#IIFYM – If It Fits Your Moocros

#IIFYM is “If It Fits Your Moocros.” Or, in human world, it means “If It Fits Your Macros.” As I’ve been getting more and more into working out (because I’ve been eating more and more pizza and downing more and more brewskis), I’ve been hearing and seeing #IIFYM quite a bit. The whole purpose of this trend is to encourage people to watch what they’re eating and to be more aware of what’s going into their bodies.

I’m going to be honest… I focus on eating a balanced and healthy diet, but I don’t give a damn about my exact macros. Not that there’s anything wrong with people who do! Real talk, people who can keep close track of their diets are absolutely incredible and inspiring to me; it’s just something that I can’t do, and probably won’t ever do. If I did I would obssess over it, and I’d be even more of a hangry (hungy + angry) betch than I am now, and I’d drive myself crazy with it… maybe even over a cliff (I hear there’s great cake in heaven).

HOWEVER… it’s not the same case for my divine bovines. If I ate half as well as my cows did and combined it with my exercise, I’d be like one of those American Warrior Ninjas. But here I am, blogging and drinking a diet mountain dew and eating an entire bag of white cheddar popcorn, debating whether to go for chips and guac next or the last pumpkin gob in the fridge. So no… I’m nowhere as well-fed or as health concious as my cows are.

Here’s the thing – cows are animals that crave the same nutrients day in and day out. We, as dairy professionals, need to help them keep up with those requirements. Farmers will work with cow nutritionists (yes… something people go to school for) to determine what diets and feed formulas/mixtures their herd needs to be the best that they can be. Even crazier, it’s not just one type of feed for the whole farm. Depending on how the farm is set up, there will be several diet plans in place; diets for the calves, heifers, milking cows… you get the picture? How about a few examples:

Click here to learn more about  the specifics of what dairy animals are eating.

Or here to read about a real farmer explaining what they feed and why.

This link is super fun – a kick boxing coach meets a Registered Dietician/Farmer… awesome right?

Someone once told me, “you only care about making your cows make milk.” Well… duh, that’s a big part of it! That’s what dairy cows do… they make milk. It’s our responsibility as their caretakers to make sure we’re refueling their bodies so that they can perform their very best, and look good and feel good while doing it.