I don't have time to do a cardio and a weight workout. Which one should I give up? – Kathleen Boyd, Stanford, Conn.

There are two myths we can bust here. The first: You have to spend hours a day to get in shape and lose weight. The second: You have to separate your strength training routine from your cardio routine. A type of workout known as circuit training allows you to work your heart and muscles at the same time while burning calories at warp-factor speed.

In a circuit training routine, you jump from one exercise to the next with no or just a few seconds rest in between sets. It's the perfect routine for people who are time-challenged or want to juice up their current exercise routines. Though circuit training won't pack as much of a cardio punch as true aerobic activities like walking and jogging, or as much muscle shaping as slow and steady traditional weight training, doing two to three circuits a week will result in moderate strength gains and good cardiovascular benefits. A 20-minute, high-intensity circuit will burn off upwards of 250 calories, which is comparable to running an eight-minute mile. That's a great overall fitness package.

If we continue at the rate we're going, the entire U.S. population will be obese in 50 years. That's what a recent University of Missouri study suggests, anyway. Even if it doesn't turn out to be completely true, it's easy to see how it can still end up being quite close.

What can we do about it? Best I can tell, the only solution is to shape up. Through diet and regular exercise, the obesity epidemic can become a thing of the past, rather than an inevitable part of our future. With that little pep talk over, I feel obliged to now offer up a quick health tip. OK ... here goes.

Try a resistance training circuit routine to blast the maximum amount of fat in the shortest amount of time. Create a circuit of at least five to seven muscle-toning resistance exercises, spending 30 seconds or less in between sets. Shoot for high rep counts (at least 15 reps per set) and use lighter weights than you would if you were using longer break periods. Once you've finished the complete circuit, start all over again for another full go-around. By the end of this second circuit, you're heart will be racing, your muscles will be aching, and your lungs will be on fire. Oh, don't worry ... that all means you're doing it right!!

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Looking to burn some fat before summer? If your current workout seems to be getting stale, torching calories with an intense resistance/cardio circuit training workout will have you ready to hit the beach in no time.

First, follow a healthy diet. I'm not going to get into specifics about diet, as I'd rather focus on the workout (but, feel free to visit our sister site, AOL Body, for great diet advice and tips). I'm also not going to lie, this workout is tough. You're going to be out of breath, you're going to sweat like an animal, and you're going to hate me for ever telling you about it. But, it will produce results. Check with your doctor first to see if you're good to start a rigorous workout program. If you get the OK, it's time for some action!

Start first with a five-minute warm-up on a treadmill or stationary bike (or just walk around your neighborhood). Once that five minutes is up, it's time to kick things into high gear.

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As far as health tips and advice go, there are literally thousands of people to ask and twice as many different answers you're sure to receive. Fortunately, there are some fairly agreed upon concepts, many of which are pretty sound.

Here's a list of five tips and pieces of advice, dealing with how to get fit and lean, that are actually worthwhile:

1. Never Eat Carbs by Themselves. This goes for both fast-digesting and slow-digesting carbs, even though it would be best to avoid eating fast-digesting carbs as much as possible to begin with. Be sure to eat a good source of fat (nuts, avocados, olive oil, flaxseed oil, etc.) and/or a source of protein along with your carb source, as doing so will slow down its digestion. The longer a food takes to digest, the more calories your body burns actually digesting it. Moreover, this will lessen the chances that your carbs will spike your insulin levels, thereby reducing the chances of fat storage.

2. Lift Weights First. If you plan to perform both a resistance training workout and a cardio workout in the same gym trip, start with the resistance training. Using this approach not only ensures that your muscles are not too fatigued from your cardio session to provide you with an adequate weightlifting session, but also helps avoid muscle catabolization.

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I've commented a few times already on this site about gym etiquette, mostly pointing out things you generally should not do in a gym. Doing barbell curls at a squat rack is one that immediately comes to mind. Each time I workout, I tend to notice yet another two or three examples of gym no-no's that I feel are worth adding to this list, so I think right now I will do just that.

The Talking Spotter. A few words of encouragement here and there are fine. "C'mon, dude. Two more reps," and mini-pep talks like this aren't a big deal. What is, however, is when a loquacious spotter feels the need to talk about anything and everything in the entire world while you're doing your set. As your face is turning beet red, veins are popping out of places you never even knew you had them, and the sweat leaps from your brow, this guy feels it's the perfect time to tell you about the color he's thinking of painting his house next spring or how he thinks that Rod Carew was one of the best hitters of his generation. Don't be this guy. Nobody likes this guy ... not even his mother.

Pointless Towel Man. I feel like I've mentioned this guy before, but maybe it's because I can't believe that I haven't. At any rate, this is the guy -- usually an older fella -- who feels the need to stand around the locker room and make small talk before he gets into the shower. Meanwhile, of course, he's standing there completely naked. The funniest part is that he has a towel, he just prefers to drape it over his shoulder rather than wrap it around his waist. In a word: Awkward.

Circuit Training Freak. Even though I'm a big fan of circuit training routines, I am well aware of how annoying they can be for other people in the gym. Just as you're about to get on a machine or grab a dumbell, you suddenly hear a voice from across the gym yell "I'm on that, bro." Um ... okay. So, you move onto a different machine or lay down on an incline bench, only to hear that same person pipe up with "I'm on that, too, my man." How could they possibly be using all of this gym equipment at the same time? Truth is, they're not. They're just making their way through their circuit, hoping that nothing slows them down. Problem is, about 50 other people are also trying to workout, so to take complete ownership of an entire gym is a sure-fire way to make some instant enemies.

I swear, I could go on and on with a list of this kind. But, I find your stories to be far more comical and interesting, so feel free to post your own list of people or things that drive you nuts at your gym.

I'm a bit of cardio-holic. When I go to the gym, my time is usually spent on the elliptical trainer, treadmill or bike. That other half of the gym, the one with the weight training area, goes neglected. It's not that I'm afraid of weights, don't know how to use them or don't know their benefits -- it's that they're, well, boring. This is something I thought I was largely alone in until I read a post by regular reader Crabby McSlacker. She dislikes lifting weights too. Do you too? For this week's feature I'm going to suggest some things that will give you the benefits of weights but without the drawbacks.

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Have you tried boxing? It seems to be a trend lately to use boxing as a way to get fit and learn how to defend yourself at the same time. It also seems like the once male-dominated sport is building up the reputations of amazing female boxers like Laila Ali. Boxing is making an impact on the fitness world, and many gyms offer boxing classes that range from traditional to aerobic-inspired.

I did kickboxing a few years back, but hadn't though much of it until I went to a boxing circuit class last night. It was tough, but really fun. We started off with running -- alternating between jogging, sprinting, running with our knees up and doing cross-overs with our feet. Then we started boxing with partners (one partner had pads, the other punched) and we would alternate between that and running or doing other cardio activity like jumping jacks. I'm fairly sore today, especially in my arms, but hey, no pain no gain. Plus, it was a blast.

Boxing is a great workout, combining total-body strength with cardio, especially if you do a more aerobically-charged class. The class I took was suited for people of average fitness level -- you didn't need to be a marathon runner to participate, but you needed to be able for run for a bit. Boxing is energetic and fast-paced, so it you're looking to relax or clear your mind, you might want to head to a yoga class instead.

Now it's your turn. Have you taken boxing classes? What did you think? If you haven't, would you try it?

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