Dua Lipa Just Took the Hot Girl Walk to the Next Level
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While everyone is focused on the hot girl walk, Dua Lipa is taking things up a notch with a hot girl hike. Lipa just revealed her "perfect day," and it includes getting outside in nature, an oceanside sunset, a French film from the 90s, and seafood.
The singer shared a carousel of photos on Instagram with the caption: "The perfect day." Her post features shots of her posing on a rocky cliff overlooking the sea at sunset, seemingly enjoying the view after a hike with friends. She's wearing black tennis shoes with white ankle socks and a blue tank top with matching shorts. Her hair is slicked back in a half-up do held back by a claw clip. (See: Celebs Have Made These '90s Hairstyles Cool Again — Here's How to Wear Them)
She also shared images of an outdoor movie screening of the film La Haine and fish being prepared on the grill. This comes just a few days after the "Levitating" singer's 27th birthday, which she celebrated in Ibiza.
While Lipa's recent Instagram post makes hiking look like fun (and oh-so worth it for those views), the outdoor activity is actually a great form of exercise for a few reasons — and you don't have to be a pro to reap the benefits. "Think of hiking as simply taking a longer walk in nature; you can hike at any pace, at any elevation, and for any number of miles, hours, or even days," Alyson Chun, a senior instructor for the REI Outdoor School, previously told Shape. The key is to wear proper hiking shoes and pack supplies, including snacks and water.
Once you're prepared to head out on the trails, you'll get a serious leg workout. "Trekking up a mountain is a lot like climbing the stairclimber or doing lunges over and over, which strengthens your glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves," Joel Martin, Ph.D., an assistant professor of exercise, fitness, and health promotion at George Mason University, previously told Shape. Going downhill also requires you to stabilize your knees and hips, giving you the same kind of workout you'd get from slowly lowering a weight at the gym (aka eccentric contractions), explained Martin.
Related: Watch Dua Lipa Nail a Headstand Yoga Pose with Ease
It's pretty obvious that a nice hike is a lower-body workout, but walking on uneven terrain works your core muscles too as you stabilize your body and work to stay upright. It's also a solid way to cross train and build endurance, Shape previously reported.
Lastly, research suggests hiking is good for your mental health. A 2015 study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science found that walking for 90 minutes in nature (versus walking for the same amount of time in an urban area) decreased self-reported rumination (repetitive negative thinking) in participants. This is noteworthy because scientists have documented a link between rumination and risk for depression, allowing the study authors to conclude hiking in nature may have a positive effect on people's mental health.
If you were looking for an excuse to take your regular hot girl walk to the next level in the great outdoors, consider this it.
