In 2021, Mia Lind, 22, was inspired to create the Hot Girl Walk, a social media movement that encouraged girls to show off how good their walk — either on a treadmill or outdoors — makes them feel. She introduced the concept in early January and it quickly went viral on TikTok, transforming her into an influencer almost overnight, going from 10,000 to over 90,000 followers in a few days.
Mia tells Bustle she wanted to make the exercise community more accessible and to prove walking was a valid form of fitness. “Additionally, the mindfulness aspects are known practices that help mental health and self-esteem,” she says of the modality. The hashtag #hotgirlwalk has amassed over 65.8 million views, with thousands of users sharing videos of their own hot girl walk — and the trend is still picking up mileage. “People have been adding different variations to it, using different products they like — ankle weights, a new coffee recipe to drink on the walk, new shoes, new leggings, the list goes on,” she says.
According to Mindbody’s annual Wellness Index, in 2021 60% of consumers said that walking was part of their exercise routine. And 38% started spending time outside over the past year to support their mental well-being. It was clear: Walking was the new “it” workout.
