How many calories can you burn by walking 10,000 steps? Answer may surprise you
Photo: How many calories you can burn with regular walking (Freepik)
Walking is one of the most accessible and effective ways to maintain physical activity and burn extra calories. The 10,000 steps per day goal has already become a kind of benchmark for many who strive to lead a healthy lifestyle.
How many calories you burn while walking?
It is generally accepted that, on average, a person burns around 30-40 calories for every thousand steps taken. So, simple math gives us approximate numbers:
- 7,000 steps: approximately 210 - 280 calories.
- 8,000 steps: approximately 240 - 320 calories.
- 9,000 steps: approximately 270 - 360 calories.
- 10,000 steps: approximately 300 - 400 calories.
However, it's important to understand that these numbers are very generalized. The actual number of calories burned can vary significantly depending on a range of individual factors:
Body weight
The more a person weighs, the more energy is needed to move the body, and thus, more calories are burned.
Walking speed
Walking faster burns more calories in the same amount of time or with the same number of steps. A faster pace significantly increases energy expenditure.
Age and gender
These factors affect basal metabolism - the number of calories the body burns at rest.
Fitness level
People in better physical shape may burn slightly fewer calories doing the same movements.
Terrain
Walking uphill or on an uneven surface requires more effort and, consequently, burns more calories than walking on a flat road.
Even nuances such as step length and individual metabolic features matter.
For a more accurate calculation of calories burned during walking, there are specialized fitness trackers, smartwatches, and mobile apps. They use data about your weight, age, gender, and movement intensity to provide a more personalized estimate. Some of them can also consider GPS data to determine the distance covered and elevation changes.
Read also about the minimum number of steps you should take daily.
Sources: Health, calorie chart.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
