Do you find yourself struggling with your weight even though you’re already following a crazy exercise regimen? According to a new study featured on Prevention.com, your inability to get rid of your excess pounds via exercise may have more to do with the kind of routine you’re doing more than anything else.

Researchers divided 36 overweight and sedentary women and 21 sedentary males between the ages 35 and 57 into three groups and assigned a different exercise routine for each. One group remained sedentary, another did intense resistance exercises four times a week for 45 minutes each, while the other switched between interval sprint training, stretching, resistance training, and endurance exercise. All three groups consumed 60 grams of whey protein every day.

After 16 weeks, results showed that those who performed several exercises on different days of the week lost the most weight, decreased their waist circumference, and lowered their blood sugar levels. They also developed more lean body mass. This shows that sticking to just one type of exercise, no matter how long you do it for, is not always enough to help you lose weight.

Paul Arciero, lead author of the study, recommends an acronym to help you remember this fact. The next time you head to the gym, just remember the term PRISE. It stands for protein, resistance, intervals, stretching, and endurance—exercises you need to work with to finally lose those pounds.

(Photo by William Cho via Flickr Creative Commons)