the idea for my challenge here, I received a message from a couple of people undergoing the same challenge.

A Facebook friend said when she read my initial post she believed she was the last person to ever use alcohol as a social crutch, yet during her own 30 day challenge she found herself avoiding all social situations that involved drinking (aka most of them). She said she’d rather “avoid temptation then to suffer through it“.

As I contemplated her message I wondered:

“Are many of us really so eager for group approval that something as “everyday” as alcohol has such an enormous impact on how we function socially?”

Unfortunately, it appears the answer is an inebriated and slurred “yes”!

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I had some really crazy offers for fat burning remedies this week in my email inbox. Offers such as a six pack of hydroxycitric acid all the way to pre-packaged garlic cloves. I think I might have a problem!

These emails are like Entertainment Tonight or Celebrity News for me… probably because they are so comical in their claims and the poor grammar never gets old.

Getting back on track: I have a new-found love of herbs and spices after having dinner with friends at a restaurant in Toronto called Spice Route.

[Talking about spices got me thinking back to my weekend trip to Marrakesh, Morocco. The food markets in the town square were overflowing with herbs and spices.]

It’s Indo-Chinese cuisine that tantalized my taste buds like nothing of recent memory. Perusing the menu was an eye-opening experience.

Indian spiced dips with Naan bread, Ginger chicken, Vegetable Pakora and so much more. Never mind the tea selections. I felt like I was being guided through expansive tea fields in Japan.

Our table was like a bunch of eight year-olds at Chuckie Cheese for the first time. “What? I didn’t know you could use that? I wonder what that taste like? That taste is absolutely wicked!”

Spices and Fat Loss?

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