I have been all over the internet looking for a message board on the Sonoma diet and glad I finally found you!
I will be getting the book this week but had a question for some of you that have ever been on Atkins.
What is the difference between the two in the first part(wave) of the diet?
Thanks,
Annie

Welcome to the forum. I am not familiar with Atkins enough to comment, but please check out the stickies at the top of the forum that explain Sonoma. They will give you an idea on what the plan entails. -

What you can expect to eat on this diet as well as the sticky title What is the Sonoma Diet?

If you do decide to try this, please pick up the book either from the library or purchase a copy because it will make things much easier.

Hi Annie!

I was a former Atkins Diet person. Lost 20 lbs. that way and kept it off for 2 years. But I quit smoking and got back to my old eating habits and gained 15 lbs. back. Tried Atkins again, but couldn't get through induction and would only lose a bit, gain back a bit. Wasn't working for me anymore.

Then I heard about the Sonoma Diet. I'm on wave one and feel so much better with this way of eating.

Huge differences. You avoid all sugar AND artifical sweeteners, white and refined flour on Sonoma. You CAN have whole grains! A whole grain slice of bread for breakfast or a high fiber cereal. You can have nuts on wave one as well! Lots and lots of vegetables on wave one as well. Saturated fats are much less on Sonoma. Most of your fats will come from olive or canola oil and nuts. You don't count grams of carbs or fat and you don't count calories.
Portions are determined by the size of your lunch and dinner plate or a 2 cup bowl.

Sonoma really allows for far more variety and is healthier in my opinion than Atkins.

Get and read the book. It's very enlightening.

There is also an online Sonoma Diet, but it's a paid for site.
http://www.sonomadiet.com

Welcome to 3fc!
NY Nan

I am not familiar with Sonoma Diet but have been on Atkins for 11 months and it has worked great for me. 86 lbs. gone. Try whichever you think will be best for you. Good luck and best wishes.

Hi there Annie

I am currently on Sonoma but was an Atkins girl for a long time. I had a good weight loss with my initial attempt on Atkins, but it crept back and I had the same problem you are having. I'd lose some and gain them back and did the yo-yo for years. My cravings were so out of control on Atkins because I just felt too deprived - I need my carbs, even if it's just small doses!

I've only been on Sonoma a short time, but I prefer it over Atkins for several reasons:
1. Carbs! You can eat them and you can eat them everyday. They are wholegrain carbs, so bread made from rye or wholemeal flour, oats, high fiber cereal, etc. I prefer those anyway so I think it's great. I made pizza dough with wholemeal flour and had a pizza for dinner the other night. It was fantastic!

2. Fruit! I love a bit of fruit here and there. Like Atkins, this diet promotes berries, but you are also allowed other fruits in moderate portions - even bananas. You have to wait til Wave 2 for the fruit though. You're supposed to be doing a sort of 'sugar cleanse' on Wave 1 so you're cravings will reduce.

3. Wine! I love a glass of wine here and there and for Sonoma this is okay. I've never heard of Atkins or any other diet that allowed wine. Wine isn't til Wave 2 also.

4. Healthy, Natural, Unprocessed, Wholesome, Goodness ! This diet is all about getting rid of the boxes of processed foods in your kitchen and going all natural. I found with Atkins I ate alot of processed deli meats and fast-food burgers (minus the bun of course). Granted, I lost weight, but I just didn't feel that great. I had horrible cravings and was tired alot. With Sonoma I have tons of energy.

The only 2 things I liked Atkins more for were:
1 - Cheese and Whole Cream. I do love these things. With Sonoma cheese is okay, but in small portions and with limited fat content. Cream is allowed 1 tbsp a day for coffee if you need it, but otherwise it's skim milk.
2 - The weight loss on Atkins is quick and drastic (at least it was for me). After Wave 1 of Sonoma you move more into the 'lifestyle' part of the diet and the weight loss slows down a bit. I think most people still have a healthy weight loss with Sonoma, but maybe not the rapid kind that you get with Atkins.

Wow! Sorry for writing you a book!! I hope that helps though. Good luck