Move over, ‘hot girl summer’– this summer, it’s all about the ‘hot girl walk’. The latest TikTok fitness trend is all about throwing on your favourite track shoes and either hopping onto a treadmill or heading outdoors for a walk around your neighbourhood whilst keeping positive thoughts in your mind.
While the idea of going for a long walk is nothing new, the general idea of the hot girl walk is to opt out of competitive gym culture whilst committing to a mindful, meditative walk that prioritises self-care. The term was first coined by University of Southern California student Mia Lind (@exactlyliketheothergirls on TikTok), who was searching for a form of exercise that she didn’t dread, as revealed in an interview with Huffpost. She ultimately chose long walks for their meditative element, and upon realising that there’s a stigma attached to walking with many viewing it as not a legitimate form of exercise, she decided to “rebrand” walks with the term ‘hot girl walk’.
The trend has since taken off on TikTok, with the hashtag #HotGirlWalk garnering over 420 million views on the social media platform. Many who jumped onto the trend have encouraged others to go on a hot girl walk as a means to reduce stress, get in shape, and boost self-esteem.
And despite what the cheeky name might suggest, the hot girl walk is gender-inclusive – the trend is open to anyone who is seeking to exercise with purpose while manifesting their dreams.