Butler County is filled with a variety of people doing interesting things.

This weekly feature offers snapshots of some of them by asking them five questions.

The latest installment appears below.

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It's easy to make a New Year's resolution, but keeping it is difficult.

Senior physical director Sandy Ihlenfeld at the Butler County Family YMCA is gearing up to help everyone have a healthier 2012.

“My New Year's resolution is to really make a difference in my hometown,” said Ihlenfeld. “And I really, sincerely mean that.”

Ihlenfeld will fulfill that goal in part by offering YMCA classes geared toward beginners.

Here, she also answers questions about the best ways to start and keep a healthy lifestyle.

QUESTION: What's the best advice for someone looking to be more healthy this year?ANSWER: I think the best advice is to start with a checkup with your physician. The numbers that they can get from their physical: the normal numbers like blood pressure, glucose, blood sugar, bone density — all of those can be positively affected by diet and exercise.A lot of people think (exercise) has to be really grueling, but research says just 15 minutes a day can help people.

QUESTION: What's a quick healthy snack?ANSWER: Instead of using potato chips and pretzels and all those kind of things that are quick to go to, just take a healthy box cereal like Cheerios or wheat Chex — any of those kinds of things — and just munch on that instead. You can even throw some almonds in with that and even a piece of fruit on the side.It's a wonderful snack and will fill you up because of the fiber in the cereal, but the actual calories will be very little.

QUESTION: How much should someone exercise a day?ANSWER: It is important for people to understand the guidelines. The health guidelines are 30 minutes a day, the weight loss guidelines are 60 minutes, and both of those are at a moderate intensity.People don't necessarily understand what that means. Moderate intensity means that they feel like they are exercising. ... They feel like they're working rather than just strolling nonchalantly.They pick up the pace and they feel like that pace is working for them and then pretty much it's self adjustment.If two people are working side-by side of each other, they could have two very different paces, but they both could feel like that's a working pace for them.

QUESTION: What are some ways people can keep going with their News Year's resolution to be fit?ANSWER: Just get moving. It's not so much about being restricted about calories and so forth.If you make one change, you can keep that change for 30 days and then add one more change. So for many, the first change is just to start walking and then the second change is to try to get seven hours of sleep a night and then the third change is to increase your water intake and things like that. ... The people that really are successful long-term have learned to change their lifestyle, which is a slow moving boat.

QUESTION: What's your favorite workout activity?ANSWER: I really love to cycle. ... But (if) I try to say to someone, “I love to cycle. You should cycle. It's great,” That may not be their thing.That's why it's important for people to think “What do I like to do?”Sometimes it's a life skill. Maybe they swam 20 years ago. ... Once you get back in that water, you'd be rusty, but that skill comes right back, which can really help you.And you liked it already, so chances are you'll like it again.