The start of a new year always signifies a hoard of people making drastic changes in their diet and flooding the gym, eager to become a healthier, more fit individual. According to Forbes, only around eight percent of people stick with their New Year’s resolutions, dwindling from their goal during the early months of the year.

This is due to the “all-or-nothing” mentality and the tendency to go overboard with resolutions, taking them to unattainable extremes. You can’t eat celery for every meal and expect to safely achieve a slim figure that will stand the test of time.

Maintaining a healthy diet is all about practicing balance and moderation, and luckily UNCW is home to a multitude of dining locations that offer plenty of options that are nutritious and delicious.

One of the biggest mistakes people tend to make when trying to improve their eating habits is skipping breakfast. Despite the overused saying that it is the most important meal of the day, breakfast is often neglected in a flawed attempt to cut calories. This strategy is doomed to fail—in fact, not fueling up in the morning messes with your blood sugar balance and can contribute to the onset of obesity and hypoglycemia.

In order to acquire the proper energy to start your day, hit up Wag before class and enjoy a bowl of Cheerios with a banana or a whole wheat bagel with some peanut butter. These choices are satisfying and light, yet have enough protein to hold you over until lunch time.

If lack of time before an eight o’clock class is your problem, keep a drawer stocked full of granola bars and fresh fruit for when you need to snack on-the-go.

Although they don’t have a cliché phrase to advertise it, lunch and dinner are also essential to a balanced diet. Too many college students run on full speed all day long and forget to eat anything until late in the day. Much like skipping breakfast, this throws your metabolism all out of whack and can lead to overeating in the evening.

To avoid that afternoon crash, fuel up with healthy on-campus options such as a Subway sandwich with lots of veggies on wheat bread or a whole wheat flatbread from Opa. The whole grains will provide a nice amount of fiber while helping you feel full, while the vegetables and choice of lean protein will supply important vitamins to keep your body performing at its best.

If you’re not heading to Hawks, hit up Dubs and try the Power Bowl, a perfectly portioned meal of cilantro brown rice, edamame, bean sprouts, and your choice of Jamaican jerk chicken or shrimp. For some added flavor, drizzle on some chipotle-avocado ranch sauce or the tangy sriracha aioli. Just as its name suggests, this bowl is packed full of nutrients and tastes like a less greasy version of Chinese takeout. 

Never rely solely on the salad bar when attempting to upgrade your eating habits—this is a rookie mistake and will only lead to an unsatisfied appetite and a feeling of “hangriness.” The old saying “variety is the spice of life” definitely applies to diet and applies not only to your health, but to your sanity and overall happiness.

As important as it is to fill your body with clean food, moderation is the real key to a balanced diet. So take advantage of UNCW’s diverse and healthy dining plan, but be sure to treat yo’self—it’s good for the soul.