If you are looking for a diet plan that allows you to enjoy tasty foods and is not based around calorie counting or limiting the exact amounts of fat or calories you eat then you should take a look at the Sonoma diet as it is based around controlling the size of the portions you eat.
The Sonoma diet is based around three different phases called waves. Wave one concentrates on introducing the body to new diet method, this phase has a limited menu and usually only allows amounts of food that total to a daily caloric intake of 1700 calories maximum.
The 2nd wave of the Sonoma diet is all about the actual portion sizes that you eat, as it takes time for the body to get used to eating smaller portions. Wave 3 is where you incorporate the Sonoma diet lifestyle into your lifestyle thus keeping the weight loss results you have achieved for your lifetime.
What foods are allowed on the Sonoma Diet?
The foods emphasized on this diet are quite similar to the Mediterranean diet, and there is a special group of foods known as the power foods, these foods include spinach, tomatoes, strawberries, whole grains, grapes, blueberries, broccoli, olive oil, almonds, and bell peppers.
On top of the Sonoma power foods, you can eat most low fat meats especially lean cuts of chicken, turkey, beef and pork. Regarding vegetables allowed on the Sonoma diet, for the first wave of the diet only low carb vegetables are allowed, wave 2 sees the introduction of regular mid carb vegetables, while the 3rd wave introduces carbs that are considered to be starchy carbs such as sweet potato and corn.
If you like fruit you will be a bit bummed out during the first wave of the diet as there are no fruits permitted to eat, but during the second and third wave you are allowed to eat fruit, 2 servings of fruit daily on the second wave with an increase in fruit allowance during the third wave.
You are allowed to eat 100% whole grains, low fat dairy products and legumes during all the waves. Remember that a general rule of thumb is that there is only one daily serving of each of these foods during the first wave with increases in daily allowances during the second and third waves.
Like the diet of many Mediterranean countries there is a good emphasis of heart healthy fats, in fact you should include 3 servings of these fats every day, especially olive oil, avocado, walnuts, almonds and canola oil (also know as rapeseed oil).
What can I drink on the Sonoma diet?
As with most diet plans, water is heavily emphasized during the course of the Sonoma diet plan. Other beverages allowed are coffee, green tea, black tea, white tea, red tea, oolong tea and herbal tea (all served plain with no added sugar or milk). Try to avoid drinking soft drinks, fruit drinks and beer.
If you love wine then this is the best wine diet as wine is not only allowed but it is encouraged, especially red wine as it is full of heart healthy antioxidants.
Try going on a Sonoma diet program if you are looking for diet plan that is balanced, based on the Mediterranean diet and is extremely healthy. The Sonoma diet is more about eating a healthy diet than losing weight, although it will help you get to your optimal body weight. This diet is great for everyone, you should try it out starting today.