The Sonoma Diet

The Sonoma diet is based on the consumption of Southern European style foods in moderate amounts. This is perfect for those people, who do not want to avoid this-or-that, but would rather just eat normal food in smaller portions.

The followers of this plan can use the Sonoma Diet website for support, as well as purchase a diet book and cookbook, should the need for new ideas arise.

Basic Ideas

Much like any other diet, the Sonoma Diet is divided into three basic steps, the first one being the beginning (the reprograming of your eating habits to jumpstart weight loss), which lasts between a week and two weeks; the second phase is the longest one, and is essentially the period where you use your new eating habits to lose weight in the long run. This phase involves learning to control your portions and learning when to eat what. The second phase takes place until your weight loss goals have been reached, at which point the third phase kicks in. The third phase is essentially the same as the second one, only you have a different goal (to maintain, rather than lose weight), and thus you have fewer restrictions on what you can and cannot eat.

You can also become a member of the Sonoma Diet website, where you will have access to a wide range of tools, such as the Meal Planner, Printable Shopping Lists, Over 500 Recipes, Food Diary, Weight Tracker, Recipe Search, Eating Guides, Wine Guide, Portion Guide, Day-by-Day Support, Message Boards, Weekly Q & A, Exclusive E-mails, and Online Dietitians.

Exercise Component

The Sonoma Diet does not speak about exercise. Although it is briefly mentioned, it is not considered part of the plan. However, as a given, exercise is beneficial when trying to lose weight.

Food

The situation with meals in the Sonoma Diet is two-fold: while there are no prepared meals available to go along with the diet, you will be able to eat out more, and have more choice on what to eat.

The main idea of the Sonoma Diet is eating lean proteins, hearty grains, and fresh vegetables – these need not be prepared in a way that is highly restrictive, thus making it easier to enjoy your meals. There is, of course, a limit on how many calories you can consume every day, but it is better than most – 1200-1400 calories.

The only time during which your diet will be considerably restricted is the first phase, at which time you will not be able to eat as much carbohydrates and sugars. After that not only will you be able to eat the occasional chocolate bar, but also have a glass of wine or fruit.

The diet also revolves around the so called “Ten Sonoma Diet Power Foods,” which are low-calorie items that have high nutritional value. These include whole grains, tomatoes, broccoli, grapes, olive oil, and so on.

One of the many good things about this diet is the fact that more or less every product is readily available in any grocery store, and they are not likely to wage a war on your wallet contents.

Practicality

Once you read about the diet and understand the three waves you are about to undertake, the diet is easy to follow. You should rarely feel hungry. There will be a learning curve on the foods to choose and portion control, as well as preparing and combining them in a healthy manner.


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