Written by Kate Armstrong
If you have been even mildly present on social media in the past three years, you will probably have come across the popular term – the “hot girl walk”.
But what is a hot girl walk, how did it start and why is it good for you?
How it started
Many trends went around during the COVID-19 lockdowns, anything from sourdough to Netflix to our Hot Girl Walks.
The trend originated with Mia Lind, a social media influencer who used walking as an outlet during the pandemic lockdowns as an excuse to get outside.
It was not pitched at particularly athletic people, but at anyone who was struggling with their mental and physical health during a worldwide pandemic.
Mia pitched it as a four-mile or 6-kilometre outdoor walk with a focus on gratefulness, mindfulness practice, as well as your goals and how you want to achieve them.
From a simple idea created during the pandemic, Mia has now grown the Hot Girl Walk or HGW into a fully-fledged business and millions of people have taken up the hot girl walk creating an incredible community.
Why it’s good for you
We know for a fact that physical activity has huge potential to enhance our lives by increasing our mental alertness, energy, and serotonin.
A walk is a low-impact, free activity that can be done at any time of the day and doesn’t have the risks that are associated with more intense forms of exercise.
Two fantastic benefits of the Hot Girl Walk is getting outside in nature and doing it with other people.
It is proven that nature, and especially green spaces release serotonin, the same neurotransmitter that is present in most antidepressant medications.
Fresh air also increases oxygen levels in our brains!
And why not get a friend involved, make it a regular once-a-week social activity with a friend or two and get them involved.
Find a few walking tracks in your local area that you can rotate between, and especially find good ones for different times of the year.
I love to change up the time that I go as well, whether that be sunrise during summer when it is warm enough, or an early sunset walk during winter to wind down before bed.
If you do prefer to go on your own, listening to your favourite tunes, podcasts, or audiobooks as you walk is a very effective way to pass the time!
Even your uni lectures if you need to catch up on some or are particularly inspired. This combines physical activity, mental stimulation, and relaxation.
Some of my favourite podcasts to listen to on my walks include:
- Atomic Habits audiobook by James Clear
- Dr Matt and Dr Mike (super helpful for health students!)
- WHOA That’s Good by Sadie Robertson
- It’s Not Just You by Soph and Rach
- Drink More Water by Riley Dixon and Sophie Jayne Miller
- Where the Crawdads Sing audiobook by Delia Owens
- Showing Up: Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable audiobook by Ned Brockman
So next time you’re feeling uninspired, bored, tired, or sad, try out a Hot Girl Walk and feel the way it boots your mental and physical health!
Of course don’t forget to reward yourself at the end with a smoothie or coffee from your favourite café!
