Losing pounds may seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. We’ve rounded up some easy food swaps that, while subtle, are powerful enough to make a real difference. Here’s why: To lose one pound, you have to eliminate 3,500 calories, either by burning them off through exercise or cutting them from your diet. Making some or all of the swaps below will really add up—in fact, we’ve done the math so you can see how much weight you could lose over a year.

Small changes also help you think about food in a new light: Do I really need to make my potato salad with sour cream, or will yogurt taste just as good? Yes, it does!

Swap & Drop Diet: available now in the Best Health bookstore.