The Sonoma Diet: Trimmer Waist, Better Health in Just 10 Days    by Connie Guttersen Order:  USA  Can Meredith, 2006 (2006) Hardcover Read an Excerpt      Reviewed by Martina Bexte If you're frustrated with the low fat and low carb diets out there right now and are ready to try a more sensible and healthy eating plan, then consider The Sonoma Diet. Dr. Connie Guttersen, a leading nutritional expert, has devoted much of her career to developing flavorful, healthy approaches to weight reduction. She's a registered dietician, a culinary professional, and a nutrition consultant to the Culinary Institute of America. In this diet book she focuses attention on the health benefits attributed to traditional Mediterranean cuisine. Dr. Guttersen says that 'on the Sonoma Diet, you don't lose weight by avoiding food. Instead you lose weight by enjoying satisfying amounts of the best foods on the planet'. She goes on to tell us that this diet 'celebrates food and flavour', and promises that by following the diet you will enjoy 'wholesome, fresh and delicious everyday foods that are easy to find and even easier to prepare'. You even get to enjoy a glass of wine with dinner! Guttersen begins by discussing what the Sonoma Diet is all about, outlining the benefits of its ten power foods: almonds, bell peppers, blueberries, broccoli, grapes, olive oil, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes, and whole grains. Next she guides readers through a Food and Taste Tour where she discusses the large variety of other foods that are included in this diet and points out that 'to lose weight you have to love to eat'. Next you're ready to begin with Wave 1, the first of three diet segments. The main goal of Wave 1 (which lasts 10 days) is to 'introduce you to the pleasures of fine, but simple, meals' and rid yourself of three destructive eating habits that cause weight gain: refined foods, haphazardly eating anything available, and eating too much. Wave 2 outlines an eating plan to follow until you've reached your target weight - what Guttersen calls the 'meat and potatoes of the diet -without the potatoes'. Portion control and exercise are also important. She even gives special instruction on which wines to enjoy with your meals in The Sonoma Diet Wine 101. Wave 3 begins on the day the target weight is reached. Here Guttersen outlines ways to maintain your perfect weight. She also advises what to do when things go wrong, in Diet Survival 101. A question and answer section and various tips and testimonials round out this segment. The rest of the book offers meal plans plus an extensive recipe collection; even the pickiest eaters will find simple-to-prepare recipes to tempt their taste buds. Rounding out the book is a coupon for a free one-week trial offer to try the Sonoma Diet online and a handy pullout quick reference folder to help guide you through Wave 1. If you're ready to shed pounds by spending time in your kitchen preparing nourishing, flavorful and wholesome foods then give The Sonoma Diet a try. It looks like a great plan to help shed unwanted pounds and achieve weight loss success. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more NonFiction books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews