It’s so easy!

While 80% of women have trouble staying the course on a traditional keto diet, Italian researchers say more than 90% of subjects in their studies were able to stick with the keto-Mediterranean combo. Successful slimmers report that the greater variety of foods and flavors in the diet are more palatable and pleasurable, thanks to an emphasis on fruit, non-starchy vegetables, olive oil, fish and plenty of red wine (cheers!), plus Mediterranean-style cooking and spices. And you can forget about the drudgery of counting calories. The keto-Mediterranean diet relies on “spontaneous caloric reduction,” says Robert Santos-Prowse, R.D.N., author of The Ketogenic Mediterranean Diet. “If you’re eating more fat, you tend to feel satiated more quickly. So a lot of people find they are not as hungry.” As a result, you just naturally eat less— without even trying. What’s more, he points out, by lowering your carbs, you won’t experience the insulin spikes and dips that can lead to feeling “hangry.”

“Many of my patients report back to say it’s easier to follow than a traditional calorie-restricted plan,” adds Steve Parker, M.D., who commonly sees women quickly drop 10, 20 or 30 pounds. Santos-Prowse adds that there’s no limit to how much weight you can drop. “I’ve had people tell me they’ve lost five to 10 pounds in the first seven days. You should be able to lose as much weight as you want.”

Better still, those pounds will stay off. Just take it from the Italian research team: When study subjects followed a keto-Mediterranean protocol, they successfully kept the weight off a year later.

Kat Bradley, 67, from Valier, Illinois, can attest to that. When she started tweaking a keto diet with heart-healthy fats like olive oil, fish and nuts, she finally blasted through stubborn weight-loss plateaus. She lost a steady 3 to 4 pounds every week, dropping 65 pounds—and 6 pant sizes—total. “Those fats keep me healthy, clear thinking and full of energy,” Kat says. And Lauren Brazee from Edgewater, Florida, lost 20 pounds in the first 10 days of following a keto-Mediterranean diet, ultimately dropping 122 pounds. Even better, her blood-pressure and blood-glucose numbers improved, her PCOS symptoms lessened, her eczema cleared up and her energy skyrocketed.

Meanwhile, out in California, 48-year-old Sinora Glenn lost 6 pounds in her first week on keto. Incorporating healthy Mediterranean-style fats (salmon with arugula salad and sun-dried tomato is her go-to!) also helped improve her cholesterol and erase her borderline diabetes status. “Keto changed my life,” says Sinora, who shed 65 pounds and 7 inches from her waistline. “I haven’t felt this great since I was 25!” To enjoy the benefits for yourself, try these strategies:

Hit your carb sweet spot. Aim to limit carbs to about 30 grams of net carbs a day (calculate “net carbs” by subtracting grams of fiber from total carbohydrates). This will kick-start the metabolic conversion that gets the body to tap into stored fat for fuel. (Depending on your body size, metabolism and how much you move during your days, you may be able to have a bit more.) Fill your plate mostly with non-starchy vegetables like salad, leafy greens, tomatoes, onions and zucchini. Fatty fruits like avocados and olives are excellent, and berries are good too.

Power up with protein. Every meal should include 3 to 4 oz. of protein. Take a cue from Spain and try to make fish your main protein source. (A 4-oz. serving of fish is about the size of a checkbook.) Other good protein sources include plain yogurt, eggs, poultry and tofu. Get your fill of fat and flavor. Add at least 2 to 3 Tbs. of extra-virgin olive oil to meals daily, and snack on nuts and seeds like almonds and sunflower seeds. Research links these beneficial fats to heart health and a longer life. In fact, eating them may lower heart disease risk by up to 30%—similar to the reduction seen from taking statin drugs.

Don’t forget dessert! Enjoy a (small) piece of dark chocolate (65%–85% cacao). At just 5 grams of net carbs per half ounce, dark chocolate is a keto-friendly treat—plus, the polyphenols have been shown to fight health-sapping inflammation.