The Sonoma Diet plan is focused on healthy fat loss rather than some of the extreme diets that are so popular these days. A combination of two areas on the planet that have a reputation for being laid back – the Sonoma valley of California (hence the name) and the Mediterranean Sea area of Europe – it claims that it’s one of the healthy ways to lose weight.
Unlike other diets reviewed on BlissPlan, I don’t feel physically ill at the thought of this diet. The emphasis is on flavorful, low calorie foods and offers enjoyment rather than torture. It states, “The Sonoma Diet stresses enjoying food, not avoiding it. The secret, of course, is enjoying the right foods in the right amounts. That’s the only healthy way to lose weight.” Applause, applause. We torture ourselves way too much over this issue of food.
And the Sonoma Diet plan offers another huge benefit: it’s simple.
How To Follow The Sonoma Diet Plan
The Sonoma Diet plan centers around 10 “power foods”:
Almonds
Bell peppers
Blueberries
Broccoli
Grapes
Olive oil
Spinach
Strawberries
Tomatoes
Whole grains
These are indeed healthy foods and, with the exception of almonds, they’re low in calories.
NOTE: Almonds are higher in calories due to their fat content but they are high in fiber and all kinds of goodies that are excellent for the human body. Every diet I respect recommends these wonderful nuts … in moderation, of course. A pound of them will add waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too many calories. :-)
Portion control is important in the Sonoma Diet plan. So that you won’t feel deprived, choose your ‘setting’ wisely. That is, use a two cup bowl for breakfast, a seven inch plate for lunch and a nine inch plate for dinner. The Sonoma diet book will explain and illustrate how you should divide your food on these plates.
The focus is on health, rather than just losing weight at any cost. Anybody who wants to know how to lose weight naturally should listen to this wise advice. A sick body will not be efficient at weight loss because it is trying to hold on to every possible calorie to combat its illness. Or, if this unhealthy body does lose weight it will be at the expense of the vitality of the body. A radiant, vital body, on the other hand, will naturally be thin and trim.
In fact, I seriously believe that most overweight people are suffering from malnutrition.
Sounds ridiculous if someone is eating thousands of calories every day, but gigantic calorie counts of candy and cookies does nothing to nourish the body.
The Sonoma Diet plan has three “waves”, like so many other diets do:
Wave 1 will definitely be the toughest because the dieter will have to cut out all refined sugar. The good news: the weight loss will be the greatest …It only last 10 days (“I can endure ANYTHING for 10 days, can’t I?”)
Wave 2 is less restrictive and offers wine to the dieter! Not surprising when you think about the fact that the Sonoma valley in California is the source of much of America’s wine. I don’t personally like wine but this habit is what makes many nominate the Sonoma menu for five stars in the easy diet plans competition.
Wave 3 is for lifetime eating because it focuses on healthy foods with occasional treats, which is the way we should all eat, of course.
There is NO CALORIE COUNTING with this charming diet. Hee-ha!
The focus is on eating slowly and consciously and really paying attention to our food, whether we’re enjoying it and how we feel as we go along. Most of us eat so fast, and so mindlessly, that we’re way beyond full by the time we realize it. Oops, stuffed again. The only antidote for this is awareness.
The Sonoma Diet plan emphasizes large amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables. The sonoma diet recipes are loaded with these and they are the healthiest way to eat, as we already know.
Deprivation isn’t a part of this, fortunately. Here is a recipe from The Sonoma Diet Cookbook and I think it’s delicious, although I make only half as much:
Peachy Berry Cobbler
Serves: 8
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger or ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup cold water
4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons heat-stable granular sugar substitute or 2 tablespoons honey
3 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened peach slices, peeled
2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries and/or blueberries
1/3 cup low-fat yogurt, plain
1 slightly beaten egg
Ground ginger or ground cinnamon (optional)
Instructions:
1. For topping, in a medium bowl stir together whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, ginger or cinnamon, and kosher salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in oil until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
2. For filling, in a large saucepan stir together the water and cornstarch until combined. Stir in sugar substitute or honey. Add peach slices. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Stir in raspberries and/or blueberries.
Cook, stirring gently, until bubbly. Cover and keep hot while finishing topping.
3. To finish topping, in a small bowl stir together yogurt and egg. Add yogurt mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moistened.
4. Divide filling among 8 6-ounce custard cups or 4 10- to 12-ounce casseroles. Drop the topping from a spoon onto the hot filling. Drop 1 mound into each custard cup or 2 mounds into each casserole. Place custard cups or casseroles on a baking sheet.
5. Bake in a 400°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into topping comes out clean. Cool slightly. If desired, sprinkle with additional ginger or cinnamon. Serve warm.
OR: To make one large cobbler, transfer hot filling to a 2-quart square baking dish. Drop topping from a spoon into 8 mounds on top of hot filling. Bake in a 400 F oven about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into
topping comes out clean.
Some have complained about all the ‘cooking’ – but most of it is about chopping vegetables and fruit, rather than actual cooking. However, for someone whose time is limited, this might be challenging. The mom with four kids, a full time job and night school might give this one a pass.
This isn’t really a “low carb” diet, although it is fairly low in carbs especially in Wave 1. What is DOES eliminate is refined carbs which are terrible for us anyway.
Our Evaluation Of The Sonoma Diet Plan: A+
The Sonoma Diet plan is all about healthy fat loss and we applaud it. It’s focused on the right kinds of food to promote both health and a trim body. Further, anyone who sticks with this will re-educated their taste buds and eating habits and this wretched yo-yo dieting will become a nightmare from the past, rather than the present.
Check our diet reviews on popular eating plans
Jessica says
If I were going to go on a diet, the Sonoma diet would be the one I would choose. It sounds absolutely delightful! It sounds completely manageable and healthy, not like a lot of the other fad diets. Thanks for sharing!
BlissPlan says
I agree whole heartedly. I like the notion of the Sonoma diet, too and we know in our hearts that the weird fad diets aren’t 1) healthy 2) sustainable. The only “diet” worth doing is one that we can live with for a lifetime, IMO.