The 8 Training Principles are research-based guidelines that can help you accelerate your training progress and optimize your results. Knowing how to apply these principles gives you an educated basis on which you can make informed decisions about designing your fitness or sports training program. The principles can also help you evaluate the merits of fitness equipment and personal training services.

All of the principles complement each other. For best results, they should be applied in concert throughout every phase of training.

1. Principle of Specificity suggests that your body will make adjustments according to the type of training you perform and in the very same muscles that you exercise. How you train determines what you get.

This principle guides you in designing your fitness training program. If your goal is to improve your overall level of fitness, you would devise a well-rounded program that builds both endurance and overall body strength. If you want to build the size of your biceps, you would increase weight loads on bicep curls and related exercises.

2. The Principle of Overload implies that you must continually increase training loads as your body adapts over time. Because your body builds and adjusts to your existing training regimen, you must gradually and systematically increase your work load for continued improvement.

A generally accepted guideline for weight training is to increase resistance not more than 10% per week. You can also use percentages of your maximum or estimated maximum level of performance and work out within a target training zone of about 60-85% of maximum. As your maximum performance improves, your training loads will increase, as well.

3. The Principle of Recovery assets that you must get adequate rest between workouts in order to recuperate. How much rest you need depends upon your training program, level of fitness, diet, and other factors.

Generally, if you perform a total body weight workout three days per week, rest at least 48 hours between sessions. You can perform cardio more frequently and on successive days of the week.

Over time, too little recovery can result in signs of overtraining. Excessively long periods of recovery time can result in a detraining effect.

4. The Principle of Reversibility refers to the loss of fitness that results after you stop training. In time, you will revert back to your pre-training condition. The biological principle of use and disuse underlies this principle. Simply stated, If you don’t use it, you lose it.

While adequate recovery time is essential, taking long breaks results in detraining effects that may be noticeable within a few weeks. Significant levels of fitness are lost over longer periods. Only about 10% of strength is lost 8 weeks after training stops, but 30-40% of endurance is lost in the same time period.

The Principle of Reversibility does not apply to skills. The effects of stopping practice of motor skills, such as weight training exercises and sport skills, are very different. Coordination appears to store in long-term motor memory and remains nearly perfect for decades. A skill once learned is never forgotten.

5. The Principle of Variation implies that you should consistently change aspects of your workouts. Training variations should always occur within ranges that are aligned with your training directions and goals. Varying exercises, sets, reps, intensity, volume, and duration, for example, prevents boredom and promotes more consistent improvement over time. A well-planned training program set up in phases offers built-in variety to workouts, and also prevents overtraining.

6. The Principle of Transfer suggests that workout activities can improve the performance of other skills with common elements, such as sport skills, work tasks, or other exercises. For example, performing explosive squats can improve the vertical jump due to their common movement qualities. But dead lifting would not transfer well to marathon swimming due to their very dissimilar movement qualities.

7. The Principle of Individualization suggests that fitness training programs should be adjusted for personal differences, such as abilities, skills, gender, experience, motivation, past injuries, and physical condition. While general principles and best practices are good guides, each person’s unique qualities must be part of the exercise equation. There is no one size fits all training program.

8. The Principle of Balance is a broad concept that operates at different levels of healthy living. It suggests that you must maintain the right mix of exercise, diet, and healthy behaviors. Falling out of balance may cause a variety of conditions (e.g., anemia, obesity) that affect health and fitness. In short, it suggests all things in moderation.

If you go to extremes to lose weight or build fitness too quickly, your body will soon respond. You could experience symptoms of overtraining until you achieve a healthy training balance that works for you.

For fitness training, balance also applies to muscles. If opposing muscles (e.g., hamstrings and quadriceps in the upper legs) are not strengthened in the right proportions, injuries can result. Muscle imbalances also contribute to tendinitis and postural deviations.

Keep these 8 Training Principles in mind as you design and carry out your fitness training program. They can help you make wise exercise decisions so you can achieve your goals more quickly with less wasted effort.

Are you hitting a plateau in your rock climbing training? Often times we improve quickly when we start climbing, but then progress slows after the initial improvement in ability and strength. This can be frustrating, and getting past it means changing your training to provide new challenges to your muscles. Adding weighted pull-ups to your climbing training is one of the best ways to do this, and can do wonders for your strength. Let’s take a look at why that is.

The Science behind Heavy Weight

There are a few different outcomes from training your muscles: increased endurance, increased muscle size (muscular hypertrophy), and increased strength. Endurance and strength are very important to climbers, but we want to limit hypertrophy so that the added body mass doesn’t slow us down. A high strength to weight ratio is very important here.

To increase muscular strength you must lift very heavy loads. Lifting heavier weights trains your neuromuscular pathways to be more efficient by forcing them to recruit additional muscle fibers to lift the load. Conditioning your muscles to be more efficient lets you gain strength without gaining muscle mass. This is exactly what we want as climbers!

For optimal strength gains you should use enough weight so that you can only do 3 to 5 reps of an exercise. The goal of this is to load the muscles more than they are use to so that they learn to work more efficiently. It is important to rest completely between sets, about 3 to 5 minutes. You don’t want to tire out your muscles, which would instead build endurance or muscle size. Aim for 3 to 4 of these sets.

Avoid taking the bodybuilder approach to weight lifting. Bodybuilders will often perform 8-12 reps with lighter loads and shorter rest to focus on tiring out the muscles and increasing their size. This results in giant muscles that aren’t very functional for rock climbing.

Adding Weight to Pull-Ups

Pull-Ups are one of the best climbing exercises to perform with added weight. They will allow you to increase arm and back strength rather quickly. This will allow you to do more intensive climbing moves like lock offs and one arm pull-ups. Of course, you should only train weighted pull ups if you have a good base strength to begin with. If you can’t do at least ten body weight pull-ups then you should first focus on those.

You can add weight in a number of ways. Putting rocks in a backpack, hanging weights from a climbing harness, or using a weight vest are all effective methods of adding weight. It’s even possible to hold weights with your feet if you have no alternative. This method isn’t optimal however, as it doesn’t allow you to focus completely on your pull up. As stated before, when working weighted pull-ups you want to use a weight that only allows you to do 3 to 5 pull-ups before failure. Adjust your weight accordingly.

Try to work on your weighted pull-ups 2 to 3 times a week. You can do them after climbing, but don’t do them on days when you are very tired. You want to be at relatively high strength levels when you work on them.

Make sure to warm up properly before adding weight. These sets are very strenuous and you don’t want to injure yourself. Between each set make sure you rest until you feel fully recovered. Don’t be afraid to allow up to five minutes between sets. You don’t want to tire out your muscles; we want them at full capacity. Perform 3 to 4 sets of these weighted pull ups.

After a few weeks of training weighted pull-ups you should see significant gains in your climbing strength. You will feel lighter and quicker on the wall, and normal pull ups should be a breeze. After a few months your progress may slow again, at which time you might want to take a break and focus on endurance. A cyclical training pattern alternating focus between strength and endurance keeps your training from hitting a plateau.

Ball thrust bearings, sometimes referred to as a flat-race thrust bearings, are composed of ball bearings supported in a retainer ring and are held between two thrust washers. Thrust bearings allow smooth rotation under high thrust loads at low and medium speeds. Whether the rolling element is a ball, needle or a roller, they are designed for pure thrust loads, and can handle little or no radial load. Complete thrust bearing assemblies usually include two thrust washers and a ball retainer and typically come in standard and metric sizes, with custom sizes available.

Depending on the conditions in which you will use your thrust bearing, there are some considerations in choosing it’s construction materials.

The ball retainer can also be made of different materials, such as nylon or metal. A nylon retainer offers several advantages over a metal one. Injection molded, heat stabilized nylon retainers are lightweight, provide a natural lubricity eliminating the need for lubrication. Nylon retainers are corrosion resistant, provide quieter operation and a long service life. Another important advantage is that nylon retainers are less expensive and make a great economical choice.

The remaining components, the ball bearings and thrust washers, should be chosen to match the application and environment in which they will operate. Typical material choices include stainless steel or hardened carbon steel. Stainless steel works well in environments where moisture, corrosives may be present. They are widely used for food and beverage processing machinery, medical devices and a wide range of applications where moisture may be present. A carbon steel thrust bearing with hardened steel components is a great choice for non-corrosive environments.

Combining the cost saving and performance advantages of a nylon ball retainer with the strength and durability of steel creates a new generation of economical high-performance thrust bearings. Typical applications include advertising signage, printing equipment, marine hardware, point of purchase displays, medical instruments, manual valves, and pharmacy automation.

Lowboy trailers are incredibly versatile options in the hauling and shipping world. They have the ability to easily carry loads up to 12-feet in height. Also, the weight limit can vary from 40,000 to 80,000 pounds. Increasing the number of axles is necessary for the higher load limits. This class of trailer is easily loaded from behind or the front and entirely depends on the design.

It is a popular choice for shipping, freight and construction companies that plan to haul heavy goods or vehicles, such as excavators, backhoe loaders and bulldozers. Also, this type of trailer is favored on any jobs that are not practical for a single-drop deck trailer or a flatbed trailer.

The classic style of this trailer is easy to recognize because of its double-level drop system and semi-trailer style. It is possible to make adjustments at the deck height for greater control in loading. With the deck close to ground level, the process of loading the oversized or heavy items is made a lot more straightforward.

Here are the three of the major types of lowboy trailers and their main purpose:

Fixed Gooseneck (FGN)

The fixed gooseneck lowboy is built to be light in weight and has a longer deck length. A great benefit of this type of lowboy is the adjustable gooseneck to make loading drop decks at the rear a simple process. Also, the gooseneck is quick to re-attach when the loading is complete and this makes sure the goods remain in place.

Fixed-neck

The fixed-neck lowboy is designed with a trailer that is firmly attached. The fixed style isn’t the most flexible when it comes to loading items because it sacrifices the ability to load at the front. Also, this is one of the lightest options in the market.

Removable Gooseneck (RGN)

The removable gooseneck is a versatile option that makes it really easy when it comes to loading the trailer. For instance, it is a practical choice when the loading needs to take place by pulling, pushing, rolling or driving. Plus, there is the option to load a heavy item from above.

Additionally, there are hydraulic detachable and mechanically detachable gooseneck units. The mechanically detachable method is easy to operate with no need to use a pony motor and lightweight. Also, this type of trailer has the ability to fold or collapse to a lower level for complete ease in loading the bulky or heavy loads.

The market is filled with loads of washing machines of various sizes manufactured by various brands. In this case it is often difficult to choose one washing machine that is best suited to one’s needs. Before buying any product the first thing to be considered is personal requirements. Depending on our requirements we then need to narrow down our search and finally arrive upon one machine. Here are a few tips a consumer needs to consider before buying any washing machine.

Types of Washing Machines

There are two types of washing machines: – front loading and top loading. If you are considering a washing machine that is to be placed beneath your kitchen counter then front loading is the best choice, however if you are looking for a narrower machine. Compared to the front loaders the top loaders consume more power and water, however they have larger capacities.

Wash Load capacities

The wash load capacity determines the load the machine can handle for one single wash. It is advisable to use the machine to its full load capacity for optimum energy conservation. There are three categories as per the wash load capacity of a washing machine.

Machines with less than 5 kg are best suited for small families with one or two members

Machines between 5 to 7 kg are best suited for families with about 3 to 5 members.

Machines with more than 7 kg are suited for large families.

Spin Speeds

The spin speed of a washing machine determines the speed at which the machine will spin the clothes to remove the water while washing and drying it. It is measured in revolutions per seconds (rpm). Most of washing machines only determine the maximum spin speed capability of the machine. A higher spin speed is required for cotton clothes while a lower spin speed is suited for synthetics and delicate clothes. Users need to check for the option to vary the spin speed so that the machine can be used with all types of clothes.

1000 to 1800 rpm is the higher speed required for cotton clothes

400 to 800 rpm is the lower speed required for synthetic and delicate clothes

Wash Programmes

Users need to check out the various wash programmes provided. The main ones are hand wash, wool wash, delicate wash, silk wash, quick wash and anti-crease option. The secondary ones are pre-wash, intensive wash, extra rinse, economy wash, anti-bacterial wash etc.

Many new washing machines include a Fuzzy Logic programme in which users only need to add clothes in the washing machine and then the in-built sensors selects the correct settings as per the requirements of the clothes.

Efficiency

Efficiency is usually rated on a scale of A-G where A is the highest and G is the lowest. Thus a A rated machine will offer maximum efficiency compared to a G rated one which offers the least.

Such ratings are provided for each washing machine on the basis of energy consumption, water consumption and drying capability. The best ones are usually the AAA rated ones which offer the highest efficiency for energy, washing and drying.

Wash Temperatures

Different types of clothes are to be washed at different temperatures; for example silk and delicate clothes cannot be washed at high temperatures, while cotton clothes are cleaned better if set at a higher temperature. Thus it would be better if the washing machine comes with a few temperature settings that can be used for different types of clothes. Most of the washing machines provide at-least 3 to 4 wash temperatures e.g. 30°, 60°, 90° etc.

Water Supply

Most machines are designed to accept cold water which is suited for delicate clothes and fabrics and help in better stain removal. These machines are considered more energy efficient.

Some machines are designed to accept cold and hot water, thus two valves are to be connected to the machine; one for the cold water and other for the hot water. These machines are however less energy efficient.

Noise Level

All the washing machines make some amount of noise. The amount of noise made by the machine is measured in decibels (dB). Usually they are categorised as: Less than 40dB, 40-50dB, 50-60dB and more than 60dB of noise. Most of the washing machine in the market today fall in the 50-60dB category which is equivalent to the noise made by a doorbell.

Although there are many exciting features offered by the washing machines, you need to buy the one which has the features which you commonly use, as the extra features come with a price tag. Thus the best step is to check individual requirement and then browse through the features of various washing machines and narrow down on one that most fits into the bill.

Full time RV living presents many challenges and laundry can be one of them depending on your budget and needs. While leaving the house behind and living on the road generally reduces your household chores and leaves more free time to do the things you enjoy, laundry may be an exception to that.

We personally have three children with us on the road, so laundry is a tad larger task than for most but many of our friends on the road have larger families than us. Either way it can be done frugally or with some flare; it really just boils down to your budget.

Here are some options when it comes to doing laundry on the road:

Got money to burn?

Splendide Washer/Dryer Combo

If money is no object, or you’re just big on convenience, and your rig has the necessary facilities then you may choose to go with a Splendide Washer/Dryer Combo or a Haier Washer/Dryer combo. This units fit nicely into the allotted space in most RVs and are widely used by many nomads. These units will wash and dry your clothes with no manual intervention, but your average load size is decreased by their limited capacity. They can be a bit price prohibitive but their ease of use and convenience can offset that initial investment. With the continual increase of those full time RVing out there, I think we’ll see more options in this price range over the next few years and their efficiency and price will likely improve.

Got some budget for laundry?

If you have some budget to apply towards laundry but not an endless amount, then this section is for you. There are many options available for the budget minded RVers out there with a little money to spend.

First and foremost, you can save yourself the headache of not having any equipment at all and doing your laundry at the facilities provided by the campground. Typically they cost $4-6 per load but we have seen them offered for less. Aside from not having the expense of the equipment, the units tend to be more of the industrial size so the loads can be larger on average to get more for your money. We have noticed that most machines are in good condition and perform the work efficiently. However, be warned, the larger industrial dryers get very hot and can damage certain types of clothing.

If you have a little money to spend but don’t want to spend your time in the campground laundry facility, then you can begin looking into alternatives that make doing laundry manually easier without going to the expense of one of the big combo units mentioned above. These units are compact, inexpensive, and have above average reviews from consumers.

Panda Mini Washing Machine

There are options when it comes to these compact units but I will focus on one set in particular that seem to get the better consumer feedback. If you haven’t noticed, I’m big on reviews. If others like a product then there’s a decent chance I will too.

First is the compact washing machine. The Panda Mini Washing Machine is a relatively inexpensive option and consumer reviews show that this machine handles both light and heavier loads well. The loads are much smaller than you would run in a standard size machine, but this unit should pay for itself over the course of a few months.

Centrifugal clothes dry

To make the most of your new compact mini washing machine, you may want to pair it with a compact dryer. Centrifugal dryers are not necessarily a new product but certainly one that not many people have a discovered. With a good centrifugal dryer your clothes will get 90-95% dry with no heat. Here is the best valued centrifugal clothes spin dryer on Amazon. This product won’t set you back too much and is efficient, effective and easy to use.

Need absolute frugality?

Are you pinching pennies? Many of us are and we need frugal solutions to every day expenses, and laundry is one of them. If you’re doing 3 loads of laundry a week then you’re spending an average of $60/month if you use the campground facilities. In a single month the following equipment will have paid for itself.

WonderWash

From the same company that makes the aforementioned centrifugal dryer comes the WonderWash. My family has personally owned a WonderWash for a year now and it really does a superb job. This unit is simple, effective and very affordable. The WonderWash is a manual unit and requires roughly three minutes of cranking for each load and several minutes of soaking. One caveat with this unit is that it does not wring out the clothes. One must manually wring them out by hand.

To maintain the frugal theme, there are a variety of ways to fashion a clothesline on your RV site. It can be as simple as a rope tied from the RV ladder to a tree, an expandable drying rack, or a homemade PVC drying rack which attaches to the rear of the unit.

You may choose one the of the methods mentioned here for your laundry solution, or possibly a hybrid solution mixing it up a bit. Which ever method you choose to do your laundry while full time RV living, just remember one thing… it will always be a chore.

Freight brokers act as intermediaries by arranging for the transportation of cargo between shippers and motor carriers. The freight broker then receives a commission for his or her matchmaking skills. Freight brokers are also known as truck brokers, transportation brokers, property brokers and 3rd party intermediaries.

While the business concept in freight brokering is very simple, there are many details and procedures that need to be mastered. The broker needs to know what to do, when to do it, how to do it, why it’s being done and with whom to do it. Since this is a service-oriented business, it only makes sense to learn the multitude of demands and requirements – especially in light of the fast-paced environment that only seems to increase more and more.

While actual “on the job” experience is the best teacher, it’s difficult to find brokers willing to employ new agents. Formal training with qualified individuals who have actual, brokering experience helps pull everything into perspective for the beginning broker. As a result of using a good mentor, the new broker not only gets ahold of the tools of the trade but also strikes out on a note of confidence.

Having said this, let’s take a look at a typical day in the life of a freight broker.

After the freight broker has placed many phone calls to potential customers, he or she should have perhaps 20, 30, 40 or more shippers in their database. The initial information that each broker will collect will be general in nature: what type of cargo is the shipper shipping, where are the normal pick up and deliver points, what kind of truck is required and so on.

1. With a base of customers on hand, the broker will want to start asking for the order by placing phone calls to shippers early in the morning – perhaps from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. This is when most shippers are putting the final touches on their needs. Basically, the broker is asking if the shipper is looking for any trucks on that particular day.

If the answer is “No”, the broker goes on to the next and the next. At some point, the broker hits a “hot” one (or several) and that’s when the action begins.

After the broker has “proved” him or herself, the shipper will actually initiate calls to the broker instead of the broker always calling the shipper. And the shipper may want to work more proactively by looking for trucks 3-5 days out instead of just on a day-by-day basis.

2. Once the shipper has a load for which he needs a truck, the next step is to take the order from the shipper. The shipper will go into detail on what is required. Any uncertainties that the broker has should be cleared up immediately. It’s imperative that the broker communicates the correct information to each truck driver or dispatcher when they start calling in.

3. Then the broker will either work up an estimate of what rate is needed and they’ll get back with the shipper; or the broker will simply ask the shipper what they want to pay. After some calculations the freight broker will come up with an amount that they will offer to the truck. The ideal starting point is to get at least a 10% profit margin on each load.

4. The next step is to post these loads on the internet load boards. There are numerous loading boards where loads are posted as well as searches for trucks that may be done.

5. After these loads have been posted, the broker will then go to his or her database of available trucks. The broker will then call each carrier to see if they have a truck available. In the meanwhile, the broker may be receiving incoming calls from individuals who are responding to the posts on the load boards.

6. At some point, the broker is looking for the driver or dispatcher who will say, “Yes, I want the load”. Sometimes the broker will not find a truck. This is not like shooting fish in a barrel; however, with experience and by earning repeat business, the broker will “cover” more and more loads.

7. After the broker gets the “Yes” from the carrier, he or she then immediately calls the shipper to tell them that the load is being booked.

8. The broker will then fax their set up package to the carrier. While the carrier is processing the agreement and other papers, the broker will check out the carrier to make sure the carrier is properly authorized and insured. This is done either on the internet or telephone.

9. The last item sent to the carrier is the “confirmation”. The carrier should immediately sign and date this document and fax it back to the broker.

10. Once the broker has this confirmation on hand, the broker will want to call the truck driver if the driver himself hasn’t called the broker. The details of the load are then given to the driver along with any instructions. For example, the broker will ask the driver to call when they get loaded and when they get empty or if there is any problem. The broker will also ask the driver to call in at least every morning if it is a multi-day trip. These are important requirements that each broker should be ready to implement.

11. After the load is delivered and the carrier has reported back to the broker, the broker will want to call the shipper to let them know of the status.

12. Any problems on delivery which may include missing pieces or damaged cargo should be dealt with between the shipper and carrier. Sometimes the broker will intervene; however, the broker is never liable for any damage or missing pieces unless the broker is negligent.

13. Lastly, with the load delivered safely and in a timely fashion, the broker is ready to do the process over and over again.

While this routine may seem casual and boring at times – this is hardly the truth. Most of the time the broker will experience smooth going. However, there will be times when problems will arise – late deliveries, failure of the carrier to pick up a load, damaged cargo or missing pieces, long delays in picking up or delivering cargo – all of these need to be dealt with by the broker.

It is impossible to avoid problems, but it IS possible to stay alert and ready to deal with problems proactively. If the broker works hard and works smart for the shipper, if the broker deals honestly with the truck and pays them on time – the broker is well on his or her way to a successful venture.

A Dymo Label Buddy is the affordable, private labeling machine. By creating an easy-to-read label it will help you in organizing the home office quickly, it is not just for your ease of use, but for anyone who wants to come in and also find things. Reloading the Dymo Label Buddy is the simple process. Here is more information for you.

For the first step, you should pinch a tape that will be poking out of a tape feed slot of the replacement cartridge, then pull it out the inch further.

For the second step, you have to hold the Label Buddy therefore the back will be facing you. You can see a cartridge cover the extending off the back, perpendicular to a body of your machine. Just below where a cartridge cover will meet the back, you can see the small tab. Then, push it in and also up in order to open a hinged cartridge over.

For the next step, you can pull an old cartridge out. After that, insert your new cartridge. You need to ensure that a tape-feed side will be facing down to your machine, with a tape exiting a cartridge and also feeding by the tape slot at the bottom. Then, close a cartridge cover and also press it down until you will hear the tab click into a locked position.

For the last step, turn your Label Buddy over therefore it will be facing up. After that, hold a handle with both of hands, to make sure that both of thumbs will be on the top of a handle. Then, press on a handle twice in order to feed a tape by your machine. If the tape feeds, the Label Buddy will be ready to use. If the tape will not feed when you are pressing down on a handle, the cartridge will be not loaded with a tape-feed side that is facing down.

Glycemic response is influenced by the amount of food we eat, the type of food we eat, and how the food we eat is processed or prepared. An example of this is: a boiled potato will spike glucose levels in milliseconds. Glycemic Load considers both the glycemic index and the amount of carbohydrate in a food. The carbohydrate in carrots, for example, has a high Glycemic Index (G.I.).

Glycemic Load measures the effect of foods on blood glucose levels. High Glycemic Load numbers mean faster metabolism of energy and more chance of cravings.

The Glycemic Index has a scale of 0 to 100, with higher values given to foods that cause the most rapid rise in blood sugar. Pure glucose serves as a reference point, and is given a G.I. of 100. Because testing is expensive, many food processors are unwilling to fund the cost of testing their foods for G.I. levels.

Glycemic Load takes the concept of Glycemic Index a step further offering a more accurate reflection of the impact eating a specific food has on your blood sugar and insulin levels. The Glycemic Load takes into account the relative amount of carbohydrate the food contains in an average serving.

Diabetes Diet

Dietary Glycemic Load is the sum of the Glycemic Loads for all foods consumed in the diet. The concept of Glycemic Load was developed by scientists to simultaneously describe the quality (Glycemic Index) and quantity of carbohydrate in a meal or diet.

Diets based on carbohydrate foods that are more slowly digested and absorbed (i.e., low Glycemic Index diets) have been independently linked to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some types of cancer.

Dieters may also feel fatigued, causing them to binge. In addition, many diets are complex, requiring individuals to do complicated calculations in order to determine how much they should eat. Dietary intervention, either alone or as part of a therapeutic regimen, is important in the prevention and management of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Adding fat and/or protein can lower the G.I. of a high G.I. food. Initial glycogen stored may also affect the G.I. of a food. Adding a low G.I. food to a meal will lower the Glycemic Index of the whole meal.

You can find meals that include low G.I. foods in our recipe section. Go to Glycemic food index list for Free e-Book.

Dormers are very popular in homes on the East coast. They are used to allow for more space in a steep pitched roofing system. For most dormers, you will need to frame the roof first and then raise the gables and set the ridge beam. It is also important to understand where the roof load is designed to distribute the weight on the rafters and floor joists. Then you will know where your bearing points are so you can install extra framing beams to carry the load and transfer down to the home’s foundation.

Framing Gable Dormers

Gable dormers are built perpendicular to the existing roof plane, extends out the edge of the existing roof line and includes a gable roof. Gable dormers are designed to have the weight of the dormer rafters carried through the side walls and on to the existing roofs rafters. Knowing this, you will want to double or triple the roof rafters on either side of the new dormer so the side walls of the dormer have a strong support to rest on. By doing this you will not have to add additional joists under the attic sub-floor.

Just like framing a new skylight, you will need to cut and head the existing rafters that run through the opening of the dormer. You can use a recip saw to do the job.

If you are framing a wide gable dormer, you can expect the load to require extra attention. You may need to use steel I-beams on the floor system to hold up the roof. You may also need to add extra beams in your first floor walls to help carry the weight to the foundation. You can do all of this before you cut into your roof to limit the amount of time your home is exposed to outside elements.

Shed Dormers

Framing a shed dormer is easier than framing a gable dormer. All the weight of the shed dormer is placed on the end wall instead of the side walls so there is no load-bearing issue if the end wall is framed on top of the exterior walls of the home. If the end wall of the dormer is located away from the exterior wall, the floor joist will need to be doubled or trippled to provide adequate support.

The top of the shed dormer can either meet with the main ridge or existing roof. If the top meets below the ridge, you will need to install a header to support the load of the dormer rafters. The header must be correctly sized to carry the tail joists and connect the rafters and the ridge. The side walls of a shed dormer do not carry any weight of the dormer so you will not need to reinforce the rafters on either side under the sidewalls.

To save on the amount of time your home is open, try and have all of your materials pre-cut. You should be able to frame a gable or shed dormer in less than a day.