Choices, I'm not really sure how I fit it in! I often check these boards in my lunch hour at work or last thing at night, but that just means there are other things I am not doing. I try to trust my intuition on what is the best thing for me to do at any given point.

That naturopath's recommendations sound a bit extreme - I don't think I would be able to stick to that. I agree with you it may not be worth it to lose all the pleasure from eating, and that's a very un-Sonoma/un-Mediterranean approach. Feeling miserable all the time is also not good for your health - in fact, I'd say it's more dangerous in many ways than being overweight. Eating them only occasionally sounds like a better approach, if you're certain they are doing you harm. I know soy can be a problem for some women because it contains estrogen analogues, but broccoli is so good for you in other ways - one of the Sonoma Power Foods! I hope you will be able to figure out something that balances all your health goals and doesn't leave you feeling deprived.

Wave 1, day 6. We went hiking today and had a pub lunch along the way - first time I've eaten out since starting the diet. I think I did okay.

B: Crunchy Bran with low-fat milk
S: Small handful of blackberries, picked fresh from the hedgerow!
L: Cheese and mushroom omelette with large salad of lettuce, tomato and cucumber. I asked them not to give me the baked potato that was advertised as coming with it, so they gave me extra salad. It was a delicious omelette, too! It had a bit more cheese than I should really eat on this diet, but I think it was the best option on the menu. The proportions were about right.
D: Wholewheat pasta with bell peppers, mushrooms, tofu wieners and a sprinkling of parmesan.

Exercise: 30 mins yoga, 5 hrs 20 mins walking! We go hiking about once a month and have been doing this for about three years now - it's a great way for me to boost my exercise and has really improved my fitness.

Wave 1, day 7:

B: Wholewheat crepes with vegetarian sausages. It's a family tradition to have crepes on Sunday mornings - up to now, they've been white flour, but today I replaced that with half wholewheat and half gram flour, which is made out of chickpeas and so adds protein. I also replaced the sugar with maple syrup. I think the proportions worked out about right.

L: We're all big motor racing fans, so another family tradition is to serve a festive buffet when the British Formula 1 GP is on TV, and that was today. I made sure we had a good selection of healthy foods on there as well as some treats for those who are not dieting. I did quite well - filled my plate to the Sonoma proportions and didn't go back for seconds. I had small servings of Quorn, vegetarian pate and hummus for the protein and salad leaves and tomato for the veg, plus a spoonful of guacamole and a small handful of olives. Probably a bit more fat than I should have had, but not bad at all for a family celebration.

S: Mini Babybel cheese and a handful of cherries.

D: Brown rice with White Bean Ratatouille from the book, but served warm rather than chilled. It was good - I will keep it in mind as comfort food for the future!

Exercise: 15 mins yoga, 30 mins walking.

Where's everyone else? Is it just quieter because it's the weekend?