[js2]

Michael Mosley's documentary, ”Eat, Fast and Live Longer” (about the health benefits of calorie restriction) is also interesting in the context of this article:

https://vimeo.com/103656060

the plank (an exercise to help lose excess fat round the stomach)

This is incorrect. The plank is an excellent exercise for building core strength (much better than situps), but it does not help lose excess fat around the stomach more or less so than any other exercise does.

[sp332]

In fact, you can't target fat loss. http://www.yalescientific.org/2011/04/targeted-fat-loss-myth...

[srb-]

the plank (an exercise to help lose excess fat round the stomach)

Cringe. Hard to take the writer seriously after this statement. The rest of the article seemed fine so I googled around to see if there was some stunning new research showing the plank (or any specific movement) spot-reducing fat. Nope.

[leonroy]

To be honest spot reduction is one of those stubborn myths that persists much like people believing that fat is the boogey man.

Nutrition and fitness seem to be areas which really lack good, hard science behind the many assumptions we make about them.

[Smaug123]

Also the weirdly specific forearm muscles to soak up excess energy before it gets turned into fat. I'm no doctor, but even I know that the thigh muscles are much, much bigger than the forearms in nearly everyone.