“Maxxing” is Dictionary.com’s word of the year. Here’s how farmers fit the trend

I’ll be so for real (or “fr”) right now:

I am not the person to ask when it comes to new trends, fashion and especially slang. (Recently, I said “bruh” to my son, and he told me to stop it.)

So, while Gen Z's term "maxxing" is not in my vocabulary, it was named Dictionary.com's word of the year. And, surprisingly, farmers play a bigger role in this trend than you may think.

What is “maxxing”?

Maxxing is essentially optimization with the goal to achieve the “best version” of yourself or living the lifestyle you want.

Want to make yourself the most physically attractive you can be? That’s looksmaxxing.

Want to shed your unhealthy digital habits by staring into the void for hours? That’s nothingmaxxing.

Want to cook from scratch, garden and emulate an old Italian lady? That’s nonnamaxxing… apparently.  

Farmers help with proteinmaxxing 

You can probably guess where this is going: “proteinmaxxing” means to consume as much protein as possible to build muscle.

While there are many food items that boast “high protein” on their labels, the best sources of protein are raised on Iowa farms in the form of beef, pork, turkey, chicken and dairy products.

And the perks don’t stop at muscle. These animal-based foods have nutrients that help your body in other ways, too, like:

• Supporting your immune system.
• Providing natural sources of Vitamin B12, which is critical for nerve function.
• Promoting brain health.

And yes, farm products even help with gymmaxxing

For people into strengthmaxxing or gymmaxxing (you get the idea now), farmers also contribute to products that help you reach your goals:

• Some rubber floor mats in gyms are made with recycled tiles held together with a soybean-based glue, often considered a more eco-friendly option.
• Some activewear brands use plant-based fibers derived from corn due to its durability.
• Whey protein? It’s a by-product of cheesemaking. And natural forms of creatine come from animal-based foods.  

Farmers practice maxxing on their family farms, too

As farmers continue to provide these everyday items we rely upon, they are doing so with animal care and the environment in mind. Using data, research, technology and innovative thinking, farmers have been:

• Soilmaxxing, exceeding the state's phosphorus reduction goal using conservation tillage, which minimizes soil disturbance, and grassed waterways, which capture soil leaving the field with water and help reduce erosion into nearby streams.
• Conservationmaxxing with the accelerated use of nitrate-reducing conservation practices like cover crops, water quality wetlands, bioreactors, saturated buffers and multi-purpose oxbows, up by 90% in just six years.
• Nutritionmaxxing by working with livestock feed nutritionists to give their animals every single nutrient, vitamin and macro needed for healthy growth at every stage of life.

While "maxxing" may be the trend of the moment, I can get behind the idea of wanting to be, do and continually improve upon your best. Gen Z may have given it a name, but farmers have been living it since before these young people were born.

Learn more about author Caitlyn Lamm here.