Is the gym making you fat?

Why is it that some of us can go to the gym two or three times a week and have thighs like Lara Croft, while others flounder, remain untoned and never reach their workout nirvana? We asked the experts to answer the following six fitness grumbles to get a go-nowhere routine back on track.

Grumble: I go to the gym regularly, plus play sport, but I still look untoned.

Fix: "The answer is simple. You're doing too much and it doesn't give your muscles a chance to rest," explains personal trainer Rob Beacham for David Lloyd Leisure. "It's the rest and recovery of the body that actually creates the improvement and gains the fitness." Beacham suggests giving yourself at least 24 hours rest before exercising again. "Plus try to work a different part of your body or a different muscle group at each gym visit," he says, to push your body further.

Grumble: I use free weights but my arms look bulky not defined.

Fix: "Men's muscles bulk up more than women's due to their testosterone levels," says fitness consultant Kathryn Freeland. "Women have a very small amount of this hormone so shouldn't bulk up unless they are training intensely or wearing an insulation of unwanted fat." Fitness guru Matt Roberts explains: "It's essential that you reduce body fat while increasing your muscles, or you will be in danger of increasing your body size by toned muscle pushing your fat layer further out."

Grumble: My bottom sags despite my many hours on the Stairmaster.

Fix: "Although cardiovascular work is vital for a healthy heart and losing fat, weight-bearing exercises are the only way to tone muscle properly," states trainer Marco Bellagamba of Eqvvs Personal Training. "For a pert bottom simple lunges and squats target the area perfectly. I recommend using 3kg weights in each hand to intensify the effort and do three sets of 12-15 repetitions."

Grumble: I'm exhausted halfway through my workout and give up.

Fix: "Look at your diet," advises health and fitness instructor Shelley Astron at Esporta. "Does it consist of high energy foods?" Food such as carbohydrates are stored and used when the body requires them. The best energy foods are pasta, rice and potatoes. Eat at least one hour before exercise, preferably two."

Grumble: My body doesn't seem to be responding to my well-rehearsed workout any more.

Fix: "Change your gym workout at least every 10 sessions," advocates Marco Bellagamba. "Even just changing the order of exercises and trying a couple of new ones can make a difference. New activities such as dance classes, boxing or joining a sports team help keep you motivated."

Very fit people often discover that they have reached a plateau and no longer see the dramatic improvements they found when they first started exercising. "If you reach this stage, don't give up," says Freeland, "there are a couple of options: seek out a personal trainer who can wake up your workout with new ideas, or, if you're a runner, for instance, add to your distance, speed or challenge yourself by adding some hills."