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The Ultimate Hot Girl Walk
- Ashtyn Larsen
- Nov 25
- 4 min read
From Hot Girl Walks to Sacred Pilgrimages:
Why walking is the single greatest health hack of our existence
In 2021, the "hot girl walk" trend ambushed our social media feeds, encouraging women to walk for an hour daily while focusing on gratitude and self-confidence. What began as a Gen Z wellness hack has evolved into something far more profound: a modern rediscovery of humanity's oldest form of spiritual and physical practice.
Two years after seeing girlies on their daily marches spam my TikTok feed, I embarked upon the 560-mile Camino de Santiago across northern Spain. It was the walk of all walks. The ultimate “hot girl walk.” Walking 15 miles daily for 36 days through vineyards, medieval villages, and mountain passes, I discovered what millions of pilgrims throughout history have known: walking isn't just exercise. It's transformation.
The Science Behind the Steps
The popularity of the “hot girl walk” was not accidental. Research consistently demonstrates walking has a profound impact on both physical and mental health. A daily hour-long walk reduces anxiety, improves cardiovascular health, enhances creativity, and releases endorphins that naturally elevate mood. These benefits multiply exponentially when combined with mindful gratitude practice, a core component of the hot girl walk.
Neuroscientist Dr. Shane O'Mara called walking a "superpower" in his research, noting that rhythmic, bilateral movement activates the brain's default mode network, facilitating introspection and problem-solving. This explains why many breakthrough ideas occur during walks and why the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other can feel so mentally clarifying.
Dr. Barbara Resnick of the University of Maryland contended that if the benefits of walking could be packaged into pill form, it would be the highest-grossing pill in the world.
From Sidewalks to Sacred Paths
Post-pandemic travel has witnessed an unprecedented surge in walking-based tourism. Nature-based pilgrimages, once considered niche religious practices, now attract half a million people annually (including me) to routes like the Camino de Santiago. Americans comprise the largest demographic on these ancient paths for the first time in history.
This shift reflects a broader cultural hunger for meaningful travel experiences. Where previous generations might have sought beach resorts or city breaks, today's travelers increasingly crave journeys that challenge both body and spirit. The pilgrimage offers what Instagram-worthy destinations cannot: genuine transformation through sustained effort and reflection.
Pilgrimage as Modern Wellness
Not so long ago, the term “pilgrimage” would evoke a religious connotation. The surge in secular pilgrimage reflects changing attitudes toward spirituality and wellness. In an era of declining organized religion, many seek transcendent experiences outside traditional frameworks. The pilgrimage path provides a structure for those seeking a physical journey that mirrors internal exploration.
Walking the roads of the Camino, I encountered 20-somethings in life transitions, those processing grief, retirees seeking a deeper meaning to their lives, and people who just really loved walking. Few named their religion as their motivation, yet all referenced the spirituality of the Camino. When you first begin your journey, those who sign you up and send you on your way tell you of the common phrase among the pilgrims. “Buen Camino” or “Good Way,” they say. And each day of my trek, I wished a “Buen Camino” to my fellow pilgrims, hoping for them a safe journey on a road we all shared, albeit for many different reasons.
Over time, the pilgrimage had become a form of active meditation, combining physical endurance with contemplative practice.
Anthropologist Victor Turner described pilgrimage as "the removal of the pilgrim from the present and the usual, to a place where others likewise displaced have sought connection." This displacement, whether on a month-long trek across Spain or a 10-minute neighborhood walk, creates space for insights that busy daily life obscures.
The Democratization of Transcendence
The intersection of the ancient religious pilgrimages and the “hot girl walk” is accessibility. Unlike expensive retreats or exclusive wellness programs, walking requires only time and intention. This democratization of transformative practice explains both phenomena's widespread appeal.
The hot girl walk's emphasis on self-love and confidence mirrors the pilgrimage's traditional focus on self-discovery and renewal. Both practices use rhythmic movement to access altered states of consciousness naturally. Both emphasize process over destination journey over achievement.
On the trail, I witnessed this transformation repeatedly. Fellow pilgrims arrived stressed, distracted, and disconnected. Days of walking gradually stripped away mental noise, revealing clearer perspectives on relationships, career choices, and personal values. The physical challenge became a vehicle for psychological and spiritual breakthroughs.
Walking as Revolutionary Act
In our hyperconnected, efficiency-obsessed culture, dedicating hours to walking can feel radical.
The hot girl walk explicitly rejects gym culture's competitive metrics in favor of self-compassion and joy, simplifying the workout to putting one foot in front of the other. Similarly, pilgrimages prioritize inner work over external accomplishment.
Both practices offer profound counter-narratives to productivity culture, suggesting that sometimes the most valuable activities appear "unproductive.” But maybe that intentional effort to not be traditionally productive–to walk slowly, think deeply, and connect with ourselves–might be the recipe we need to live in a world that demands constant acceleration.
The Path Forward
The intersection of wellness culture and ancient pilgrimage traditions suggests a broader cultural shift toward embodied, experiential approaches to personal growth. Whether walking city streets with gratitude or crossing continents on foot, people are rediscovering walking's transformative potential.
Walking is a return to a fundamental human practice that connects the body, mind, and spirit. In a world increasingly mediated by screens and algorithms, the simple act of walking grounds us in physical reality while opening space for a transcendent experience.
The hot girl walks and the ancient pilgrimage share essential wisdom: transformation happens step by step and mile by mile through a sustained commitment to moving forward despite discomfort or uncertainty.
In an age of instant gratification, both practices offer the radical proposition that some of life's most valuable experiences unfold slowly, requiring patience, persistence, and faith in the journey itself.
As walking continues its cultural renaissance, we're remembering what our ancestors knew: the path itself is the destination, and the journey transforms the traveler. Whether seeking confidence on city sidewalks or enlightenment on mountain trails, we're all walking toward the same goal: a deeper connection with ourselves and the world around us.
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