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"1. Find a fitness-focused friend. Don&amp;#039;t be afraid to work out with a buddy who already goes for a daily walk or hits the gym regularly. Women paired with a stronger workout partner exercise longer and push themselves harder than those who sweat solo, according to a Kansas State University study. You can find like-minded people in your area by going to MeetUp.com and searching under the &amp;quot;fitness&amp;quot; category for a nearby group. Or try one of these sites to find potential workout friends: ExerciseFriends.com, BuddyUp.com, Fit4Mom.com. 2. Schedule a family dinner. Only 48% of American families regularly eat together in the evening, according to a Harvard School of Public Health survey. (Given busy work schedules and extracurricular activities, that&amp;#039;s no surprise.) But research shows that family meals result in healthier choices and fewer calories consumed, because you tend to eat more fruits and vegetables and less fried food when you dine as a group. If you must, schedule dinner for a later time when everyone is home, or aim to eat together just one night a week and work up from there. See also: 4 Things Heart Disease Survivors Want You to Know 3. Connect with a close comrade. Research shows that loneliness can be harmful to your heart, but you don&amp;#039;t need to be a social butterfly to protect your ticker. In fact, experts say that it&amp;#039;s better to focus on nurturing a few quality relationships that you feel result in a deep connection than to stretch yourself thin by running around for coffee dates with acquaintances. Take the time to get together with old friends who really know and love you at least once or twice a week (and if you can&amp;#039;t see them in person, a phone chat counts!). You can also bolster ties by starting a private group on Facebook where you can share life updates. SOURCES: Nieca Goldberg, MD, medical director, Joan H. Tisch Center for Women&amp;#039;s Health, NYU Langone Medical Center. Bruce Rabin, MD, medical director, University of Pittsburgh Healthy Lifestyle Program. True story: &amp;quot;We did it!&amp;quot;In February 2012, Michelle Kolev, 38, found out that her cholesterol was borderline high, and a year after giving birth to twins, she was still struggling to shed 20 pounds. &amp;quot;My friend Jen had already lost weight herself and was trying to maintain it, so she suggested we help each other,&amp;quot; says Michelle. The pair started texting each other photos of what they were eating and reaching out for support. &amp;quot;I&amp;#039;d text Jen that I was dying for a big piece of chocolate and a glass of red wine and she&amp;#039;d reply, &amp;#039;Make a cup of tea,&amp;#039;&amp;quot; Michelle says. They also met a few times a week to do yoga or go for walks. A month later, Michelle was down 12 pounds and her cholesterol had returned to normal. See also: The Link Between Cancer and Heart Disease "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/womens-health/advice/a7592/team-up-for-heart-health/>