We avoid working out because we are blighted by 'Gymtimidation', study reveals Twice as many women as men feel embarrassed when exercising Most off-putting is other people noticing them and feeling unfit 20% of men say biggest fear is not knowing what they are doing Only 3% of women are happy to walk around naked in front of others Fear of working out or 'gymtimidation' is thriving in Britain and it's women who are the most self-conscious, new research has revealed. Women who feel embarrassed when exercising outnumber men by two to one, with other people noticing them and feeling unfit deemed the main reasons for feeling uncomfortable. By contrast, men are afraid of appearing not to know what they're doing, although two in 10 say they're made nervous by other gym-goers. Women as men feel embarrassed when exercising and are put off when other people notice them But the reaction only occurs if the person watching is another man, with no male respondents admitting to being made nervous by being scrutinised by women. Self-conscious women are concerned about what both sexes think, with 14 per cent saying they are intimidated by the thought of men are judging them, while another 10 per cent feared other women. Worse for nervous gym-goers, a lack of self-confidence even stretched to communicating with fellow sports fans. Just under half the men surveyed said they would have no qualms in asking people how long they'll be using a certain piece of equipment. By contrast, only eight per cent of women said they would dare to do the same. Instead, 84 per cent choose to walk away and use something else and one per cent use it as an excuse to leave the gym entirely. Both sexes were happy to air other gym grievances, with bugbears including other people's body odour (eight per cent) and people who don't wipe down the machines after use (11 per cent). Annoying though BO and dirty machinery is, both men and women agreed that an overcrowded gym irritated them most. Gymtimidated men 53 per cent - the gym is too busy, which puts them off going 41 per cent - they're too lazy to go 20 per cent - get bored of their routine and don't know how to switch it up 6 per cent - think 'regulars' dominate it 4 per cent - think they're not fit enough to join the gym Gymtimidated women 47 per cent say they're too lazy to go 42 per cent say the gym is too busy, which puts them off going 38 per cent - get bored of their routine and don't know how to switch it up 12 per cent - think 'regulars' dominate it 15 per cent - think they're not fit enough to join the gym Women also tend to find the weights area intimidating, with 47 per cent saying they're put off by the people who use it. Lack of confidence once again proved the problem with 44 per cent avoiding using weights because they don't know what to do, or how much they can lift. The changing room is also a daunting area for women with only three per cent happy to walk around naked in front of other females. This compares to the 27 per cent of men who are happy to appear with their bodies on show. Just under a quarter (24 per cent) of women use a cubicle and 30 per cent deliberately go to the gym and home again in their workout gear. For women, their primary reason for using the gym is to lose weight (36 per cent), compared to 36 per cent of men whose main aim is to keep fit. Only 3 per cent of women feel comfortable walking around changing rooms naked among other women The findings appeared in Cosmopolitan Body, Cosmopolitan's health and fitness spin-off magazine, which questioned 546 men and women about their true feelings towards the gym. When it comes to which celebrities have the hottest figures, both men and women agreed that Kelly Brook has a beautiful body. David Beckham was the top choice of women surveyed but men said they preferred the more muscular physique of Hugh Jackman. A spokesperson from Cosmopolitan Body said: 'It's frustrating that having made the effort to get to the gym women then beat themselves up once they get there. They need to apply the same mental toughness they use in everyday life and break free of their limiting self-belief.. 'Everyone has insecurities, but they shouldn't stop anyone from what they want to achieve. Exercise is challenging, it's all about putting your mind to it. By thinking positively and focusing on the end result, you can ultimately get to a place where you feel better about yourself and make 2014 your healthiest year yet. The full results appear in the new issue of Cosmopolitan Body. Women's top three female bodies Nicole Scherzinger Kelly Brook Michelle Keegan, Holly Willoughby Men's top three female bodies Jennifer Anniston Holly Willoughby Women's top three male bodies David Beckham Ryan Gosling and Chris Hemsworth Ryan Reynolds Men's top three male bodies Hugh Jackman Jason Statham David Beckham, Ryan Gosling