What Really Happens To Your Body When You Take A Hot Girl Walk
If you are hip enough to be well-versed in the world of TikTok, you've probably got your Hot Girl Walk down to an art already. Otherwise, you might have missed the trend that's been all over the platform.
"Hot Girl Walks" — a term minted by 22-year-old University of Southern California (USC) student Mia Lind — is the viral fitness trend that has as much to do with getting up and getting your body moving as it does lovingly tending to your self-esteem.
In the viral video posted on TikTok, Lind describes how her new exercise routine transformed her from the inside out, "because transformations are the ones that start internally." She then lays out the parameters for the Hot Girl Walk: a daily four-mile outdoor mindfulness walk.
So, the kids took the age-old tradition of going for a walk around the neighborhood and made it sound like a brand new concept? Yes, they did — but we're going with it. Now, listen up. There are rules to this, and if you follow them, professionals in the fields of mental health and physical fitness agree that you might see a transformation of your very own.
Hot Girl Walk rules
Lind lays out the rules for the Hot Girl Walk clearly. While on your four-mile walk, you are allowed to think of three things, and three things only: what you are grateful for, how hot you are, and your goals. There's one more thing. You are, under no circumstances, allowed to think about whatever drama currently plagues your love life (per TikTok).
When speaking with HuffPost, Lind explained that while she did lose weight practicing her daily Hot Girl Walk, it wasn't really about that. She notes that the biggest changes came in the form of improved mental health.
At its core, the Hot Girl Walk encompasses the tried and true practices of exercise and gratitude to cultivate physical and mental growth. Vanessa Liu, an online fitness trainer, nutritionist, and advocate of the Hot Girl Walk, endorses utilizing the tools promoted in the Hot Girl Walk as a way to take control of your life and your circumstances (per HuffPost).
Why it works
A brisk walk certainly qualifies as a solid workout. Harvard University named walking an aerobic activity that's easy on the joints while still increasing the heart rate enough to improve blood pressure, promote a lower body mass index, and decrease the risk of diabetes, stroke, and cardiovascular disease. Exercise also releases endorphins, which are feel-good neurotransmitters (per Mayo Clinic). A good walk will reduce stress, boost energy, reduce symptoms of depression, and evoke feelings of self-confidence. A study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology even identified walking as a powerful catalyst for creative thinking!
Gratitude, another element of the Hot Girl Walk, offers a great deal of value. Psychology Today presents a multitude of studies confirming that practicing gratitude can improve your relationships, sleep quality, mental health, and self-esteem, while supplying you with a deeper well of energy and an increased ability to handle stressful situations with grace.
As experts point out to HuffPost, you could also try practicing mindfulness during your walk. The American Psychological Association credits mindfulness with the reduction of stress, negative rumination, and emotional reactivity, as well as increased memory, focus, and self-insight.
There you have it! The Hot Girl Walk can work, so get out there and make like Mia.