A challenging economy has many ramifications and one is a drastic increase in crime – often against women. Ordinary people do extraordinary things to feed their families, keep their homes, medical benefits and lifestyle.

The frantic mode much of the country is in right now, incessantly perpetuated by media (because it is news), can inspire fear and panic in even the most enthusiastic of optimists.

Domestic violence shelters are currently overflowing with middle and upper income women they rarely see in normal economic times. Relationships are dissolving as lifestyles change and the “for richer or poorer, in good times and in bad” is a distant memory. Sometimes people find that life just rolled by and when it comes time to depend on one another, they are all alone. This creates depression, stress, doubt, insecurity, fear, resentment, illness, anger, low self-esteem, chaos, a feeling of weakness and other negative influences.

Women, are commonly selected as victim targets just as children and seniors are because they are viewed as “weaker” by cowardly, insecure attackers. Women are also the “safety monitors” in families and workplaces. Therefore, here are 3 simple safety tips to practice and pass along:

Trust your gut feelings. People you know might be feeling and acting differently during financial and relational stress. Listen to the little voice that guides you. What may have been safe before may not now. Exit situations when you feel the need to do so and avoid feeling obligated to apologize or explain. It may put you in greater danger. Confident body language is a great way to repel, instead of attract, attackers. Hold your head up, shoulders back, walk with purpose, swing your arms and be ready to yell 911 and run if necessary. Carry only necessities with you. If a thief wants your stuff, give it up quickly or you risk your life. Your purse should contain only what you need for wherever you are. If you don’t need six credit cards at work, they shouldn’t be in your purse when you are there.

Keep in mind the economy has tumbled before and will again in the future. Count your blessings even when money isn’t one of them and you will be mentally and emotionally stronger than the majority of people around you, which makes you a less likely victim prospect.

By: Kelly Rudolph

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Women’s health and fitness issues have become a major part of our mindset. Many of the programs that are designed to promote women’s health and fitness are structured at gyms and other fitness clubs.

Some of the fitness workouts utilize yoga and other stretching techniques, and these workout classes are able to afford women of all ages the opportunity to achieve a healthier lifestyle.

Women have become much more aware of their bodies and have engaged in more physically activity. There are exercise classes that are specifically designed for women at many community centers and gyms. Most of these classes offer programs that increase flexibility and strengthen cardiovascular function. Some of the more popular programs include Pilates, yoga, spinning, stepping, and dance.

There are also health and fitness classes for women that incorporate elements of body building and weight lifting. Women have been involved in some of these types of exercises in the past, but these classes are now gaining more participants on a weekly basis.

One of the reasons that women may have been reluctant to participate in classes such as weight training is that they may be concerned about developing muscles. Many women may be worried that they will start developing large biceps and leg muscles. But this is not the case.

Although there are many professional female bodybuilders who do indeed have extremely pronounced muscles, they workout specifically for the world bodybuilding championships.

Women’s weight training will help tone the body and offer more definition to muscles without increasing and adding large bulk.

If you wish to learn how to incorporate some good bodybuilding and weight training methods into your fitness routine, check out the local gym in your area and find a professional instructor. He or she can teach you how to use the equipment properly, and develop safe and appropriate techniques to help you realize your fitness goals.

By: Lillian Varrassi

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We all know a person who tries to control others, forces their opinions on everyone and gets their way because people are afraid to stand up to them for fear of getting on their bad side. But do we realize how destructive this bullying behavior really is to those involved or what makes a bully in the first place? After all, we experience it in families, school, the workplace, neighborhoods and public places. Come with me as I dissect one real-life story (out of millions) to illustrate the impact bullying makes.

Real-Life Story – Bully In the Neighborhood

A nearby condominium association has always been a little strict but that’s what reminded homeowners to keep track of things so the neighborhood always looks and feels great. It was a peaceful, friendly place where neighbors knew each other by name and were always available to help one another.

Recently, a new board member took over the association by appointing herself to the position without a vote or anyone standing in her way. She walks the neighborhood day and night finding (or creating) violations to exhibit her power over others. Association meetings that used to be one hour are several hours long with all of the residents who have gotten reprimanded for ridiculous violations of vague guidelines scheduled to appear in front of the board.

There are so many absurd violation letters being handed out, the general feel of a recently friendly, warm and fuzzy neighborhood is rampant with negative discussions of the association and unreasonable violation notices. Numerous homeowner have gotten letters scolding them for something, requiring them to fit a 3-4 hour association meeting into their busy schedule to explain themselves as if they are children.

One violation was about neighbor’s Rottweiler barking as the president and her husband jogged by looking for more violations. Obviously, the bully doesn’t realize a watchdog’s job is to deliver a bark-alert about someone who is not normally in the area.

Several of the former association board members have resigned because of the new president feeling helpless, frustrated and fearful of her wrath.



Anatomy of a Bully: Attacker mindset

Low self-esteem Insecure Feels out of control of own life Chooses to control someone else (or everyone else in this case) to feel powerful again
This Bully’s Impact on a Once Warm and Fuzzy Neighborhood

Fear of being written up for Unnecessary stress when home is suppose to be a haven Frustration than no one is standing up to the bully A feeling of helplessness Invasion of privacy Anger Negative cloud over neighborhood Time away from life and family to address ridiculous claims at meetings Confusion as to how this person became a board member Disappointment in other board members, neighbors who won’t stand up to bully Memory trigger from past bullying experiences (we’ve all had them)

A bully is an attacker and bullying is attacking, in this case, mentally and emotionally. You may wonder why I call such a typical behavior “attacking.” That is because it is seriously negative, destructive, bad behavior and should be treated as such.

Remember that attackers are weak and usually back down if someone stands up to them who appears stronger mentally or emotionally. They are using their victims to get a power fix since they feel out of control of some part of their own life.

If we knew more about this new president’s life, I’m sure we would quickly see where she feels out of control which would explain but not justify why she attacks. There are plans to have an election for new board members!

Bullying can get you what you want, where you want to go and speed up your journey, but on the way back down, which happens eventually, you have to pass by the people you stepped on, on your way up.

By: Kelly Rudolph

About the Author:

Valentine’s Day can be dangerous for the desperate single gal seeking a date so as not to be alone on this “couple’s holiday.” By dangerous, I mean physically. Men who prey on women know the signs of a desperate single gal around this time of year and put their plan into motion. There are also mental and emotional dangers to consider. If you end up with the stalker-type, you may have a long, scary road ahead of you! Let’s take a closer look at ways to avoid getting “sucked in” by the hype.

]]> http://www.womens-safety.com/2010/08/womens-safety-tip-the-valentines-date-romance-or-danger-valentines-safety-tip-for-women-2/feed/ 0 http://www.womens-safety.com/2010/08/womens-motorcycle-apparel-dont-forget-about-safety/ http://www.womens-safety.com/2010/08/womens-motorcycle-apparel-dont-forget-about-safety/#comments Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:50:46 +0000 admin http://www.womens-safety.com/2010/08/womens-motorcycle-apparel-dont-forget-about-safety/

Women’s motorcycle apparel is more than just a great outfit for riding a bike. Yes, ladies, we all want to look good, but your apparel should be just as much about safety and comfort as it is about looks. You will need a jacket or motorcycle suit, chaps, motorcycle gloves, a helmet, glasses, accessories… Okay, I’m getting off track and going back to the look, but look is important too, even in the safety apparel.

Typically you think of women’s biker apparel as some kind of petite, collarless top or tank top, a pair of tight blue jeans, boots, and maybe a jacket in leather or denim, depending on the season and the look you are trying to achieve. Let’s talk about the other women’s motorcycle apparel you need.

Jacket or Motorcycle Suit

When riding a bike it is important to not only block some of the wind, especially when it’s cold out, but safety is important. You want to cover your skin in a thick material, as thick as you can stand, in case of a fall. A thick jacket, leather if possible or a leather motorcycle suit can help to protect you if you put the bike down. You can also get waterproof jackets, some of which will roll up and stow away under the seat.

Chaps

Chaps can take the place of a motorcycle suit when a jacket is worn. These are leather or shearing leggings that wrap around your legs and protect them from scrapes during falls and even from burns from the tailpipe. You may or may not like the look of chaps, I personally think they look very cool, but you will appreciate them the first time you try to do a wheelie and your bike flips over on top of you and you can’t lift it off you while the tailpipe is burning a hole into your leg… Again, I digress (but you should see my scar!)

Motorcycle Gloves

One often missed piece of women’s motorcycle apparel is the gloves. Motorcycle gloves are important to not only protect your hands from the cold, but to grip the handles while riding. A good grip on the handles is kind of important, wouldn’t you agree? Without gloves your fingers and hands can easily go numb from the cold winds. Numb hands don’t feel the grip very well, do they?

Helmet and/or Glasses

Yes, ladies, you will need one or the other. While we all know that a great pair of sunglasses looks better than an helmet, a helmet is much safer (and required in most states). You can find a very sexy helmet if you look around at the motorcycle outlets near you or do an online search for women’s motorcycle apparel.

You’re going to have to decide on the accessories for yourself because this is all a matter of taste. However, might I suggest a backpack or ***** pack as opposed to trying to carry a pocketbook while riding your bike? Trust me ladies, women’s motorcycle apparel is even more fun to shop for than new shoes.

By: Kevin Wynn

About the Author:

Who says only men are effective leaders in the corporate and sports world? Women have become as competitive as men. The female species can also excel in people management and winning any sports game dominated by men like chess, tennis, basketball and track. If in the olden times only men would normally lift barbells and dumbbells, women can now do the same thing as coherently as men do. Weightlifting and bodybuilding fields are not anymore exclusive for men. Women engage in this type of competition as well. In fact, female bodybuilders and world-class athletes especially those who compete in the Olympic Games follow certain women’s fitness competition diet to get them on the go all the time.

Women’s fitness competition diet is more restricted than an ordinary career woman who spends 30 minutes on the treadmill, 30 minutes on strength training and 30 minutes on weight machines. It’s even more intense than doing 100 crunches every other day or doing three sets of 12-repetition dumbbell lifting. Any athlete does series of workout routines and takes a certain food diet that is high in protein and low in carbohydrates. Amino acids are needed to develop muscles and enhance agility, alertness and vigor in everyone who’s up for a long day of competition. Food that is rich in fiber and vitamin C is also part of the daily food intake among athletes. Fiber gets one to be completely full yet feeling light while vitamin C serves as a strong antioxidant. If you have several antioxidants in your system, you are far from getting colds, cough and headaches which may hurdle an athlete from performing excellently in her game.

Daily strength and resistance training is necessary in every woman athlete. Other than that, a highly balanced food diet is to be taken seriously on a daily basis. Lots of water intake is also needed. Energy-giving foods are meat, milk and eggs but they should also be at moderate amount. Calories are necessary to be burnt during the intense training. Junk foods are definitely no-no’s if you want your brain and body to function outstandingly. A good diet also means not skipping any meals. Cereals would do for breakfast plus lots of fruits are good sources of vitamins and minerals plus good carbohydrates. Alcohol and coffee are not good to be part of the women’s fitness competition diet.

Women may have weaker resistance than men, but it doesn’t apply to all. If a woman is highly trained in fitness and she embraces women’s fitness competition diet consistently, she may be stronger and firmer than a few of the male individuals. If your body is exposed to workout routines, it gradually increases its tolerance level. If it also takes in good and healthy foods, it will certainly combat sickness and loss of energy.

By: Gary Pearson

About the Author:

If you are interested in women’s fitness then here is a resource that will definitely help. The site is Fitness4Her.com you can find an online community that offers all the healthy tips, recipes, exercise routines and motivation you need to get in shape. There are a number of informative articles that provide you with helpful tips on fitness, diet, exercise, sex, healthy and nutrition while the online community provides you with the inspiration and support you need to get motivated to change to and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

The site is targeted specifically to women’s health and fitness. All of the workout routines are designed specifically for women and to work with the female body. Personal trainer, Karen Ficarelli provides a blog that shows her passion of helping women achieve their fitness and health goals by covering a wide range of women’s health issues including nutrition, sex, exercise, diet and the need to have proper relaxation and rest. If you become a member of the site you will be able to find a healthy way to lose weight and stay in shape for the rest of your life. A comprehensive site not only helps you find a healthy way to lose weight, but provides you the motivation and inspiration you need to lose weight and keep it off for the rest of your life.

All of the exercise routines are easy to follow and use real-life advice and recipes that you can use to involve your whole family. This website focuses on bringing out the best in women through free articles on health and fitness. All you need is thirty minutes a day and this website to have success with your health and fitness routine.

The web site also offers helpful diet tools that allow you to lose weight and keep it off. There are a number of articles offering diet and nutrition tips for women of all ages. Each recipe is healthy and delicious while being low fat, low cholesterol and low in sodium. This way the whole family can benefit from eating better and getting in shape.

Fitness 4 Her is a gathering place for women seeking help with their health and fitness plan. Everything is provided by personal trainer, Karen Ficarelli, who demonstrates her passion for women’s fitness through free articles posted on the website targeted for women of all ages and athletic ability so they can lose weight and keep it off with free tips, articles, recipes and workouts.

The diet articles teach about portion control with a five meal a day plan. Other free articles provide a candid look into why sex plays an important role in women’s health. There are daily articles that can help increase your motivation and keep you resolved to reach your weight loss goals.

By: Lindsay Kizzia

About the Author:

Women’s Fitness Bootcamps are becoming the most popular training method today. Women meet up from 2 days a week to 5 days a week to shed inches and burn body fat from problem areas. An important part of bootcamp training is a warm up session. Warmups prepare the body for exercise but shouldn’t be confused with stretching, although stretching is an essential part of the warm up

The warm up serves to elevate body temperature by one.4 to 2.8 degrees Fahrenheit. The comprehensive warming up session practiced in women’s bootcamps includes three essential parts: general warm up, stretching, and specific warming strength activity. A general warm up, where muscles are loosened and warmed is performed before starting up each bootcamp session.

Due to the importance of the warm-up, personal fitness trainers in bootcamps demonstrate and instruct women how to perform it correctly, in order to avoid risk of injury from engaging later in specific strength and stretching exercises.

Women’s Bootcamp warm ups are split into: joint movements and various aerobic exercises. The joint rotations go down the body. Such rotations are targeted to improve joint motion by lubricating the joints. Bootcamp trainers demonstrate circular movements to improve the rotations and include circular rotations to the wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck, waist, hips, legs, knees, ankles.

Next, comes the light aerobic warm-up which includes a few minutes of aerobic activity such as jumping a rope to increase the cardio-vascular function. This continues to raise the body temperature and blood flow before effective strength and stretching training can take place.

Then the stretching phase of the warm-up includes both static and dynamic stretching exercises, where static stretching should precede the dynamic stretches in order to avoid potential risk. Static stretching usually starts with upper body and goes down the lower body with emphasis on the muscles that will be used during the core workout.

Dynamic stretching comes next with some arm swings and leg raises to increase flexibility. The last phase of the bootcamp warm-up session includes specific strength exercises to warm muscles that will be used heavily later on during the bootcamp. This phase includes exactly the same bootcamp strength exercises but at reduced intensity to enhance the strength, balance, and coordination during workouts as well as prevent potential injury.

All that women have to do in order to take advantage of such carefully designed fitness programs-is join a successful women’s bootcamp that conducts assessment of women’s weightloss and physical conditions prior to starting the workout itself and provides women with personally tailored programs that incorporate the right amount of warmup exercises, stretching exercises, and strength exercises before the actual workout- to ensure the best fat loss and workout results over time.

By: Eric Bonilla

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We all learned our ABC’s in school but we learned very little about safety and how to repel attackers. In fact, most of our safety training was about what not to do, which put us in greater danger. Who needs to know what not to do, what doesn’t work? Let’s stay positive and delete the words, “not” and “don’t” from our safety training so we can actually absorb the great information!

The ABC’s of Repelling Attackers

A = Attacker Mindset and Attitude

When you understand the attacker mindset you get the real picture of what attackers are up to, what they look for when selecting victims and how to be the opposite to repel instead of attract them. Your attitude toward attackers will change drastically as you gain understanding of their need for a power fix and how that works into your personal safety and that of your loved ones.

B = Body Language

Knowing that attackers look for weakness and that body language is the quickest way to show it illustrates your need to portray confidence even if you have to fake it. Something as simple as holding your head up or leaving your ringing cell phone to voice mail while walking in public can repel an attacker while those with their head down, distracted by a phone conversation can actually attract them.

C = Common Sense

Attackers exercise more common sense when attacking than many people do all day long. For example: attackers look to attack those who look weak or distracted because they know the power fix they desire will not come from losing a fight. Common sense tells us to pay attention to our survival instincts (gut feelings) yet we, more often than not, gloss over them with logic or ignore them in favor of politeness to avoid offending someone.

Your first ABC lesson taught you how to read. Your second

]]> http://www.womens-safety.com/2010/08/womens-personal-safety-tips-the-abcs-of-repelling-attackers-safety-for-women-those-they-love-2/feed/ 0 http://www.womens-safety.com/2010/08/womens-safety-tips-true-story-creep-or-gentleman-important-safety-tip-for-women-3/ http://www.womens-safety.com/2010/08/womens-safety-tips-true-story-creep-or-gentleman-important-safety-tip-for-women-3/#comments Tue, 31 Aug 2010 02:57:47 +0000 admin http://www.womens-safety.com/2010/08/womens-safety-tips-true-story-creep-or-gentleman-important-safety-tip-for-women-3/

Although there are plenty of awesome, gentlemen around, sometimes we meet one that gives us the creeps. We may even think there is something wrong with us because he keeps telling us he’s a gentleman. I’ve encountered this situation more than a few times and I’m guessing you have to. So let me share some very simple things you can do to determine if it is safe to be around a man. By safe, I mean physically, mentally and emotionally.

Trust that gut feeling If a man tells you that he is a gentleman instead of proving it, he isn’t Enforce your personal boundaries to avoid being near anyone who gives you the creeps
True Story To Illustrate:

I was waiting with a girl friend in a long line for harbor cruise and the man behind us interrupted our conversation to comment on what we’d been talking about. She and I had been discussing the fact that I had to explain to guy why it is polite and appropriate to walk a woman to her car when she’s leaving a club late at night. The guy behind us (we’ll call him Brad), stated that he was a 50 year old gentleman and commented that gentlemen are seemingly rare these days.

As we listened to him, we both got the creeps and so did the other women overhearing the conversation. Brad mentioned several times that he was a gentleman and always followed it with an increasingly inappropriate compliment or comment about women. I decided he was trying to take the curse off of the comments by telling us he was a gentleman.

Finally, with Brad moving closer and closer to my friend, getting in her space, I told him that his comments were inappropriate and that he didn’t seem to be a gentleman at all. That seemed to make him even more enthusiastic about saying off-color comments like how good my friend’s jeans fit and how great she looked at 47. Interspersed were mentions of his wife, which I took as more attempts to remove the curse from his offensive monologue. He would also say, “I’m sorry but,” before he said something that made us uncomfortable.

As a Personal Safety Trainer, I have very solid personal boundaries and am not at all shy about enforcing them. I told him that the more he told us he was a gentleman and apologized the more he seemed like a creep. He started to speak again and I said, “You’re stepping over the line and you need to stop talking right now.” Finally, he shut up. Later on the boat, a couple of women who overheard the conversation complimented me on the way I handled the situation.

This story is a perfect example of the need to trust gut feelings, pay attention to someone’s behavior instead of their words if they don’t match and establish and enforce personal boundaries. Brad is a verbal and mental abuser. Part of what he did by stating that he was a gentleman and apologizing prior to rude comments can be considered crazy-making as in domestic violence situations. This is where the perpetrator makes him or herself out to be the normal one so that the victim thinks they are the one with the problem.

Knowing how to tell a creep from a gentleman is an important safety tip for women!

By: Kelly Rudolph

About the Author: