Many women gain weight after menopause and have a tough time losing it. Counting calories is cumbersome—and it doesn’t seem to work for many women.

A focus on changing just a few food habits—such as eating more vegetables and fruits but fewer sweets and less meat—looks like the simple recipe for success, found researchers at the University of Pittsburgh.

They studied 481 overweight and obese women after menopause. Some of the women got intensive help—frequent and regular counseling from nutritionists, exercise physiologists, and psychologists, while others just got some occasional advice on general health. But no matter which group they were in, the women who consumed fewer deserts and sugary drinks lost weight in the short and long term.

Women who lost weight in the short term were also those who cut down on fried foods and eating out and upped their fish consumption. But the women who cut down on the sugar, increased their fruit and vegetable intake, and decreased their intake of meats and cheeses were the ones who were successful in the long run. And that’s a pretty easy recipe.