THERESA: I loved April's story in this week's food section about how the TV weather crew at Philly's NBC10 stays in shape. The station's four meteorologists all decided to get in shape during the past year, and while they chose different ways to do it, they enjoy that sense of teamwork that comes from accomplishing those goals with friends from work.

Sounds kind of familiar, eh, Girlfriends? It really helps to have a circle of friends when it comes to staying healthy. Isn't it cool the way all of us encourage each other and swap advice about exercise and fitness? At the Daily News, we really do have that kind of camaraderie. Part of it is that we have a company gym on site, and so we nearly always find friendly faces down in the weight room. But it's also that so many of us like hanging out together, running together, giving each other a big "whoa, way to go" after anyone in the group runs a race well or prepares to earn her black belt, or gets packed to head across the planet for a big bike trip.

Women who work in offices where fitness isn't part of workplace culture might want to join not just a gym, but a club of enthusiasts (cycling, running, hiking) that weaves friendship into the fitness routine. OK, I know that sounds schmaltzy, but I think it's so great to have pals who share your values when it comes to this stuff. Get a bunch of your friends to sign up for a yoga class with you, or plan healthy-night potlucks once a month with your girlfriends or whatever you can think of. And don't be shy about cultivating a fitness culture at work, if that doesn't exist now. Ask a couple colleagues at work to start training for a 5K race with you (we're getting a group together now to run the Race for the Cure on Mother's Day) This'll give you an excuse to jog together during your lunch break, after you go shopping together for new running shoes and fabulous workout wear!

What are your thoughts on this, Girlfriends?

APRIL: I can honestly say I would never have been able to run the half-marathon last fall if I had't trained with Theresa. When we trained, we pushed each other to run when we didn't feel like it, or when we felt lazy. And when I'm not training for something (ahem, I need motivation for Broad Street run in May, somebody help!) the whole experience of working out here at the newspaper's gym has really kept me motivated.

LAURIE: I absolutely have been more motivated to work out because you and April (and our SuperGirlfriend Yvonne) have been going to the gym, running, etc. It's inspiring, even though I don't run myself. There is definitely a culture in the workplace and it's nice that ours is health-based and exercise-encouraging.

JENICE: I never would have taken karate if the classes weren't right around the corner in the human resources conference room. One day, I was walking down the hall and the teacher said, "When are you going to take my class?" I went and have been going for five years. It's changed my life, as has watching my co-workers finish marathons, undergo training to bike halfway across Africa, and adopt healthy lifestyles. It's an inspiration.

LAURIE: PNI, the company that owns the Daily News and Inquirer, used to sponsor a variety of classes here, which made it incredibly easy to follow a fitness program. Although budget cuts ended the subsidies, two yoga classes continue in space the company still provides for us. One of the yoga teachers has been coming here since the mid-'80s! And a small group of loyal salsa dancers have continued to meet and practice after work even though the dance class ended.

Aside from the obvious health benefits (and immeasurable morale-boosting effects), these classes have been a great way to meet people from other departments in our large company.

THERESA: I'd love to hear from other women out there about the fitness quotient in their workplaces.