Sonoma Diet Review

Written by Jolyne Babineau Jolyne has a Master's degree in clinical nutrition. She has a true passion for the field and enjoys doing research on any topics related to dietetics.
Another popular eating regime is the Sonoma diet, which is an inspiration from the Mediterranean. This plan states that it emphasizes eating a variety of foods that help boost your vitality, protect your heart and improve your overall health. There are three waves to this diet. Wave One lasts 10 days and is the most restrictive. In this wave, you omit a lot of carbohydrates. The basis is lean protein sources, certain low fat dairy products, one serving of legumes, low carbohydrate vegetables, and small amounts of nuts and olive oil. The foods to omit are fruits, most grain products, alcohol and anything sweet. Although you don’t count your carbohydrates, wave one limits the net carbohydrates to a minimum. Wave Two reintroduces certain fruits and vegetables, allows 3-4 servings of grain products per day and permits a glass of wine with a meal if desired. You will stay on this phase until you have lost all the weight you wanted to lose. Wave Three is the phase you will stay on forever. In this wave you will increase the amounts of food you eat, mostly fruits and vegetables, until you stop loosing weight. This diet focuses mostly on high antioxidant foods and portion sizes. It states that almonds, bell peppers, blueberries, broccoli, grapes, extra virgin olive oil, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes and whole grains are “power foods”. Meat and alternatives should also be low in saturated fats.

Although the main focus of this diet is on foods that you can have, there is a list of foods to get rid of your kitchen. Most of them being high in refined carbohydrates and/or high in saturated and trans fats.

Here are the pros and cons of this diet: Pros: A registered dietitian with a doctorate’s degree developed this diet. There is no counting grams or calories. Smaller plate sizes to control your portions. Emphasizes eating slowly and enjoying the foods you eat, something that most of us rarely do. The diet is packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants It is low in saturated and trans fat.
Cons: This diet is quite low in carbohydrates. It does not meet the recommendations of servings for grain products according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, or the Canada’s Food Guide. It contains a list of foods that you should avoid. There is no emphasis on exercise.
If it was up to me, I would suggest that you omit wave one and go directly to wave two. In addition, I would assure that you get at least 6 servings of grain products; 2 servings of low fat milk and alternative; drink lots of water and fit regular exercise in your weekly routine. In addition, if you eat a certain food that does not fit into your diet, do so with moderation and don’t feel guilty about it. Instead enjoy and savour every bite so that you feel satisfied. Remember, when it comes to weight loss, both calorie reduction and exercise are key. Leading a healthy lifestyle should be a lifelong achievement.


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