According to the Urban Dictionary, a meathead is defined as the following: "An enormously muscular guy who cannot hold a conversation about anything other than weight-lifting and protein shakes." Now, that definition is harsh and a definite generalization. I have been called a meathead plenty of times by friends and family, and I find it upsetting because all they are doing is judging me based on my physical appearance and my hobbies. The perception of meatheads is completely false, and there are plenty of things we as a society can learn from meatheads.

1. Do not judge a book by the cover.

Yes, meatheads are usually incredibly muscular and look as though they can eat your head for a pre-workout snack. Do not be fooled. The huge men and women you see in the gym are some of the kindest, most sincere, and helpful people you will meet. Not only will they give you advice on how to achieve progress in the gym, they will also be the people who sit next to you in class and help you study every night after a workout. People with big muscles can be intelligent, too. What a concept.

2. Hard work beats talent every time.

Nothing worth having comes easy in life, and hard work is necessary in order to excel. There are people out there who are naturally talented at certain things, but more often than not, they rest on their laurels and stay comfortable in their standings. Those who work hard are always trying to be the best version of themselves. This pertains to meatheads, because not everyone can have a sculpted body or look like they are stepping out of a body building catalogue shoot. Those abs, biceps, quads, and traps have taken years to grow and sculpt. Those meatheads have put in countless hours for meal prepping, working out, and living a strict lifestyle.

3. In order to achieve your dream, you may have to give up a lot in the process.

Many people are under the impression that meatheads live a lavish, fun, wild lifestyle. Many gym-goers believe they are living an exciting life while they work out twice a day, consume protein shakes regularly, eat more egg whites in one day than most people will eat in a year, consider going out to be going to the gym late at night with friends. Being at the bar means being literally underneath a bar as they squat. A lot of a meathead's personal life is given up because of their goals. Friends are hard to come by because no one truly understands what it is like to constantly be conscientious of their physical appearance, workouts, and eating habits. Forget about a relationship, because what partner is going to be okay with their significant other being in the gym working out for a longer time than they spend with them. This is why the gym becomes a second family.

4. Family, those who are blood or chosen, means everything.

With few people who understand the lifestyle of a meathead, it means everything when you do come across a group of people who finally and fully understand you. These people know your goals, desires, and even the crazy, slightly unhealthy at times, obsessions with Dana Linn Bailey, Calum Von Moger, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. The gym becomes your family that is predominately full of meatheads who are there for you when you need someone to spot you when you attempt a new max in your squat, correct your form in bench, and have the most regretful yet satisfying cheat meals with you. Meathead families are among the most supportive and loving families I have yet to meet.

5. “The Look.”

Every girl dreams of the day that her boyfriend looks at her with such love and pure admiration in his eyes. I finally know what that looks like thanks to a fellow gym-goer that works out at the gym where I attend school. One day, this man looked at himself in the mirror and began to flex his bicep. The way he looked at his arm with absolute happiness, and as he marveled over his vascularity on top of his arm pump, was a look that cannot be explained. Although, in that moment, I realized that I can only hope one day that the man I marry will look at me the way this gentleman gazed at his arm.