As the new year rolls around, many see it as a time to make a change for the better. It may be for a healthier lifestyle or to finally rid oneself of a nasty habit. However, new year's resolutions often fall by the wayside sooner than most hope.
    One Drumheller man has proved that you can make a change; it can be drastic, and for the better.
    Sanjay Kumar, field engineer for ATCO Electric, knew he didn’t like how his body had changed, and believed he could transform it. In September, he began a journey of healthy living, and in about three months he lost 50 pounds, and he is doing it the right way.
    “I didn’t have the health problems, but I wanted to reduce my weight,” said Kumar. “That was my goal for 2011 and 2012, and continuing on.”
    His goal was to lose 50 pounds and reduce his body fat to 15 per cent.  At 5-foot 3, he weighed 217 pounds.
    He said it wasn’t just dieting or exercise that made the difference, it was a shift in lifestyle. Diet and exercise of course played a role, but so did changing habits such as when and how he ate.
    “I used to take my dinner at night around 9 p.m., so I changed that to about 7 p.m. so all my carbs are not stored in fat,” he said. “I have completely cut the junk food from my diet.”
    Kumar is vegetarian already, but he has gone away from foods that are prepared by frying, although he still does cheat now and then.
    He was also cognizant that he lost the weight properly. This means shedding the fat and not the muscle. He was helped along by Judy McElroy of Everybody’s Gym. His progress was tracked, as he was one of a few in a competition at Everybody’s Gym.
    At 37, he thought now was the time to make a change, because after 40 he thought it would be tougher.
    He has come a long way. He is now about 170 pounds and has 17.5 per cent body fat. He said he hasn’t seen his weight at this level since 1993.
    Now that he has made the change, he has found he has more energy, strength and feels healthier physically and mentally. He does realize that it is an ongoing lifestyle change, but now that he is on the right track, it is easier not to stumble.
    “Nothing in life is that difficult,” he laughs.
    One thing he has found with the changes is that none of his old clothes fit him any longer. That’s not a bad problem to have.

    Bow Valley College is set to begin offering new post secondary program for Drumheller residents; all it needs is a few good students.
    The college, which has offered programs in the valley including the Licenced Practical Nursing program and Early Learning and Childcare program, is looking to offer a Justice Studies program in the valley. It has been working on the logistics for quite some time, and now wants to gauge interest in the corrections stream.
    “I am really interested to see if we can provide educational service to the communities of Drumheller, Olds and Innisfail because of the two large federal institutions that are there and the opportunities it might create for local individuals to be employed at the federal facilities,” said Dr. Bill Du Perron, Dean of Health, Justice and Human Services program at Bow Valley College.
    Du Perron has worked to introduce the Justice Studies program and it has streams in law enforcement, youth justice and corrections, which would be the one offered in the valley.
    “We had the first intake of students here in Calgary and it is doing extremely well, so I have asked for a feasibility study to see where the opportunities might exist in Drumheller,” said Du Perron.
    He said they have discussed the programs with Corrections Canada human resources, as well as with leadership at the Drumheller Institution and Bowden. Locally they have talked to the Alberta Employment and Immigration office, Campus Alberta and with Drumheller Valley Secondary School, "all of which looks extremely promising,” said Du Perron.
     The program would be delivered via teleconference at space provided at DVSS.
    “It would be real time video conferencing so students in Drumheller would be taking exactly the same program as our students here at Bow Valley College in downtown Calgary,” said Du Perron. “What we are doing now is trying to determine the level of student interest to determine whether we will have viable numbers in order to offer the program. Hopefully we will have a great deal of interest in the community”.
    Du Perron says the main focus for the program would be for those interested in attaining work at a corrections facility.
    “Our primary concern is creating employment opportunities for our graduates so the program has been developed to specifically reflect what the requirements would be within the justice system,” said Du Perron. “It has been confirmed with us that the corrections service would look upon the graduates with a diploma program in corrections as being real assets to their educational consideration for employment.”
    He says the program would also be a route for those already involved in corrections to take on some professional development. It also offers the opportunity for further post secondary study.
    “For the two years students take at Bow Valley College, we have licensing agreements with other post secondary institutions, so it would be two years towards a degree program,” said Du Perron. “In fact, Athabasca University is going to be offering years three and four for their justice degree right here in Bow Valley College.”
    The investigation into the feasibility of the program coincides with expansions at the provincial and federal level of corrections institutions.
    “What makes these programs so viable is not only is the Corrections Service of Canada undergoing significant expansion of its facilities in Alberta, but also the province, the correctional services division from the Solicitor General is also increasing their facility space here in the province and that is going to provide opportunities for our graduates as well,” said Du Perron.
 Those interested in learning more about Bow Valley’s program or are interested in the Justice Studies Program can contact Frank Dungen at 403-355-4620 or fdungen@bowvalleycollege.ca