Have you heard of the Sonoma Diet? It’s one of the most popular diets in the world and there’s a very good reason why.
One of the most common complaints of people who are following low carb diets is the bland taste of approved foods.
The Sonoma diet approaches food as a celebration. It embraces some of the best foods and flavors in the world into its plan. Sounds intriguing, right?
The Sonoma Diet is a weight loss plan that promotes the healthy and flavorful eating style of the Mediterranean and Sonoma Valley.
Flavorful foods are an important part of the plan and they help you stick to the plan, lose weight and choose a healthier new lifestyle.
To give people a safe and effective way to lose weight, eat healthy foods that taste great and are packed with flavor Dr. Connie Guttersen developed the Sonoma Diet.
The core of the Sonoma Diet is the power foods which are incorporated into many meals and recipes in the book. There’s an emphasis on 10 foods known as the power foods. These foods include a select group of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains.
They are almonds, bell peppers, blueberries, broccoli, grapes, olive oil, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes and whole grains.
They are all not only delicious but are in the right portions, essential to good health and weight loss.
Whole grains and bread are allowed on the diet from day one. But some foods with saturated fat, added sugar and refined white flour are not allowed on the program.
In addition to teaching about healthy food choices, the Sonoma Diet discusses portion management with a variety of techniques.
Connie Guttersen, Ph.D RD, is the author of The Sonoma Diet: Trimmer Waist, Better Health in Just 10 Days!
Guttersen offers a creative approach to encourage people to change their eating behaviors. Her emphasis is food enjoyment, portion control, food label reading and eliminating trans-fats.
She identifies the diet as neither low- fat nor low- carbohydrate. She indicates it has the right balance of nutrients to ensure the health, weight loss, and satisfaction.
The Sonoma Diet Plan
The Sonoma Diet is different from any other dietary plan or approach. It embraces food as a celebration and incorporates some of the best foods and flavors from around the globe.
You’ve probably heard that a Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest diets on the planet, right?
People who live in the Mediterranean live longer, weigh less and have a high quality of life. They enjoy life.
The Sonoma Diet is based on a Mediterranean diet. You’re able to enjoy eating a lot of fantastic food to improve your health and lose weight.
This kind of diet is a combination of the real world lifestyle in Sonoma California and the old world celebration of food in the Mediterranean.
Similar to other modern diet plans the Sonoma Diet Plan has three phases which are known as waves.
The First Wave
Wave 1 is a 10-day period in which dieters can eat certain vegetables, lean meats, seafood, limited dairy, some grains, the daily servings of olive or canola oil, a small amount of nuts, black coffee, tea, and an unlimited amount of herbs and spices.
Wave one is the most nutritionally restrictive phase with the smallest amount of food groups allowed.
This wave is the most extreme and its purpose is to wean the body from sugar. This wave will produce rapid weight loss depending on the person and the amount of weight they need to lose.
The first wave is dedicated to helping you eliminate bad food habits. This is critical to success and a healthy lifestyle. It’s also the period of the fastest weight loss.
It’ll get you excited, motivated and really enjoying your new body and improved health and energy.
The Second Wave
Wave 2 allows the same foods as Wave 1, but adds more fruits, more vegetables, fat-free yogurt, some sugar-free sweets, some dark chocolate, honey and some wine.
Wave two has more food options available including dairy and sugar-free sweets. People following wave two will have much less dramatic weight loss than during wave one. They will stay on this wave until they reach their target weight.
In this wave, weight loss is more gradual and approximately ½-1.5 pounds a week. Dieters stay in this wave until they reach their target weight.
The second wave is a longer phase. It’s where you’ll stay until you reach your weight loss goal.
Your personal goal and how well you’re able to adhere to the plan will determine how long you ride this wave. You’ll continue to embrace an attitude of celebrating and savoring your food.
This isn’t a phase to be concerned about. It may be one of the most enjoyable phases of your life.
You’re losing weight, getting control over your habits and enjoying your food.
The Third Wave
Once the target weight is reached you will start wave three or the maintenance wave. This wave has the largest group of allowable foods including the occasional sweet indulgent dessert.
The final stage-wave 3- promotes the same principles of healthy eating as the prior waves but recommends increasing servings of fruits and vegetables and indulging in occasional treats.
It also recommends more experimentation with different foods and different ways of enjoying meals.
The third wave is the maintenance phase of the plan and you’ll ride this wave hopefully for the rest of your life.
Once you’ve reached your weight loss goal, this wave will help you keep the weight off.
What Does the Sonoma Plan Contain?
The Sonoma Diet plan offers a number of supporting resources. There is:
– The book – The Sonoma Diet
– A cookbook
– Wine (Yes really. They sell wine on this diet!)
– Meals and menus
– A recipe index
– Access to a nutritionist
– Community forum
– Online support groups
– Shopping lists
– Weight tracker
– Food diary
– Meal planner
– Membership plan of $4/week which includes a customized day-by-day plan
Is the Sonoma Diet Right for You?
If you love food and view food as a celebration, or if you want to have this relationship with food, then the Sonoma Diet may be exactly what you’ve been looking for.
Based on the Mediterranean diet, it’s an approach that has worked for thousands of people over centuries. It might just be the key to a new you.
For people who were turned off by the low carbohydrate approach of the Atkins Diet, the Sonoma Diet offers an attractive alternative.
During the most restrictive part of the diet, you are allowed to eat whole grains, cereals, and bread.
The plan does, however, recommend avoiding white or refined flour foods. For people who enjoy cooking the Sonoma Diet offers lots of choices with new recipes being continually added.
For people who enjoy eating out a special section was added to help them make healthy food choices.
