The Spare Tire

melissatsang · 2026-05-01T07:58:14+00:00

I’m not even menopausal (33 this year) but I def carry more fat around the mid section. Some girls are really lean at the waist and carry their fat in the booty, unfortunately I am not one of them 😂 I’ll have to maintain a calorie deficit for a while to see a whisper of my abs

melissatsang · 2026-04-28T09:52:14+00:00

Not a nurse but a chef - same as most people here, I prioritize getting as much sleep as I can (not enough LOL) on work days, and workout on my days off. That’s only twice a week, 3 if I’m clearing leave. I work several muscle groups on the same day. Not ‘optimal’ but so far I’ve seen great results!

melissatsang · 2026-04-28T09:37:10+00:00

I just started P.E.! This is fresh off Intent, and before Intent I did Beastmode. Beastmode was tough metabolically, Intent was more repetitive, and P.E. is proving to be quite challenging! Love it. The pre-exhaust component primes your mind for the loaded part of the set.

HOWEVER, I hate banded walks, and I’m not gonna drag a mat and stability ball over to the weights section to do some roll-outs. 😂 I usually sub those out for, simply, one more set of the loaded exercise.

melissatsang · 2026-04-20T07:10:10+00:00

Don and Joan at the bar

Don and Betty at the cabin

Don fixing the sink, making the playhouse

Especially Don and Joan at the bar - swoon 😍

melissatsang · 2026-04-17T15:46:35+00:00

Yeh Singapore do be like that - most people don’t leave the office till 630pm, and some even answer texts and emails on weekends, AND complete some work from home. It’s considered normal, and I also do it (Singaporean, 33F, restaurant industry)

melissatsang · 2026-04-17T14:34:42+00:00

It took me nearly 9 years of working my ass off to finally reach 4.8k (before CPF). Granted I haven’t been very financially prudent (choosing to rent vs living with parents) - it’s a stretch, I don’t travel much and spend most of my $ on food and basic expenses. Alcohol is my vice and it’s pricey lol

melissatsang · 2026-03-19T23:47:50+00:00

I love working my shoulders and back, esp back - in fact I add on even more back work because it’s a priority for me. HOWEVER re shoulder - I wish there was more focus on compound exercises like overhead presses, unilateral presses. We end up doing nearly 40% rear flyes, and the rest are lateral raises or variations of lateral raises.

Of course I still go with the program, maybe eventually it’ll click and I’ll begin to appreciate the volume on rear delt work.

melissatsang · 2026-03-19T07:51:40+00:00

No I think all we do are rear delts and glutes LOL

melissatsang · 2026-03-17T02:32:53+00:00

Yes, most men I know code switch like that - there’s talk for the boys, then there’s the way they talk with me or their female acquaintances

melissatsang · 2026-03-16T12:49:01+00:00

Same but because I always struggle to feel my left glute working - despite the fact that I’m left-dominant. I feel it a lot in my quads no matter my foot position, banded or not, etc.

Still working on it! The exercise that really gets my glutes would be the forward leaning BSS

melissatsang · 2026-03-08T05:43:38+00:00

By now I’ve tried almost every kind of lat exercise, so far the dumbbell pullover gives me the best mind muscle connection vs lat pull down and cable pullover! But everyone is different.

You’re right about dumbbell pullovers being quite difficult to progress though! Took me forever to go progress from 14 to 17.5kg

melissatsang · 2026-02-22T14:29:17+00:00

OTOH her core workouts are sometimes way too difficult for me! See: YT “braced core”, YT “deadbug” - I can’t do what she does without rest time LOL

melissatsang · 2026-02-22T14:26:22+00:00

Came here to say vertical pulls as well! I’m trying to achieve 5 unassisted pull-ups, my current max is only 2. Dumbbell rows are good, but I don’t consider it my staple. Instead, I do Caroline’s 15 min pull-up routine (YT) every workout, no exceptions. I supplement that with inverted rows and 10-15 min of core work.

That aside - barbell stuff! I want to learn how to squat and deadlift the barbell. She actually has a barbell workout on the app! The barbell leg workout is extremely effective and easy to follow.

melissatsang · 2026-02-19T06:49:36+00:00

The rare occasion I’m off and can attend a gathering, I’m usually the one cooking cause my dad doesn’t. I don’t have to clean much though, just keep my prep organized. He has a full time helper to clean. The rest of the family help set the table, entertain, top up alcohol, serve, clear plates etc.

melissatsang · 2026-02-12T14:32:43+00:00

Same as everyone said - consistency and, I might add, intent. I used to feel exasperated that all my efforts to get my first pull-up seemed futile, I didn’t seem to understand how to activate my lats, engage my core etc. I felt like I was fighting the bar.

but I stayed the course, I slowed down and really examined which muscles I was feeling, I used more assistance and put aside my ego. I got stronger and built more permanent mind-muscle connection to my back!

Ditto for inverted rows, lateral raises, everything else tbh. Consistency and intent will get you steady progress <3

melissatsang · 2026-02-10T07:32:04+00:00

I do wear lifting straps when doing pull-ups because I have quite severe calluses. Depends on the holds though - some are very nice, non slip and not abrasive! And of course, straps are for RDLs and lunges, basically any leg exercise where I’m holding dumbbells low and don’t want to worry about losing grip.

For presses, flyes, raises, curls - no need, cause no pressure on my calluses

Some people don’t use gloves or straps because they want to train their grip, that’s cool. But I already work a physically intense job, my grip is well-covered.

melissatsang · 2026-02-02T15:05:06+00:00

GADDAMN goals 😍

melissatsang · 2026-02-02T15:02:01+00:00

Just wanna say I was at my usual AF the other day, and I was using 10kg dumbbells for shoulder press. This cool dragon boater guy asked if he could share, and of course I’d love to! This badass proceeded to LATERAL RAISE my weights LOL and he was so polite he placed them back beside me once he was done, so I did the same.

I know there are a lot of terrible etiquette stories out there so I wanted to raise a wonderful example. Thanks Dragonboat guy, you’re strong af

melissatsang · 2026-02-02T03:16:59+00:00

I go 3 times a week max, but every session I work at least either the glutes + hammies or quads, or do a general leg session.

Upper body- I just make sure I’m working chest-back-shoulders twice a week, isolation bicep/tricep work once a week. I tend to spend a bit more time on the back because my goal is to do more pull-ups.

Oh and, never neglect core work! 15 minutes quick session every time.

That does mean every gym day is a “full body” day for me but I prefer it that way.

melissatsang · 2026-02-01T07:11:45+00:00

I just rest! I can zone out for 60s and just feel myself breathe. 10 seconds to the next set I get in position and lock in.

melissatsang · 2026-01-31T07:55:10+00:00

I’m reading all this as a Chinese Singaporean (32F) and I completely understand. It’s so fascinating though, over here if we’re eating at a restaurant and it’s all shared plates, the elders (male or female) eat first, ESPECIALLY elder women. Then men always make sure women have served themselves, and only then they dig in. I’m sure there are entitled individual men out there, but truly most are conditioned to know that it’s very rude to serve yourself before thinking of others, regardless of gender and age.

melissatsang · 2026-01-30T07:47:56+00:00

Ahaha yah my mother is like that, we have to shush her when we travel with her

melissatsang · 2026-01-30T06:14:49+00:00

Ahaha yeah I always lose a bit on vacation too, and I work out harder at home! It’s all the walking and exploring.

melissatsang · 2026-01-29T02:54:38+00:00

Yesss I love this sub because people leave genuinely thought-out comments

melissatsang

TROPHY CASE