Registered dietitian Connie Guttersen created the Sonoma diet. She bases the plan on the Mediterranean style of eating. This type of diet has been shown to offer numerous health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease. While this diet generally follows the same guidelines as other diets that cut back on "bad" carbohydrates, its main focus falls on controlling portion sizes.
Stages
This diet has three stages. During the first "wave," you work on cutting out refined carbohydrates and sugary foods. These foods lead your body to produce excess glucose, which the body stores as fat. This period lasts about 10 days and aims to reduce cravings for these types of foods.
Wave two comprises the bulk of the diet, in which you begin to permanently change eating habits; weight loss at this stage will not occur as rapidly as the first wave. You will stay on this part until you reach your target weight. Here you transition to wave three---the maintenance stage. Guttersen provides suggested meals for each stage of the plan.
Portion Sizes
Rather than having to weigh food or count every calorie, the diet instructs you to eat your meals on plates and bowls of a certain size. The author does offer some calorie guidelines, however, which differ for some groups such as very active women and larger men, notes Dr. Steven Parker, writing a review of the diet on Everydiet.org.
For breakfast, your meal must fit onto a seven-inch plate or in a two-cup bowl, while you will eat lunch and dinner on nine-inch plates. Guttersen explains that ever-increasing portion sizes account for a bulk of weight-gain woes
Recommended Foods
You can eat a wide range of foods on this diet. The main foods include lean meats and other animal proteins like low-fat dairy, whole grains and lots of vegetables. Other recommended foods include healthy fats found in nuts and seeds as well as fruits. Guttersen advocates regular consumption of her top 10 "power foods": almonds, bell peppers, blueberries, broccoli, grapes, olive oil, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes and whole grains.
Wine
Since this diet bases itself on the Mediterranean style of eating, Guttersen notes you can consume a moderate amount of wine each day with your evening meal. This does not start until wave two, however. You do not need to consume wine to benefit from the diet.
Do Not Forget the Exercise
The Sonoma diet does not really advocate a "diet" but rather introduces you to a new way of eating and does not include a formal exercise component, notes the dietitian-created website Dietchannel.com. Exercise and healthy eating go hand in hand for optimal weight loss. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise several days a week.
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