Registered dietician Connie Guttersen wrote her latest book called “The New Sonoma Diet” which is an updated version of her book “The Sonoma Diet.” She does not want people to avoid foods they like, but to enjoy them in moderation. Her diet is considered quite similar to the Mediterranean diet, filled with fruits, veggies, whole grains, fish and nuts.

Guttersen has 12 power foods she recommends and restricts foods that contain saturated fats, refined white flour, and added sugars. The book aims to promote whole health and reduce your risk for developing heart disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.

There are 3 waves of her program. The first wave is a 10-day induction phase and was created to wean you off sugar and highly processed foods. Plan on purging your kitchen of all processed foods and any foods that have unhealthy fats (saturated and trans fat) such as white rice, chips, butter, sausage and bacon. Also plan to get rid of items that contain added sugars like fruit juice.

Wave 1 foods that you can eat include lean beef, eggs, asparagus, eggplant, low-fat cottage cheese, soba noodles, extra virgin olive oil, almonds, walnuts, and herbs and spices. You cannot have fruit, alcohol and certain veggies with sugar during these first 10 days.

Once you enter Wave 2 of the diet plan you can start to add more types of food back into your diet. Many fruits and veggies along with sugar-free sweets are consumed. Up to 6 ounces of wine, the preferred alcohol on this diet, is allowed also. Continue doing the wave 2 phase until you reach your goal weight.

Wave 3 is the maintenance phase where you can then eat other foods as long as they are eaten in moderation.

[Use the New Sonoma Cookbook to help you use these foods in your meals.]

Guttersen recommends these 12 power foods to be eaten regular after the wave 1 induction phase.

• Almonds
• Beans
• Bell peppers
• Blueberries
• Broccoli
• Citrus
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Grapes
• Spinach
• Strawberries
• Tomatoes
• Whole grains

There are many recipes in the book such as:

• Blueberry ricotta pancakes
• Toasted quinoa chicken, corn & avocado salad
• Grilled Moroccan pork tenderloins kabobs
• Tomato & asparagus pizza
• Spinach, basil & feta panini

Exercise is highly recommended in addition to eating healthier.

• You will learn about the importance of both weight loss and nutrition. 
• You will learn about sleep and its role in weight loss. 
• Appetite, satiety and how you store and burn fat are learned. 
• You will learn the benefits of drinking wine in moderation and healthy options while dining out. 
• The book also offers important features like: Sonoma express meals, no-shop meals, no-cook meals, gluten-free recipes, time saving “cook once, eat twice” recipes, healthy family meals and includes weekly menus. 
• Many tools are offered online at Guttersen’s website.

• The first wave of the diet may be too restrictive to some people. 
• Clearing the house of all processed foods and other unhealthy products may be unrealistic for those with families or live with someone without a weight problem. 
• Some recipes may be too time-consuming to make.
• Exercise is recommended, but not enough emphasis placed on it; no structured exercise plan is offered in the book.

Skip wave 1 and start at wave 2, and work on making healthier choices by incorporating nutritious and wholesome foods into your diet and you might find weight loss success with The New Sonoma Diet. It is based on the Mediterranean diet,which is widely considered one of the healthiest diets in the world. 

Amazon is the best source of books, both new and used. Click on the book titles to get your copies of The New Sonoma Diet and the accompanying cookbook, The New Sonoma Cookbook.