Table of Contents
Walking is a surprisingly simple yet highly effective form of exercise. Whether you stroll around the neighborhood, walk one mile, hike on a trail, or briskly walk on a treadmill, it can contribute significantly to your health and fitness goals as it can increase weight loss, reduce weight gain, and manage conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and more.
But how many calories do you actually burn while walking? Let’s break it down.
Factors That Can Affect How Many Calories You Burn
The amount of calories you burn while walking depends on several factors. These include:
Body Weight
Heavier individuals typically burn more calories during physical activity because it requires a lot of energy to move a larger body mass. If you weigh more than 150 pounds, you can burn more than 100 calories per hour and if you weigh less, you’ll have to walk more to burn the same number.
Walking Speed
The pace at which you walk directly affects calorie expenditure. Walking at a faster pace requires a lot of energy and therefore burns more calories per minute compared to walking at a slower pace.
Terrain
Walking on flat ground generally burns fewer calories than walking uphill or on uneven terrain. Uphill walking requires more effort and engages additional muscles, resulting in higher calorie expenditure.
Muscle Mass
Muscle tissue burns calories at rest compared to fat tissue. Therefore, individuals with higher muscle mass tend to have a higher basal metabolism (the processes your body uses to maintain function, like digesting food, breathing, and circulating blood) and may burn more calories during physical activity, including walking.
Age
Metabolic rate tends to decrease with age, which can affect the rate at which calories are burned during exercise. Older individuals may burn fewer calories while walking compared to younger individuals.
Fitness Level
People who are more physically fit often have more efficient cardiovascular systems and muscles, allowing them to sustain higher levels of activity and burn more calories during exercise.
Weather Conditions
Extreme temperatures, such as hot or cold weather, can impact calorie expenditure during walks. In colder temperatures, the body may burn more calories to maintain core temperature, while in hot weather, the body may expend additional energy to cool itself through sweating.
Clothing and Gear
Carrying extra weight, such as a backpack or weighted vest, can increase calorie burn during walks. Similarly, wearing clothing that traps heat or restricts movement may also affect calorie expenditure. For example, a 155-pound person burns approximately 267 calories walking at a moderate pace on a flat surface for an hour. The same person could burn 439 calories an hour hiking a mountainous trail while wearing a weighted backpack.
Duration and Frequency
If you walk farther, you’ll burn more calories. Similarly, more frequent walks naturally result in higher total calorie expenditure over time. Consistency in maintaining a regular walking routine can contribute to overall calorie burn and fitness improvements.
How Many Calories Do 30 Minutes of Walking Burn?
The number of calories burned walking for 30 minutes depends on your weight, walking speed, terrain, distance walked, and other factors. On average, a person weighing around 155 pounds (70 kilograms) can burn approximately 120-180 calories walking at a moderate pace of 2-3 miles per hour.
However, if you pick up the pace to a brisk walk of 3.5-4 miles per hour, you could burn around 150-220 calories in the same time frame.
How Many Calories Do You Burn in a 1 Hour Walk?
Doubling the duration of your walk naturally increases the number of calories burned. In a one-hour walk, again depending on factors like weight and walking pace, you could burn approximately 240-360 calories walking at a moderate pace, and up to 300-440 calories at a brisk pace. Do note that these are rough estimates, and individual metabolic rates can vary.
How Many Calories Do 10,000 Steps Burn?
Walking 10,000 steps a day, often considered a benchmark for daily physical activity, can significantly contribute to your calorie expenditure. However, the number of calories burned while walking 10,000 steps varies widely based on different factors like your weight, walking pace, and terrain. As a general estimate, walking 10,000 steps may burn anywhere from 200 to 500 calories or more, depending on these factors.
Is Walking 10,000 Steps a Day Necessary?
It’s long believed that taking 10,000 steps each day is beneficial to one’s health. Truthfully the “10,000 steps a day” originated from a marketing tool by a Japanese company when they introduced a pedometer called “manpo-kei” meaning “10,000 steps meter,” in the 1960s. It then turned into a universal benchmark.
According to research, step counts between 7,000 to 9,000 per day may help with cardiovascular disease prevention and produce health advantages comparable to completing 150 to 300 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise each week as advised by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Another study found that the average person who walked a moderate amount of 7,000 to 9,000 steps per day had a 50% to 70% lower risk of all-cause mortality than those who walked under 7,000 steps per day.
Walking 10,000 steps may be a fantastic goal but it is not necessary in order to burn calories. Don’t feel discouraged if you’re unable to take 10,000 steps a day. It’s perfectly fine to set individual step goals per week based on your current fitness level. As long as you aim to increase your total daily steps above a sedentary level, you’ll be healthier in the long run.
How to Track Calories Burned
Tracking the calories you burn with walking can provide valuable feedback and motivation for reaching your fitness goals. A fitness tracker can show you how many calories you burn, including your basal metabolic rate and exercise calories, as well as measure the total distance you’ve walked and your heart rate.
While a wearable fitness tracker and some smartphone apps offer convenient ways to monitor your calorie expenditure, it’s essential to remember that these are estimates and may not always be entirely accurate. However, they can still serve as useful tools for tracking progress and staying accountable.
Tips to Burn More Calories
To maximize the calorie-burning potential of your walking routine, consider the following tips:
Increase Intensity
Incorporate intervals of faster walking or inclines to challenge your muscles and elevate your heart rate, leading to more calories burned. You can even try other forms of movement such as running and racewalking as they burn a lot more calories per mile. Running burns even more calories per mile likely due to the effort of raising both feet off the ground at the same time.
Use a Calculator
Perhaps you never thought of involving math in any kind of workout but in reality, it can help you a lot especially if you have specific goals in mind. If weight loss is one of your goals, you’ll need to increase your walking activity to burn more calories each day. But of course, you have to consider your nutritional needs and food choices as well.
A weight loss calculator can help you see what your calorie goal should be depending on how physically active you are. Many calculators use equations based on data presented in the “Energy Cost of Running” study by R. Margaria, P. Cerretelli, P. Aghemo, and G. Sassi.Â
If you just want to calculate an estimate of calories burned in general, you can use a walking calorie calculator online or via a mobile app. Most calculators will need several factors to calculate the estimate of calories burned walking with a treadmill, outside, or even up or downhill. The results can show you the number of calories you burn when walking one mile or more.
Add Resistance
Carrying light weights or wearing a weighted vest can increase the intensity of your walk, leading to greater calorie expenditure.
Incorporate Hills
Walking uphill engages more muscles and requires more energy, resulting in higher calorie burn compared to walking on flat terrain. When walking downhill, keep your strides short and be careful about how you’re walking.
Stay Consistent
Aim for regular walking sessions throughout the week to maintain a steady calorie-burning routine and improve overall fitness levels.
Listen to Music
Jamming out to fast-paced music as you walk will naturally make you step quicker, allowing you to burn more calories. Music can also boost your mood, making you happier while walking.
Walking Workout Plan
Walking has a ton of health benefits. It can help you lose weight, help with posture, increase physical activity, improve mental health, and of course, increase the calories you burn. Here’s a simple daily walking workout routine that you can follow to burn more calories!
- Day 1: Brisk walking for 30 minutes, focusing on maintaining a steady pace.
- Day 2: Interval walk – alternate between 2 minutes at a brisk pace and 1 minute at a moderate pace for 40 minutes.
- Day 3: Hill walk – find a hilly route and walk uphill for 20 minutes, then walk on flat terrain for another 20 minutes.
- Day 4: Rest or engage in a light activity like yoga or stretching.
- Day 5: Long walk – aim for a leisurely walk of 60 minutes at a comfortable pace.
- Day 6: Speed walk – walk as fast as you can for 20 minutes, then slow down to a moderate pace for another 20 minutes.
- Day 7: Active rest – engage in low-impact activities like swimming or cycling to give your muscles a break while still staying active.
Conclusion
Burning calories can be easy as long as you find the right mix for you. By incorporating these variations into your walking routine and staying consistent, you can effectively burn calories, maintain good posture, lose weight, maintain a healthy weight, improve cardiovascular health, improve brain health, and enhance overall health.
Remember to listen to your body, stay hydrated, and consult with a professional healthcare provider before starting any new exercise program, especially if you have any underlying health conditions.
