A new initiative in Englewood is encouraging residents to buddy up to slim down.

SkinnyEnglewood.com operates on the philosophy that losing weight and getting in shape is easier with a little help from your friends, so the quasi-social-media site helps you find those friends. After joining for free, users can add "buddies" in their area for everything from motivating conversation to help working out.

The site also offers such helpful tools as a calorie counter, a weight-loss tracker, expert advice and healthy recipes.

SkinnyEnglewood.com is a local extension of Weight Loss Buddy. Visit skinnyenglewood.com for details.